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Your Source for Medicare Part D Information
: : Enroll in your 2009 Medicare Part D plan. Click here to select your state.
: : Need a little help choosing between Part D plans? Try our PDP-Wizard NEW for 2009!
| Quick Links to Your Medicare Part D plan |
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Stay Informed with our Medicare Part D Newsletter
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Looking for the latest information on Medicare Part D prescription drug plans? Then join the thousands of people who receive our Medicare Part D Newsletter. Our free Newsletter is published on a regular basis and provides details on various areas of your prescription drug plan. The Newsletter presents new Medicare developments, frequently asked questions, and sometimes digs into more complex areas of Part D coverage. We also welcome reader input and suggestions for new topics. We have previously published editions of our Newsletters online if you wish to review some past topics. Complete the form below to sign up for the Newsletter. Please note, that we never share your personal information with other parties.
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What can we expect from 2009 Medicare Part D Plans?
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Each year the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publish a basic Medicare Part D benefit that is used as a standard for the design of Medicare Part D plans offered by insurance carriers. The insurance carriers must provide Part D plans that at least meet the basic benefit offered by the CMS standard plan. The basic or standard 2009 Medicare Part D plan provides:
- You pay an initial deductible or the first $295 of your prescriptions
- You pay 25% Coinsurance (or Co-Payments) of the cost for covered prescriptions the initial deductible of $295 up until the retail costs of the covered prescriptions reach $2,700
- You pay in the Donut Hole (also known as the Coverage Gap): 100% of the retail cost for covered prescriptions between $2,701 and $6,153.75 (this is the total retail cost, you leave the donut hole based on a Total Out of Pocket cost of $4,350)
- Your total out of pocket cost (TrOOP or drug spend) potential before leaving the Donut Hole or Coverage Gap is $4,350 (this amount does not include your monthly Part D plan premiums).
- After the Donut Hole starts the last phase or the Catastrophic Coverage phase: either 5% of the cost of covered drugs above $6,153.75 or a
co-payment of $2.40 for covered generics and $6.00 for covered brand-name
drugs, whichever cost is greater.
If you wish to see more detail click here to see a comparison of 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006 standard Part D plans.
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:: Add your comments to our Blog
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Medicare-PartD.com Highlights Changes in 2009 Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans
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Medicare Part D prescription drug plans are changing again in 2009 and Medicare-PartD.com released their online PDP-Compare tool to help Medicare beneficiaries quickly see how their current 2008 Medicare Part D plan changes in 2009. With PDP-Compare, Medicare beneficiaries can compare changes in prescription drug plan costs and features such as monthly premiums, donut coverage, co-payments, and deductibles. Advocates can also use PDP-Compare to quickly see whether a Medicare beneficiary’s 2008 Part D plan still qualifies for the 2009 state-specific Low Income Subsidy $0 premium.
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:: Click here for the entire Press Release.
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CMS Releases 2009 Medicare A and Medicare B Rates
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The 2009 Medicare Part B monthly premiums will remain at $96.40 the same cost as in 2008. Medicare Part B covers such expenses as physician services, outpatient hospital services, specific home health services, and durable medical equipment. Part B premium rates can be higher for Medicare beneficiaries with larger incomes.
The 2009 Medicare Part B deductible will remain $135, also unchanged from the 2008 deductible.
Part A deductibles increased $44 to $1024 in 2009. Medicare Part A covers such items as inpatient hospital costs, costs from skilled nursing facility, hospice, and specific home health care services.
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:: Click here for the CMS Press Release
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Agent Alert!
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Marketing Medicare Medicare Part D - New Regulations for 2008! Inform yourself about the new Marketing regulations released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Click here for a summary of the new Medicare Marketing regulations ...
Arkansas Insurance Department Directive 1-2006 (Unlawful Sales Practices Pertaining to Medicare Part D, Prescription Drug Benefits, Medicare Advantage, and to Medicare Supplement Contracts) Read more...
South Dakota State Continues Public Education Efforts on the Long-Term Care Partnership Program Read more...
NIM is looking for licensed insurance agents to help market WellCare PDP and MA plans. Interested? Please use the contact link below.
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:: Agent Contact Form
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What are Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans?
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New to Medicare Part D? Looking for a place to get started? Here is an overview of the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.
Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (or PDPs) provide insurance coverage for your prescription drugs. Medicare Part D is a voluntary program, separate from your Medicare Part A (Hospitalization) and Medicare Part B (Doctors and Out Patient assistance). Medicare Part D is regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and implemented by private insurance companies. If you decide to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan, you will find that, like any insurance, you pay a monthly premium. The monthly premiums for a Medicare Part D PDP can range from only a few dollars to over 100 dollars. Part D plans also may have an initial deductible, co-payments or co-insurance, and some donut hole or Gap coverage (you can find more on these topics in our Glossary). When you enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, you should find that your prescription medication costs are reduced. The amount of savings depends on the Medicare Part D plan you select. If you wish to learn more, you can click on this link to view all of the Medicare Part D plans in your State!
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:: More information here in our Blog
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Choosing your Medicare Part D Plan
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Trying to choose a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP)? Medicare suggests that you look at Coverage, Cost, and Convenience - to these criteria we also add that you should consider the Company and your level of Comfort.
- Coverage - Are your prescription medications covered by this plan? Are there generic alternatives for your brand-name drugs? Can you get work with this plan to get a formulary exception should you need a medication that is not covered on the existing formulary? What price-tiers apply to your medications?
- Cost - What are the monthly Part D plan premiums? Does the Part D plan have an initial deductible? What are the co-payments or co-insurance that you pay for your medications? What are the coverage limits? Is there coverage in the donut hole?
- Convenience - How difficult is it to find a pharmacy? (Note: most national Medicare Part D plans have a pharmacy network of about 40,000 to 50,000.) How easy is it to work with the Medicare Part D plan?
- Company - Is the company who provides the Part D plan important to you? Often people choose a Part D plan based only a Part D plan provider's reputation.
- Comfort - Are you comfortable with your current Part D plan? Even though you might save a few dollars per month, you have an idea how this plan works and what you will be paying.
Still looking for more? Here are some general tips for Medicare Part D prescription drug plan selection.
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:: Choosing a Plan: The Basics
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Enrolling into a Medicare Part D plan
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Have you decided on a Medicare Part D plan and now wish to enroll?
Enrolling in a Part D plan is easy and takes little time. The good news is that you always pay the same amount for a Part D plan, no matter where or how you enroll. As an expanded feature, we now provide enrollment options for all 2009 Medicare Part D plans across the country. If you wish, you can also enroll with Medicare (1-800-Medicare) or with an agent. The enrollment results should always be the same and in 7 to 10 business days you should receive your Medicare Part D Welcome or new Member information. Once enrolled into a Part D plan, you can contact the plan's Member Services department with any questions or concerns. The toll-free number will be on the back of your Member ID card.
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2009 Enrollment Information
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One month remains for anyone who is qualified for 2008 Medicare Part D enrollment - giving new enrollees a "1" month Medicare Part D "test drive". Only Medicare beneficiaries who are newly eligible for Medicare or those who have a Special Election Period can enroll in a 2008 Part D plan until the end of November.
For other Medicare beneficiaries, November 15th begins the Annual Coordinated Election Period where people can join and change Part D plans.
Who is eligible to join a Part D plan? If you are just turning 65, you can enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan during a seven (7) month period - three (3) months before your birthday month, the month of your birthday, and three (3) months after your birthday month. If you are receiving Medicare due to a disability, use your month of Medicare eligibility instead of your birthday month.
Medicaid or Extra-Help recipients have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and can change Part D plans every month if necessary. Other SEPs are available for people who lose creditable prescription coverage or move to a new service area where their Medicare Part D plan in no longer available.
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:: Still enrolling for December 2008? Here are select 2008 Part D Enrollment Forms
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RxSavings-Center and RxSavings-Finder Help Navigate Retail Drug Discount Programs
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Our Medicare-PartD.com RxSavings Center provides you with many different ways to search through retail drug discount programs. There is no cost to use the RxSavings-Center and you can search alphabetical by drug name or search by using the retailer's drug category or you can search by using the RxSavings-Finder - a combination of drug categories and discount drug programs. You will find that the discount drug information is also cross referenced with several lists of popular medications, including a list of the top 100 Medicare drugs. Links for each medication provide you with more information on drug strengths, form and available quantities - as well as discount drug program pricing, program availability, and program stipulations. You can also search by:
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