Quick facts about Medicare's new coverage for prescription drugs if you applied for extra help

2005·0.1 MB·English

by  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.)

CENTERS FOR MEDICARE& MEDICAID SERVICES
Quick Facts about Medicare's New Coverage
for Prescription Drugs If You Applied for
Extra Help
You'veappliedforextrahelpwithMedicareprescriptiondrugcostsusingSocial
Security'sapplication,sowhathappensnext?
SocialSecuritywillbeginprocessingapplicationsforextrahelponJuly1,2005.
Ifyouronlineorpaperapplicationisnotcomplete,SocialSecuritywillcallyouor
writetoyouaskingforthemissinginformation.Yourapplicationwillbeprocessedas
quicklyaspossible,andyouwillreceivealetterinthemailtellingyouifyouqualify.
What do need to know?
I
• Applyingforextrahelpisjustonestep.YoustillneedtojoinaMedicare
prescriptiondrugplantogetMedicareprescriptiondrugcoverage.
• Evenifyoudon'tqualifyforextrahelp,youshouldstillconsiderjoininga
Medicareprescriptiondrugplan.IfyoujoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplan,
Medicarepaysabouthalfofyourprescriptiondrugcosts,evenwithoutany
extrahelp.
• YoucanjoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplanNovember15,2005through
May15,2006,butthesooneryoujointhesooneryou'llstartsavingmoneyon
yourprescriptiondrugcosts.IfyoujoinaplanbyDecember31,2005,your
coveragewillbeginJanuary1,2006.IfyoujoinafterJanuary1,2006,your
coveragestartsthefirstofthemonthafterthemonthyoujoin.
PUBS
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How can get more information?
I
Ifyouneedmoreinformationaboutyourapplicationforextrahelp,
• callSocialSecurityat1-800-772-1213.TTYusersshouldcall1-800-325-0778.
• visitwww.socialsecurity.govontheweb.
Ifyouhaven'tyetappliedforextrahelpwithyourMedicareprescriptiondrug
costs,youshouldknowthatmanypeoplewillreceiveanapplicationforextrahelp
inthemail.Ifyouthinkyouqualify,fillitoutandreturnitintheenclosed
postagepaidenvelope.Also,SocialSecurityhasatoolavailableonlinewhereyou
canseeifyoumayqualifyforhelpwithyourprescriptiondrugcosts.Inaddition
tothetool,beginningJuly1,2005,youcanapplyfortheextrahelponline.
FormoreinformationaboutMedicareprescriptiondrugcoverage,
• readthe"Medicare&You2006"handbookthatyougetinthemailin
October2005.
• visitwww.medicare.govontheweb.Select"SearchTools"togetpersonalized
information.
• callyourStateHealthInsuranceAssistanceProgram(seeyourcopyofthe
"Medicare&You2006"handbookfortheirtelephonenumber).
• call1-800-MEDICARE(1-800-633-4227).TTYusersshouldcall
1-877-486-2048.
• lookforlocalMedicare-relatedevents.
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CMSPub.No.11130
May2005