A National Conversation—Friends and Family First
Now is a great time to pull up a chair and have a conversation with
a friend or loved one about the new Medicare Prescription
Drug Coverage.
Medicare prescription drug coverage is an important addition to
Medicare that can help people save money and live better,
healthier lives. Everyone with Medicare is eligible for this
coverage, regardless of income and resources, health status or
current prescription expenses.
If you have Medicare, you owe it to yourself to learn more about
this new coverage. If you have family and friends with Medicare,
we ask that you help them learn more about it, too.
Millions of Americans have already picked a
Medicare Rx plan. In 5 simple steps, you can too.
A National Conversation—Friends and Family First
Step 1: Understand the basics
Medicare prescription drug coverage is insurance that covers both
brand-name and generic prescription drugs at participating
pharmacies in your area. Plans are different, but each plan has to
provide access to medically necessary prescription drugs.
Every person with Medicare has two choices: You can join a
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan that covers prescription drugs
only and keep your Original Medicare coverage, or you can join a
Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare Health Plan that
covers doctor and hospital care as well as prescriptions.
Step 2: Consider current coverage
Everyone with Medicare is eligible for Medicare prescription drug
coverage, even if they already have coverage now.
People with existing prescription drug coverage through another
source, such as through a Medigap plan, or through a former
employer or union, should get information from their current plan
about how their plan will work with Medicare prescription drug
coverage and what decisions they will have to make. These
people may want to compare the cost and coverage of their
current plan, with the cost and coverage of available Medicare
drug plans. Even people who already have good drug coverage
now may find that a Medicare drug plan is a better fit for them,
especially if they also qualify for extra help.
A National Conversation—Friends and Family First
Step 3: Gather information and compare plans
You’ll need the following information to start comparing plans:
• Your Medicare number (or your red, white and blue
Medicare card)
• Current prescriptions, with dosage information
• Name of local pharmacy or pharmacies
You’ll want to compare plans on how they meet your needs. Start
with the specific drugs you take, eliminating plans that don’t cover
your drugs. Then move on to pharmacies, eliminating plans that
don’t participate with your preferred pharmacy (or pharmacies).
Finally, you’ll also want to compare a number of financial
variables—premiums, deductibles, co-pays—eliminating plans that
don’t fit your specific financial situation and needs.
A National Conversation—Friends and Family First
Step 4: Get help with your plan choices
Every plan is different. There are many ways you can get more
information about the Medicare drug plans in your area:
IN PERSON, IN YOUR COMMUNITY
You can get help with your drug plan choices at many places throughout
your community, like schools, senior centers, clubs, faith-based
organizations, and your pharmacy. Or you can call your local office on
aging for help. For the telephone number, visit www.eldercare.gov on
the Web. The Eldercare Locator can help you find places to go to get
personalized assistance in comparing plan choices.
ON THE WEB
If you go online, visit www.medicare.gov to get detailed
information about Medicare prescription drug coverage and the
plans available in your area, or go directly to the Medicare
Prescription Drug Plan Finder Tool. This tool can help you compare
drug plan choices based on the drugs you take, the pharmacies you
use, and other factors that are important to you.
OVER THE PHONE
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to talk to a Medicare
representative (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048). Operators are
available 24/7 and can provide personalized help in comparing and
choosing Medicare drug plans.
You can also get information by calling the Medicare drug plan you
choose directly.
A National Conversation—Friends and Family First
Step 5: Enroll
When you’re ready, there are several ways to join a plan:
• Visit www.medicare.gov and click on “Enroll in a
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan”
• Call the Medicare drug plan you choose directly
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
(TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048)
The time to join is now!
Follow these 5 simple steps and you’ll soon be joining the
millions of Americans who’ve already signed up and are
already saving money.
Sign-up deadline is May 15, 2006. If you sign up after that date,
you will have to wait until November 15, 2006, to join. As with
all insurance, you may also have to pay a penalty for late
enrollment.