Medicare Part D (i.e. drug benefit)

[emily_the_spoiled]

For those people who live in the US and receive their medical insurance through Medicare it is time to sign up for your drug plan.

Here is a link to a map of the country. Click on your state and you will find a list of all the plans offered there. It also includes information on premiums, copayments, deductibles, and what is covered.

http://www.medicare.gov/medicarereform/map.asp

Please make sure that you sign up for this benefit. If you have questions we can figure them out here or you can PM me. (I teach classes in this to pharmacy students.)

Cheryl

[jazzcat]

Thanks for the link. I just started reading the novel that Medicare sent out and I'm so confused. Actually this looks like it is going to cost my Dad more in the long run since he will now have to pay a monthly premium. Right now he is using the prescription cards where he only pays $12 an $15 for his Pfizer and Lilly prescriptions. I wish that wasn't ending.

If you don't mind I may have some questions I would love to run by you once I've read everything. I'm the one making the decision for my father so I want to make sure I understand and make the best choice.

[lizbud]

Can they possibly make it more confusing? I know I'll have some
questions too. Will the old prescription cards not be good anymore?

[emily_the_spoiled]

Jazzcat - All the states have many different plans with varying premiums. If you click on your father's state on the map (in the original post) you will find a listing of all the plans offered where he lives. You will also find that premiuns and coverage levels vary greatly.

Lizbud - Sorry, but the current prescription cards are going to be ending effective December 31, 2005. So you will need to make a selection for a drug plan.

I am happy to answer any questions that people might have, so keep them coming.

[sasvermont]

I have been totally confused by this double talk as well. I have to figure this out for work and for my dear Mother. I don't know which end is up. I wish the insurance industry and health plan folks would talk language the average person can understand. This is such a (*&^*( waste of everyone's time and energy. One more government program that will go bust!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Gee, Cheryl, you're such a sweety to offer your assistance! Fortunately for me, I don't have to deal with any of this. My parents have drug coverage through their supplemental insurance and they've decided to stay with them because they're happy with the coverage and they don't want to wade through the mass of confusion.

I do know MOFF mentioned her confusion in an earlier thread, so I'll see if I can go find that and direct her to this thread.

Thanks Cheryl.

Oh, and one more thing. I know my mom mentioned that their Senior Center is offering help in figuring this all out also, so that is an option for people if they want face to face help.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

For those of you who are enrolling by computer:
After you finish and get the enrollment successful message, if you click the continue, you will be taken to a page that will give you an error message.

If you get ERROR: missing parameter PDP Year Missing MAPDY Year - this page must have a valid zip/count combo or a valid zip/county combo

Well, as the lady on the phone from Medicare told me: That's just something the computer does. Once you get the Enrollment successful, you did it.

In fact, I did it twice tring to fix the stupid error the page told me I had made.
I called Medicare to find out what was going on. She said they will just combine my two successes into one!

Good luck! (you might want to have a drink and / or a snack while waiting)
I really think it would be faster to enroll by phone!

[Freckles]

I was satisfied with HealthNet so I signed up to include drug benefits. Today I received a letter from SSA. I had asked for the premiums to be deducted from the SS check. The deduction from the March check (which I will receive mid April) is for Jan., Feb., & March. Took this long to get the plan going. Previously I had a HealthNet monthly payment book, but this will be much simpler.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I am glad that you were able to register without problems. I hope this works out well for you.