Medicare Part D Information

Most health care providers have heard from Medicare beneficiaries that there is much confusion about the enrollment for Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services provide an incredible tool on their website. Although the deadline for Medicare beneficiaries to sign up was May 15, 2006, new Medicare beneficiaries sign up when they become eligible for Medicare. Here are the steps to compare the Part D programs.

Tips to enroll in a Medicare Part D Plan:

• Step 1: http://www.medicare.gov
  
  
• Step 2: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
  Click on >Compare Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
  
  
• Step 3: Prescription Drug Plan Finder
  Where would you like to begin?
  Click on >Find a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or Check Current Enrollment
  
  
• Step 4: B. General Plan Search
  Click on >General Plan Search
  
  
• Step 5: Answer A, B and C
  Zip Code (i.e., 37066)
  Current Prescription Drug Coverage (i.e. None of the above)
  Eligible or Qualify for Additional Help (i.e. No)
  Click on >Continue
  
  
• Step 6: Click on >Choose Drug Plan Type (skip rest of page)
  
  
• Step 7: Answer B and C, as they apply to the beneficiaries
  (i.e., Medicare beneficiary looking for Medicare D only selects “Drug Coverage Only” )
  Click on >Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Search
  
  
• Step 8: B. Enter your medications
  It is best to have your pharmacy print a list of your drugs
  Enter each drug and select the drug name and dosage
  
  
• Step 9: Add additional drugs OR Continue with Selected Drugs
  Once all drugs are entered “Click on” Continue with Selected Drugs
  Validate dosage and quantity
  
  
• Step 10: B. chose how you want to view your plan
  Click on >Continue with Selected Drugs
  
  
• Step 11: Click On >Select My Preferred Pharmacy
  Click On >Continue to Pharmacy Selections
  Choose pharmacies or use zip code finder to select other pharmacies
  
  
• Step 12: Hit enter and view your Plan lists.

Important Tips:

• Part D plans are ranked by total expense for a year based on the drugs you entered.
• You may find that choosing a plan with or without a deductible may not make a difference in the total expenses.
• Choosing the lowest premium may not save money annually if the drugs are more expensive on that plan.
• No two people will have the same result due to differences.
• You may choose to print and review the options with others or click to enroll and fill out the demographic data.
• If you choose to enroll , the Part D identification cards will arrive in a few weeks by mail.
• Beneficiaries take the ID cards to their pharmacy so that their Part D plan information can be recorded by the pharmacist.
• Beneficiaries may choose to have their Part D premium taken out of their Social Security check.

For all other Medicare beneficiaries, the next opportunity to switch Part D plans or enroll is between November 15, 2006 and December 31, 2006. For any Medicare beneficiary that missed the May deadline, there is a 1% addition to the premium upon enrollment.

View PDF: Tennessee Prescription Drug Plans and their costs

View PDF: Tennessee Prescription Drug Plans phone numbers