Medicare Part D:
People with
disabilities will soon get prescription medications from Medicare
If you are a person
with disabilities and on Medicare and Medical Assistance, beginning
Jan. 1, 2006, most of your prescription drug costs will be covered
by Medicare’s new prescription drug plan,
Medicare Part D. This includes Medical Assistance with a spend-down
and Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities.
People with disabilities
who are on Medical Assistance and Medicare should carefully review
all of the Medicare prescription drug plan choices, know their
prescription drug needs and enroll in a plan that best fits their
needs. If beneficiaries do not enroll in a drug plan by Dec. 31,
2005, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
will assign them to a Medicare prescription drug plan.
Even though this plan
will cover most prescription costs, it may not be the plan that
is right for you. While the assigned plan ensures beneficiaries
prescription drug coverage, it may change an individual’s
existing coverage and it may not be the plan that covers all of their
prescription drug needs. It is important for beneficiaries to know
their personal drug needs and enroll in a prescription drug plan
that best accommodates their needs. If beneficiaries feel the plan
in which they have been assigned does not meet their needs, they
may change their plan anytime.
As Medicare Part D makes its way across the state, it will affect
approximately 90,000 Minnesota Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities.
Beneficiaries should have already received a large volume of Medicare
Part D information including important government notices and marketing
materials from various Medicare prescription drug plans.
As beneficiaries review their options, they should bear in mind
that there are resources available to help them with the process.
The beneficiary, their family members and caregivers can receive
free, impartial assistance from the Minnesota Linkage Line at 1-800-333-2433.
The Linkage Line is available from 8 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday
and from 8 am to noon on Saturday.
Beneficiaries can also access Medicare Part D information and prescription
drug plan choices through the Internet at www.medicare.gov or by
calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
Before you call, gather the following information for reference:
your Medicare card; a list of the prescription medications you currently
are taking, including names and dosages; and the name and address
of the pharmacy you prefer.
