New Ratings of Medicare Advantage Plans Kicks Off
Enrollment Period for Drug Program
Campaign also features outreach to low-income
subsidy, more tools
Nov. 15, 2007 – The official kick-off of Medicare’s
Open Enrollment Period – the annual time for senior citizens to make
enrollment changes in their health and prescription drug coverage for
2008 - was officially announced today by Health and Human Services as the
window opens for 45 days. Starting today, too,
www.medicare.gov will provide beneficiaries with the five-star
ratings of the quality and performance of plans that offer Part C and
Part D services.
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The plan ratings are intended to help people with
Medicare choose an MA plan, a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan
(MA-PDP), or a stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) by combining
cost and coverage information with quality and performance information.
CMS also uses the plan ratings for oversight and
monitoring purposes to ensure plan quality. Part C (Medicare Advantage)
health plans are rated on criteria such as their providing timely
information and care and managing chronic conditions. Part D
(prescription drug plans) plans are rated on criteria such as customer
service and providing drug pricing information.
To view ratings of the quality and performance of
plans offered under Part C and Part D Services, the “Plan Finder” is
available at
www.medicare.gov/MPDPF and the “Medicare Options Compare” is located
at:
www.medicare.gov/MPPF.
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Tips on Drug Plan
Choice |
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 Things
to Consider Before Enrolling in a Medicare Private Drug Plan (Part
D) or Changing Plans
Time to make
changes - Starts Nov. 15 and ends Dec. 31, 2007
See list in
this story - click.
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The Open Enrollment Period for prescription drug
plan runs from Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, 2007.
There is an exception for Medicare Advantage (MA)
plans only - beneficiaries can make one change in enrollment --
enrolling in a new plan, changing plans or canceling a plan -- between
Jan. 1 and March 31, 2008.
HHS’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) encourages all beneficiaries to act soon to compare their current
plan with other plan options, according to the HHS press release.
“If they are satisfied with their current plan,
they do not need to do anything in order to maintain coverage. CMS
wants eligible beneficiaries who do not have prescription drug coverage
to know that, if they wait, they may pay a penalty on their premium,”
the release said.
Beneficiaries are encouraged to review their
prescriptions and other health needs when assessing the plan options
described in the “Medicare & You” handbook or on
www.medicare.gov.
In addition, CMS recommends that beneficiaries
gather any Medicare or Social Security mailings they received and
materials made available by local counselors to use as a reference when
speaking with a 1-800-Medicare representative or entering information on
www.medicare.gov.
CMS also encourages people to take advantage of the
enhanced online Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder options available
on
www.medicare.gov.
This feature offers information on available drug
plans, including out-of-pocket costs and pharmacy networks. The
enhanced online Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder and Medicare
Options Compare tools enable beneficiaries to compare drug plan options
for prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans in their area.
CMS says it continues to refine its educational
tools, so beneficiaries will find it easier to locate information about
available health and drug plans.
Medicare & You Handbooks Mailed
The 2008 “Medicare & You” handbook, mailed to
beneficiaries in October, includes tips on selecting a plan and an
overview of plan options. Beneficiaries already enrolled in a Part D
plan will also receive an Annual Notice of Change describing any changes
in the benefits of their current drug plan.
Beneficiaries without Web access can get the same
information provided by the online personalized plan comparison tools by
calling 1-800-MEDICARE, visiting their local State Health Insurance
Assistance Program (SHIP) office for free personalized counseling, or by
attending one of the local enrollment events taking place across the
country now through Dec. 31, 2007.
Working Together for Better Health Bus Tour
The 2007 Medicare bus tour, Working Together for
Better Health, is touring 180 cities across the country from Oct. 2
through Dec...31, joining community efforts and hundreds of partners
nationwide to assist Medicare beneficiaries with their health and
prescription drug plan options.
The initiativefeatures educational materials that
are easy to understand and geared towards specific minority groups.
Outreach messages will target African American, Hispanic, Asian American
Pacific Islander and Tribal communities. Information and applications
are also available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
Emphasis on Enrollment in Low Income Subsidy
Another focus for this year’s open enrollment
period involves signing up beneficiaries eligible for extra help, known
as the Low Income Subsidy (LIS), to pay for their drugs.
By providing information and enrollment assistance,
CMS will encourage them to apply for the extra help and enroll in Part
D. For those LIS-eligible Medicare beneficiaries who may not have
enrolled in part D in the past, CMS has announced that it is once again
waiving the fee for late enrollment to make it easier to get these
individuals the extra help they need.
CMS is targeting ZIP codes where Census figures
indicate numerous LIS-eligible beneficiaries reside. Educational
information will be provided through print materials, radio and Internet
banner ads. In addition, CMS partners including the SHIPs, Area
Agencies on Aging and local community providers will be reaching out to
beneficiaries and helping with enrollment.
Now is Time to Act
“Now is the time for beneficiaries to prepare and
compare their health and prescription drug coverage options and choose
the plan that best meets their needs,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said.
“We intend to keep building on the success the
program has achieved thus far. The most recent satisfaction rate stands
at 86 percent; the estimated average premium is 40 percent lower than
originally estimated and total estimated costs are running $188 billion
below initial projections. Part D is a program that is working well and
is helping Medicare beneficiaries with their prescription drug costs.”
“Medicare is working hard to reach people where
they live, work, play and pray,” said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry
Weems. “We want to ensure that the benefits provided by Medicare are
available to all eligible beneficiaries, especially those who qualify
for and need the extra help. This benefit is not only about providing
affordable prescription drug coverage; it’s also about promoting better
health. For millions of beneficiaries, prescription drug coverage is a
critical component in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”
More than 90 percent of beneficiaries in a
stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan will have access to at least
one plan in 2008 with premiums lower than they are paying this year.
Beneficiaries in every state will have access to at least one
prescription drug plan with premiums of less than $20 a month, and a
choice of at least five plans with premiums of less than $25 a month.
The national average monthly premium for the basic standard benefit is
expected to average $25, far below the original estimate for 2008 of
$41.
“This is an important time for beneficiaries to
review their current coverage and make a decision that will give them
peace of mind for the rest of the year. We encourage everyone to make a
decision by early December, to ensure a smoother transition into the
Part D benefit,” said Weems.
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