Medicare Drug Plan Data for 2009 Now Available Online
for Senior Citizens to View Options
Open enrollment is Nov. 15 through Dec. 31 – Links
below to key information at Medicare
See links below to Medicare drug plan help
Oct. 10, 2008 – The data on the Medicare Part-D
prescription drug plans for 2009 has now been loaded into the computers
and senior citizens can begin exploring their options for the new year.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has been relentless in
warning seniors that the cost of their current plan may increase
significantly in 2009 and it is important they explore all the options,
including other drug plans or Medicare Advantage plans with drug
coverage. (See below for help in finding information at Medicare)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
today announced that beneficiaries, their caregivers, and family members
can begin to review 2009 Medicare prescription drug plan and health plan
information online through the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder
and Medicare Options Compare at
www.medicare.gov.
“This year it is especially important, now and
throughout the upcoming open enrollment period, for beneficiaries to use
our online tools to compare their current drug and health plan coverage
to the options available for 2009 and take action to choose a plan that
best meets their needs,” said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems.
“Some beneficiaries may see significant premium
increases or changes, such as reduced coverage in the gap, if they stay
in the same prescription drug plan in 2009.
“Yet, almost 97 percent of beneficiaries enrolled
in a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) will have access to
Medicare drug and health plans in 2009 whose premiums would be the same
or less than their coverage in 2008.”
The 2009 Plan Finder allows beneficiaries to
compare prescription drug coverage from both stand-alone Prescription
Drug Plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that provide
prescription drug coverage (MA-PD plans) and to view premiums,
formularies, and availability of coverage in the gap.
Additionally, the 2009 Medicare Options Compare
tool allows beneficiaries to compare Medicare health plan options, such
as HMOs and PPOs.
Additional information Plan Finder offers to help
beneficiaries search drug plans for the best price and coverage include,
estimated out-of-pocket costs, pharmacy networks, and Medicare news and
updates.
CMS has added a feature to allow beneficiaries to
view estimated monthly mail order drug costs in a bar-chart which can be
compared to retail drug costs.
The Web site also includes an enhancement that
allows beneficiaries the potential to further reduce costs based on the
substitution of drugs which are lower cost but within the same
therapeutic class. This feature allows users to choose among all less
expensive drugs available with similar functions, not just generic
products. CMS encourages beneficiaries to discuss these alternatives
with their physicians.
CMS suggests that beneficiaries gather their
Medicare card along with information on their current medications for
reference as they use the online tools. Additional useful information
to have at hand may include mailings they have received from Medicare,
Social Security, or their current drug plan.
The annual open enrollment period begins Nov. 15
and runs through Dec. 31, 2008.
Beneficiaries who wish to enroll for the first time
or change their coverage for 2009 should do so by early December to
ensure a smooth transition in the new plan year.
People without Web access can get the same
information provided by the online plan comparison tools by calling
1-800 MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), by visiting their local State Health
Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) office for free personalized
counseling, or by attending one of the thousands of local enrollment
events taking place across the country through December 2008.
Beneficiaries can also get detailed plan
information and tips on selecting a plan through the 2009 Medicare &
You handbook, arriving in mailboxes later this month. The handbook
includes tips on selecting a plan and an overview of plan options.
Beneficiaries already enrolled in a Part D plan or
health plan will also receive an Annual Notice of Change that describes
any changes in the benefits of their current plan. Beneficiaries will
find contact information for their state’s SHIPs in their handbook or
Click Here.
CMS anticipates that the Plan Finder site will
average close to one million page views per week, similar to the volume
experienced last year. For the 2008 plan year, more than half a million
people enrolled online, a 49 percent increase over the number who
enrolled online for the 2007 plan year. More than 5.8 million people
with Medicare have enrolled online in a drug plan since the program
began.
Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and
resources, and those who are dually eligible for both Medicare and
Medicaid, may qualify for extra help paying for their Part D premium
through the low-income subsidy (LIS), provided by Medicare. CMS’ Web
site is a comprehensive resource for beneficiaries who are eligible for
Medicare’s extra help.
This information will help Medicare partners
identify and counsel LIS eligible beneficiaries who are experiencing a
change in their LIS status. The site also includes an annual LIS
Outreach Toolkit providing LIS data in both interactive maps and
sortable spreadsheets.
“In addition to urging beneficiaries to explore
their options now, I want to assure seniors that the marketing of 2009
plans will be under tough, new marketing requirements from CMS,” said
Weems.
“These requirements are intended to protect
Medicare beneficiaries from deceptive or high-pressure marketing tactics
by insurance companies and their agents. We are broadening our oversight
of plans, including expanding our ‘secret shopper’ program.”
These simple links should help you navigate to the
information you need at Medicare.
If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you are eligible
for Medicare prescription drug coverage, regardless of your
income, health status, or current prescription expenses.
There are two types of Medicare plans that
provide prescription drug coverage:
Formulary Finder for Prescription Drug Plans.
This tool will allow you to find plans in your state that match
your required drug list. >>
Click Here
Dealing with Donut Hole: 5 Ways to Lower Your
Costs During the Coverage Gap >>
Click Here
Medicare Options Compare
Find & Compare
Medicare Health Plans
Search includes:
● Original Medicare Plan
● Medicare Health Plans (like HMOs and PPOs)
Search doesn't include:
● Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
Learn More About Medicare Coverage Options
Choose a plan that meets your needs:
Original Medicare
Plan
This fee-for-service plan covers many health care
services. You can go to any doctor or supplier that is enrolled
and accepts Medicare and is accepting new Medicare patients, or
to any hospital or other facility. >>
Learn more at Medicare
Medicare Health Plans
(like HMOs and PPOs)
These plans are approved by Medicare and run by
private companies. When you join one of these plans, you are
still in Medicare. Some of these plans require referrals to see
specialists. They provide all of your Part A (hospital) and Part
B (medical) coverage. They generally offer extra benefits, and
many include prescription drug coverage. These plans often have
networks, which means you may have to see doctors who belong to
the plan or go to certain hospitals to get covered services. In
many cases, your costs for services can be lower than in the
Original Medicare Plan, but it is important to check with the
plan because the costs for services will vary. >>
Learn more at Medicare
Medicare Prescription
Drug Plans
These plans add prescription drug coverage to the
Original Medicare Plan, some Medicare Cost Plans, some Medicare
Private Fee-for-Service Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings
Account Plans. >>
Learn more at Medicare
Medigap (Medicare
Supplement Insurance) Policies
These policies help pay some of the health care
costs that the Original Medicare Plan doesn’t cover. If you are
in the Original Medicare Plan, you could get a Medigap policy to
help cover the extra health care costs. >>
Learn more at Medicare
