Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit Open Enrollment
Resources Can Help You Help Consumers
Medicare Part D open enrollment begins Nov. 15 and resources are available to help both beneficiaries and professionals decide if a beneficiary should enroll in a Part D Medicare prescription drug plan, determine if they have existing drug coverage or if they should switch to another Part D or Medicare Advantage plan for coverage that begins January 1, 2010.
The Ohio Department of Insurance, through the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP), is hosting Medicare Check-up Days in most Ohio counties. Medicare Check-up Days give beneficiaries the opportunity to sit down with a trained counselor and review their Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit before the annual open enrollment period.
Each year, beneficiaries should review their plan options for what pharmacies are covered, what out-of-pocket expenses they will have to pay and whether their prescriptions are covered.
Professionals can visit MyMedicareCommunity, which is supported and moderated by the National Council on Aging, for updated information throughout the fall enrollment season. To date, the community has posted an expanded version of the fall Part D calendar, with links to all of the notices that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) are sending to beneficiaries, along with other helpful information and counseling suggestions. Also posted are articles about types of Part D plans and all Part D data, such as LIS eligibility and subsidy amounts.
The Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder and Medicare Options Compare allow beneficiaries to compare plan offerings.
Beneficiaries also can call OSHIIP at 1-800-686-1578 to receive a free comparison of the prescription drug plans available in Ohio and an explanation of other programs that may help pay drug costs.
