| Helping with Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) |
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CONTINUING
CHANGES IN PDPs
for 2009
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RETIREES
NEED TO CONSIDER COMMERCIAL
PLANS NOW with
the information below
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From the www.medicare.gov
web site
1.
Information available
Because the way that Medicare drug coverage works depends on your current coverage, Medicare has specific information available to help you no matter what type of coverage you have. These resources include the CMS brochure What Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Means to You: A Guide to Getting Started and the Medicare & You 2009 guide that you can read. You can get the brochure and other free Medicare publications by visiting www.medicare.gov or calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You should also look for and review information from your current insurer about how your current coverage will work with the Medicare prescription drug coverage.
2. Determining what matters most and reviewing plan options
Once you decide that you want prescription drug coverage, think about what matters most to you. There are a range of plan options available, so you can focus on the kind of coverage you prefer. There are two ways you can get your Medicare drug coverage. You can add drug coverage to the traditional Medicare plan through a “stand alone” prescription drug plan. Or you can get drug coverage and the rest of your Medicare coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, like an HMO or PPO, that typically provides more benefits at a significantly lower cost through a network of doctors and hospitals. No matter what type of plan you choose, you can choose a plan that reflects what you want in terms of cost, coverage and convenience.
Cost: What you pay for the coverage, including premiums, deductible, and payments for your drugs.
Coverage: What benefits are provided (like coverage in the “coverage gap” and other coverage enhancements), which drugs are covered and the rules (like prior authorization) for getting those drugs.
Convenience: Which pharmacies are part of the plan and whether the plan has a mail-order option.
Medicare has a Prescription Drug Plan Finder web site. Similar information is available at your local Social Security office.
3. Choosing a plan
Beginning on November 15, people with Medicare can choose a prescription drug plan. There are many ways to choose a plan. You may rely on advice from people you know or trust, or choose a plan you are already familiar with, or use the Landscape of Local Plans located on http://www.medicare.gov to find a plan that meets your needs. All of the plan options must meet or exceed Medicare's standards for coverage, including coverage for medically necessary drugs.
If you want to make more specific plan comparisons based on what matters to you, you can get personalized information from the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder . The Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder can be accessed at www.medicare.gov , or through a customer service representative at 1-800-MEDICARE, or through the many organizations working with Medicare to help people take advantage of the new drug coverage.
4. Enroll
You can enroll in a plan starting on November 15. Enrollment closes December 31. Medicare will have an online Enrollment Center at www.medicare.gov. You can also enroll by calling the plan's toll free number, by mailing in an application to the plan, or by visiting the plan's website