Prescription Drug Help Available
for Mental Health Consumers
Many people with mental illness are among the 700,000 Minnesota
Medicare beneficiaries who need to consider their options now that
the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit is available. These
individuals, and family members and friends who care for them, should
take note of some key points between now and May 15, 2006, when the
first period of Medicare Part D open enrollment ends.
It is estimated that up to 40% of people with serious mental illness
in the state are eligible for both Medicare and Medical Assistance.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, Medicare, rather than Medical Assistance,
began paying for all of their prescription drugs except benzodiazepines
and/or barbiturates. MA will continue to pay for those drugs because
they are not covered by Part D.
The federal Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid were expected to
select plans for dual beneficiaries by Jan. 1, 2006, if the beneficiaries
had not enrolled in a plan on their own. Because the plan chosen
for them may not be the best for these individuals, they are encouraged
to compare plans and consider their best option.
The Minnesota Prescription Drug Program ended Dec. 31, 2005. Participants
in that program have no prescription drug coverage as of Jan. 1,
2006, unless they enrolled in a Part D plan. While efforts have been
made to personally notify each of these participants, those individuals
and people who care about them are encouraged to be proactive about
making the Part D choice that is best for them.
Help is available. Beneficiaries,
county case managers, family and friends can receive impartial assistance
from the state Linkage Line at 1-800-333-2433. This service is available
from 8 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday and from 8 am to noon on
Saturday. Help also is available by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or referring
to www.medicare.gov.
Before calling, gather
the following information for reference: The individual’s
Medicare card; a list of the prescription medications the individual
is taking, including names and dosages; and the name and address
of a preferred pharmacy.
The National Mental
Health Association also offers a free Medicare Rx Coverage Workbook
for Mental Health Consumers, available on its Web site at www.nmha.org/medicare or by calling 1-800-969-NMHA.
