Important Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Medicare Part D) Update
If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you have choices in your Medicare Prescription Drug coverage. You may choose from different Medicare prescription drug coverage options. One option is to purchase coverage through a Medicare Prescription Plan (PDP). Another option is to get your prescription drug coverage through a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers prescription drug coverage. This is the biggest change to Medicare in 40 years!!!
All approved participating companies are allowed to solicit their plan designs, costs and enrollment information beginning October 1st.
Note: Enrollment applications cannot be accepted or transmitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) before the open enrollment start date of November 15th.
You may enroll between November 15th and December 31.
Take time to review marketing materials that are presented to you from approved plan participants. There are slight variations between approved plan designs. You may realize additional savings in a program that offers mail order prescription fulfillment.
What assistance is available to you in comparing approved plans?
- Beginning mid to late October, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) office will begin sending information to Medicare beneficiaries comparing available Part D coverage via mail with the Medicare and You handbook.
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE for assistance (TTY/TDD users should call (877) 486-2048)
- A Plan Comparison Web Tool and Personal Plan finder is available on www.Medicare.gov.
- Social Security Administration: (800) 772-1213 (TTY/TDD users call (800)325-0778)
- Call our office for assistance at (800) 553-6676
- IMPORTANT: If you or your spouse has employer group coverage, you should talk to your employer to find out how your benefits will be affected if you join a Medicare PDP. Get this information before you decide to enroll in any plan.
What is a prescription drug formulary? A Prescription Drug Plan may use a prescription formulary. A formulary is a preferred list of drugs selected to meet patient needs. The plan may periodically make changes to the formulary. If the formulary changes, all affected enrollees will be notified in writing before the change is made.
All Medicare Prescription Drug Plans have agreed to stay in the program for a full year at a time. Each year, the plans decide whether to continue for another year. If a plan decides not to continue, it must send you a letter at least 90 days before your coverage will end.
Wisconsin Free Drug Card Program
As a resident of Wisconsin, you and your family have access to a FREE Prescription Drug Card program. The program was launched to help the uninsured and underinsured people of Wisconsin. However, the program can also be used by people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits, which is common in many health savings accounts and high deductible health plans. People who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-formulary or uncovered drugs. People in a Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage plan can use the card to get discounts when they have to pay full price during the "doughnut hole" period. The card also can be used by those who do not qualify for publicly funded programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare. It's also great for people who are in a transitional period before insurance coverage begins. Wisconsin residents can download a free prescription drug card by visiting www.wisconsindrugcard.com. People can also search for drug pricing and participating pharmacies. If people don't have online access, people can talk to their pharmacists at Walgreens or Kmart.
