Busy Phone Lines for Medicare Drug Cards Cause Customer Ire.

Byline: Tony Pugh

May 18--WASHINGTON -- Callers to 1-800-MEDICARE are getting a familiar and frustrating message when they ask about a Medicare-approved prescription drug discount card: "Due to high call volumes, all of our agents are currently busy. Please try your call at a later time."

Marge Ellenberger of Onaway, Mich., tried for two days last week to get information on a discount card for her 76-year-old mother, but she never got past the message that asked her to call again later.

"I tried at 6:30 in the morning, I tried at mid-morning, I tried in the afternoon, the evening. I tried after 10 p.m. and I got the same thing," Ellenberger said. "If I'm frustrated and I'm 57,…