The facts about Medicare-approved drug discount cards

2004·0.12 MB·English

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

Mb
n3TheFactsaboutMedicare-ApprovedDrugDiscountCards
MedicareModernizationActof2003
Goodnews...anewlawgivespeoplewithMedicarethepowertostartsavingon
prescriptiondrugsrightnow.Medicareiscontractingwithprivatecompaniesto
offerMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcards.Youcanchooseoneofthediscount
cardsofferedbytheseprivatecompanies,tohelpyousaveonoutpatient
prescriptiondrugs.AlldiscountcardsapprovedbyMedicarewillhavethisseal:
SM
MEDICARE
APPROVE"
Betternews...ifyouhavealowerincomethatmakesithardtopayforyour
prescriptiondrugs,youmightgetextrahelp.Ifin2004yourannualincomeis
•nomorethan$12,569forasingleperson,or
•nomorethan$16,862foramarriedcouple
youmightqualifyfora$600creditontheMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcardyou
choose.Youcanusethatcreditrightawaytohelppayforyourprescriptiondrugs.
Whetheryouqualifyforthe$600creditwilldependonwhetheryoumeettheincome
limitsshownaboveandwhetheryoualreadyreceiveoutpatientprescriptiondrug
coveragefromcertainothersources.Evenifyourincomeishigher,youcanstillchoosea
Medicare-approveddrugdiscountcardtosavemoney.
Note:Theseincomelimitschangeeachyear.IfyouliveinAlaskaorHawaii,income
limitsaredifferent.
DoIhavetoenrollinaMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcard?
No,thesediscountscardsarevoluntary.Thatmeansenrollingisyourchoice.Ifyou
wanttoenroll,contactthecompanyofferingthecardyouchoose.
Togethelpcomparingyouroptionsandtofindoutmoreabouthowtoenroll:
•Call1-800-MEDICARE(1-800-633-4227)andaskabout"drugsavings."
TTYusersshouldcall1-877-486-2048.
•Lookatwww.medicare.govontheweb.Select"PrescriptionDrugandOther
AssistancePrograms."
a-lltimora, Maryte;yl21244
CHSLIBRARY
lDT7t
3 5
Whocangetoneofthesediscountcards?
AlmostanyonewithMedicarecangetadiscountcard.Theonlypeoplewhoaren't
eligiblearethosewhohaveoutpatientprescriptiondrugcoveragethrough
Medicaidwhentheyapply.
Whencan Igetacard?
YoucanenrollinaMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcardasearlyasMay2004.
ThediscountcardswillbegooduntilatleastDecember31,2005,when
Medicare'snewprescriptiondrugbenefitstarts.
IsthereonlyoneMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcardIcanget?
No.Achoiceofmorethanonediscountcardisavailable.Medicarecanhelpyou
compareyouroptionsbeforeyouchooseacard.Privatecompaniesmightalsosendyou
informationabouttheMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcardtheyareoffering.Youcan
onlyenrollinoneMedicare-approveddrugdiscountcardeachcalendaryear.Ifyouarea
memberofaMedicaremanagedcareplan,contactyourplanaboutdiscountcard
optionsformembers.
Howmuchdoesitcosttoenroll?
Usually,youneedtopayanannualenrollmentfeeofnomorethan$30.Youdon't
payanyenrollmentfeeifyouqualifyforthe$600credit.