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The Affordable Care Act passedbyCongress and signedby President Obamathis year contains some importantbenefits for Medicare recipients. Ifyou have Medicare prescription drug coverage, and aren't alreadygetting Medicare Extra Help, Medicare will automatically sendyou a tax free, one-time $250 rebate check afteryou reach the coverage gap (also called the "donut hole") in 2010. This rebate is the first step toward closingthe Medicare prescription drug coverage gap. What is the coverage gap and how will I know if I've reached it? MostMedicare drugplans have a coverage gap. This means that afteryou andyourplanhave spentacertair amount ofmoneyfor covered drugs,youhave topay all costs out-of-pocketforyourdrugs (upto alimit). The Explanation ofBenefits notice, whichyour drugplan mails to you each month when you fill a prescription, will tellyou howmuchyouve spent on covered drugs andwhetheryou've entered the coverage gap. Will need to do anything to get this rebate I check? No. There are no forms to fill out. Medicare will automatically send a checkthat's made out to you. You don't need to provide anypersonal information like your Medicare, Social Security, orbankaccount numbers to get the rebate check. Don't giveyour personal information to anyonewho callsyou about the $250 rebate check. Call 1-800-MEDICARI (1-800-633-4227) to report anyone who does this. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. MEDICAID SERVICES When will get the rebate check? I Ifyou reach the coverage gap this year and enter the Part D "donuthole" youwill receive a one-time $250 rebate checkifyou are not alreadyreceiving Medicare Extra Help. These checks willbegin to get mailed to beneficiaries startingin mid-June. Checks willbe mailed monthlythroughout the year as beneficiaries enter the coverage gap. However, this is a one-timebenefit and ifyou qualify, youwill only receive one checkafteryou reach the coverage gap. Will have to paytaxes on this rebate check? I No. You don't have to paytaxes on your $250 rebate check. It is tax free. What if I don't get the rebate checkwhen I should? Ifyouhitthe donuthole aftertheprogramhasbegun, you should expectto receiveyourcheckwithin45 days. Your rebate maybe delayedifMedicare doesn'thave information fromyourMedicare drugplan showingthat youreachedthe coverage gap intime to includeyouin the nextmailing. You should callyourMedicare drug planto make sure all ofyourinformationhasbeen sent to Medicare. Ifyou don't getyour rebate check, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE. Individuals receivingMedicare Extra Help will not receive a rebate check. You can also checkto make sure Social Securityhas your correcthome address. Call 1-800-772-1213 or your local Social Security office. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE MEDICAID SERVICES & TheAffordableCareActpassedbyCongressand Whenwill I getthe rebatecheck? signedbyPresident Obamathisyearcontains some Ifyoureachthecoveragegapthisyearandenterthe importantbenefits forMedicarerecipients. PartD "donuthole",youwillreceiveaone-time$250 Ifyouhave Medicareprescription drugcoverage, and rebatecheckifyouarenotalreadyreceivingMedicare aren'talreadygettingMedicare ExtraHelp,Medicare ExtraHelp. Thesecheckswillbeginto getmailedto willautomaticallysendyouataxfree, one-time$250 beneficiaries startingin mid-June. rebate checkafteryoureachthe coveragegap (also Checkswillbemailedmonthlythroughouttheyear calledthe "donuthole") in2010. This rebate isthe asbeneficiariesenterthecoveragegap. However,this firststep towardclosingtheMedicareprescription isaone-timebenefitandifyouqualify,youwillonly drugcoveragegap. receiveonecheckafteryoureachthecoveragegap. Whatisthecoveragegapand howwill I Will haveto paytaxesonthis rebate check? I know ifI've reached it? No. Youdon'thavetopaytaxesonyour$250rebate MostMedicaredrugplanshaveacoveragegap.This check. Itistaxfree. meansthatafteryouandyourplanhavespentacertain amountofmoneyforcovereddrugs,youhavetopay What ifI don'tgetthe rebate checkwhen I allcostsout-of-pocketforyourdrugs (uptoalimit). should? Ifyouhitthedonutholeaftertheprogramhasbegun, TheExplanation ofBenefits notice,whichyour youshouldexpecttoreceiveyourcheckwithin45days. drugplanmailstoyoueach monthwhenyoufill a YourrebatemaybedelayedifMedicaredoesn'thave prescription, willtellyouhowmuchyou've spent informationfromyourMedicaredrugplanshowingthat on covereddrugs andwhetheryou'veenteredthe youreachedthecoveragegapintimetoincludeyouin coverage gap. thenextmailing.YoushouldcallyourMedicaredrug Will needtodoanythingtogetthis rebate plantomakesureallofyourinformationhasbeensent I check? toMedicare. No.Therearenoformstofillout. Medicarewill Ifyoudon'tgetyourrebatecheck, contactMedicare automaticallysendacheckthat'smadeouttoyou. at 1-800-MEDICARE. IndividualsreceivingMedicare Youdon't needto provideanypersonal information ExtraHelpwillnotreceivearebatecheck. likeyourMedicare, SocialSecurity,orbankaccount numberstogettherebatecheck. Don'tgiveyour Youcan also checktomake sure SocialSecurityhas personalinformationtoanyonewhocallsyou yourcorrecthomeaddress. Call 1-800-772-1213 or aboutthe$250rebatecheck. Call 1-800-MEDICARE yourlocalSocial Securityoffice. TTYusersshouldcall (1-800-633-4227) toreportanyonewho doesthis. 1-800-325-0778. • > TTY users shouldcall 1-877-486-2048. COS LIBRARY 3 fltm D0D11D10 E mzun What's Next...Coming Ifyou reach the coverage gap in 2011, youwill get a 50% discount onyourbrand name prescription drugs at the time youbuythem, unlessyou are alreadygetting Medicare Extra Help. Staytuned for more information from Medicare. Help us spread the word about this important benefit And help stop scams against seniors Pass this brochure alongto your friends, neighbors and family so theyknowthe facts aboutthis — important program. Remember there are no forms to fill out to receive this benefit once you qualifyfor it. Medicare will automaticallysend a checkthat's made out to you. Youdon'tneedtoprovideanypersonalinformation likeyourMedicare, SocialSecurity,orbankaccount numberstogettherebatecheck. Don'tgiveyour personalinformationtoanyonewhocallsyou aboutthe$250rebatecheck. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) toreportanyonewhodoesthis. TTYusersshouldcall 1-877-486-2048. Go to stopmedicarefraud.govto learn more about howMedicare is workingwith law enforcement to stop scams against seniors. Have other questions about the $250 rebate checkor the Affordable Care Act and Medicare? Please refer to the brochure Medicare and theNew Health Care Law—What itMeansfor You that Medicare has sentyou. You can also visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE. CMSProductNo. 11464 May2010