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. ' TheFactsAboutMedicarePrescriptionDrugPlans i.ur Comingin2006 MedicareModernizationAct Whatare Medicare prescription drug plans? BeginningJanuary1,2006,newMedicareprescriptiondrugplanswillbeavailabletoeveryone widiMedicare.InsurancecompaniesandotherprivatecompanieswillworkwithMedicaretooffer thesedrugplans.Theywillnegotiatediscountsondrugprices.Theseplansaredifferentfromthe Medicare-approveddrugdiscountcards,whichphaseoutbyMay15,2006,orwhenyour enrollmentinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplantakeseffect,ifearlier. Medicareprescripriondrugplansprovideinsurancecoverageforprescriptiondrugs.Likeother insurance,ifyoujoinyouwillpayamonthlypremium(generallyabout$37in2006)andpaya shareofthecostofyourprescriptions.Costswillvarydependingonthedrugplanyouchoose. Drugplansmayvaryinwhatprescriptiondrugsarecovered,howmuchyouhavetopay,and whichpharmaciesyoucanuse.Alldrugplanswillhavetoprovideatleastastandardlevelof coverage,whichMedicarewillset.However,someplansmightoffermorecoverageandadditional drugsforahighermondilypremium.Whenyoujoinadrugplan,itisimportantforyouto chooseonethatmeetsyourprescriptiondrugneeds. Whencan Ijoina Medicareprescriptiondrugplan^ IfyoucurrendyhaveMedicarePartA(HospitalInsurance)and/orMedicarePartB(Medical Insurance),youcanjoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplanbetweenNovember15,2005,andMay15, 2006.IfyoujoinbyDecember31,2005,yourMedicareprescriptiondrugplancoveragewillbeginon January1,2006.Ifyoujoinafterthat,yourcoveragewillbeeffeaivethefirstdayofthemonthafter themonthyoujoin.Ingeneral,youcanjoinorchangeplansonceeachyearbetweenNovember15 andDecember31 Evenifyoudon'tusealotofprescriptiondrugsnow,youstillshouldconsiderjoiningaplan. Ifyoudon'tjoinaplanbyMay15,2006,andyoudon'thaveadrugplandiat,onaverage,isatleast asgoodasstandardMedicareprescriptiondrugcoverage,youwillhavetopaymoreeachmonthto joinlater. WhatifIcan'tpayforaMedicareprescriptiondrugplan? Somepeoplewithanincomeatorbelowasetamountandwithlimitedresources(includingyour savingsandstocks,butnotcountingyourhome)willqualifyforextrahelp.Peoplewhoqualify willgethelppayingfortheirdrugplan'smonthlypremium,and/orforsomeofthecostthey wouldnormallyhavetopayfortheirprescriprions.Thetypeofextrahelpwillbebasedonyour incomeandresources. LookfordetailsinthemailfromMedicareandtheSocialSecurityAdministration(SSA).Ifyou thinkyouqualifyforextrahelp,youcanapplywithSSAoryourlocalMedicaidofficeasearlyas thesummerof2005. DoMedicareprescriptiondrugplansworkwithalltypesof Medicarehealthplans? Yes.TherewillbeMedicareprescripriondrugplansthataddcoveragetotheOriginalMedicare Plan,PrivateFee-for-ServicePlansandMedicareCostPlans.Theseplanswillbeofferedby insurancecompaniesandotherprivatecompanies.Therewillalsobeotherdrugplansthatarea partofMedicareAdvantagePlans(likeHMOs),insomeareas. ..,^ , , " .. VA/hatifIalreadyhaveprescriptiondrugcoveragefromaMedigap (SupplementalInsurance)Policy? IfyouhaveaMedigappolicywithdrugcoverage,youwillgetadetailednoticefromyourinsurance companytellingyouwhetherornotyourpolicy,onaverage,isatleastasgoodasstandardMedicare prescriptiondrugcoverage.Thisnoticewillexplainyoixrrightsandchoices. What if I have prescription drug coveragefrom an employeror union? Ifyouhaveprescriptiondrugcoveragefromanemployerorunion,youwillgetanoticefromyour employerorunionthattellsyouwhetherornotyourplan,onaverage,isatleastasgoodasstandard Medicareprescriptiondrugcoverage. IfyouremployerorunionplanisatleastasgoodasMedicare prescriptiondrugcoverage,youmaybeableto.. • keepyourcurrentdrugplan.IfyoujoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplanlateryour monthlypremiumwon'tbehigher,or • dropyourcurrentdrugplanandjoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplan,butyoumay notbeabletogetyouremployeroruniondrugplanback. IfyouremployerorunionplanisnotatleastasgoodasMedicare prescriptiondrugcoverage,youmaybeableto.. • keepyourcurrentdrugplanandjoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplantogiveyou morecompleteprescriptiondrugcoverage,or • justkeepyourcurrentdrugplan.But,ifyoujoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplanlater, youwillhavetopaymoreforthemonthlypremium,or • dropyourcurrentdrugplanandjoinaMedicareprescriptiondrugplan,butyoumay notbeabletogetyouremployeroruniondrugplanback. Whenwill I get more information? Throughout2005,MedicarewillprovideyoumoreinformationaboutMedicareprescription drugplans,includinghowtochooseandjoinadrugplanthatbestmeetsyourneeds.Inthefall of2005,the"Medicare&You2006"handbookwilllisttheMedicareprescriptiondrugplans availableinyourarea. Inmid-2005,SSAwillsendpeoplewithcertainincomesinformationabouthowtoapplyfor extrahelppayingtheirprescriptiondrugcosts. Howcan get helpchoosing a Medicare prescription I drug plan? Inthefallof2005,youwillbeabletogetpersonalizedinformationatwww.medicare.govonthe web,orbycalling1-800-MEDICARE(1-800-633-4227)tohelpyoufindaplanthatmeets yourneeds.TTYusersshouldcall1-877-486-2048.YourStateHealthInsuranceAssistance Program(SHIP),andotherlocalandcommunity-basedorganizations,willalsoprovideyou withfreehealthinsurancecounseling. li:SSo-lcit!C!.^:cvi:yr;•;.d. 21244 - - I .J35fGlovDerTnm5eDntDPr0inLtin0gTOffficle:E23005—753-008