Medicare drug benefit

By Waxahachie Daily Ligt - Friday, December 7, 2007

The calendar during November and December tends to get a little full. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the festivities in between, often we have more to do than we have time. But one calendar item is essential for any Medicare-eligible senior age 65 and over, the open enrollment season for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.

Running Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, open enrollment allows Medicare recipients to sign up for a prescription drug plan or change their current plan if they so desire. Like the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (also known as Medicare Part D), participating in open enrollment season is completely voluntary. Seniors who are happy with the drug coverage they receive from a private plan, or who aren’t interested in signing up for Medicare’s drug benefit by no means have to, and seniors who do have Medicare drug coverage and don’t want to change plans do not need to do anything to continue receiving their coverage.

The prescription drug benefit allows seniors to pick a program that fits their personal health and financial needs. Texas seniors can choose from one of 56 plans during the open enrollment period.

Picking a plan can seem daunting, which is why the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has set up a Web site, www.medicare.gov, and hotline, 1-800-MEDICARE, to assist seniors in comparing plans and selecting the one that is right for them. When using these resources, it’s important to have a list of the medications the senior is taking handy, as it will help determine what plan is right for them. Additional assistance is also available to low-income seniors, so it’s important that these seniors understand the options available to them.

At the conclusion of last year’s open enrollment period, more than 1.4 million Americans had enrolled in the prescription drug benefit. If you or a loved one are eligible and don’t currently have prescription drug coverage or wish to change the coverage you currently have, mark your calendar: Dec. 31, is the last day of open-enrollment. And just like Christmas shopping, it’s best not to wait until the last minute.

Medicare Help on Part D sign-up

By THE WASHINGTON POST - Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Medicare beneficiaries signing up for prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D) now through Dec. 31 have a new Web tool to help them compare plans and costs.

Called Plan Finder, the Medicare site lists premiums, co-pays and deductibles by state.

Under Medicare regulations, insurers can't change tier prices before 2009 but can move drugs from tier to tier.

But according to the Medicare Rights Center in New York, if you're on the drug before its tier changes, you can continue paying the cheaper price.

Hassles? Call Medicare (800-633-4227).

SOURCES OF HELP


Plan Finder: From Medicare's home page, www.medicare.gov, click on "Medicare Prescription Drug Plans -- 2008 Plan Data."


A comprehensive list of resources for Medicare Part D comes from the staff of Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.: www.defazio.house.gov.

Medicare: For tips and information, go to www.medicare.gov/medicarereform/drugbenefit.asp.

Medicare Access for Patients-Rx, a coalition of groups providing guidance to people with chronic diseases and disabilities: www.maprx.info.

AARP Medicare Interactive Counselor: www.aarp.org/health/medicare.

Families USA: www.familiesusa.org/issues/medicare/rx-drug-center/for-consumers.

A Kaiser Family Foundation tracker site lets you compare drug plans: www.kff.org/medicare/healthplantracker/index.jsp.
Read more

Medicare Rights Center: www.medicarerights.org. See "A guide through the Medicare maze."