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October, 2006:
:: Try our new 2007 Medicare Part D Plan Finder
:: Time for a Check-up: Be Sure to Re-Examine Your Medicare Part D Plan
:: What is an ANOC? - Annual Notice of Change Letter
:: Update - Part D Premium Reimbursement - Case to be heard in January
:: Medicare to Cease Automatic Medicare Part D Plan Enrollment for
632,000 former Medicaid Beneficiaries
:: Closing Notes
Try our new 2007 Medicare Part D Plan Finder
What's New with Medicare-PartD.com? We have developed an online 2007 Medicare Part D Prescription Plan Selection Tool. With this simple to use tool, you can review your State's Medicare Part D plans and compare plans based on features important to you (and it's free). The tool allows you to search by monthly Premiums, Deductibles, and Doughnut Hole Coverage. Also, for those Medicare Beneficiaries who are "Dual Eligible" (that is, eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid), you can view the Part D Plans in your State that offer the full Part D premium subsidy. Click on the link below to try our new 2007 Medicare Part D Plan Finder:
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:: http://www.medicare-partd.com/PartD-SearchPDPMedicarePartDPlanFinder.php
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Time for a Check-up: Be Sure to Re-Examine Your Medicare Part D Plan
The drug benefit offered under Medicare Part D will be going through many changes for the 2007 annual enrollment period. Last year, nine Medicare Part D plan providers were offering Part D plans on a nationwide basis. That figure has just about doubled for 2007 with 17 Part D plan providers offering national Medicare Part D plans. Over and above that, each state individually (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) will have an average of 50 plans to choose from in 2007, compared to the approximately 40 plans available in each State in 2006. It has also been stated that 83% of seniors nationwide will have access to lower plan premiums. Further, although only 15% of the plans offered coverage during the doughnut hole in 2006, 29% will provide coverage during the "gap" in 2007. That is the good news.
Conversely, of the 29% of the Medicare Part D plans that are offering coverage during the doughnut hole (or donut hole), most of these Part D carriers will be covering only generic medications. This will be a large financial hurdle for beneficiaries who are dependent upon a drug or drugs with no generic counterpart. The old saying "Caveat Emptor" (Let the buyer beware) is as true here as anywhere. The Wall Street Journal advises, "The drug benefit landscape is changing enough that even enrollees who are content may want to review how their plan stacks up against new offerings." The same article went on to say, "Medicare beneficiaries who do not switch prescription drug plans might experience changes in their plan premiums, co-payments or formularies." (Wall Street Journal 9/30/06)
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To sum up the changes for 2007: there are more Companies, more Medicare Part D Plans, some lower premiums, more generic doughnut hole coverage, but less full doughnut hole coverage available.
Bottom Line: Part D plans are changing! Check out your plan and make sure that it will serve you as well in 2007 as it has in 2006.
Looking for a couple of real examples of how the Medicare Part D plans changed? Take a glance at the changes in 2007 Plans for Florida and California (and provide your comments. . .):
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:: http://www.medicare-partd.com/Blog-PartDCommunityBlogInformYourself.php?blog_id=7
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What is an ANOC? - Annual Notice of Change Letter
Many you have perhaps already received an ANOC or Annual Notice of Change letter from your Medicare Part D Plan provider. In fact, each person enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan should receive an Annual Notice of Change Letter. Please pay close attention to this letter! In the ANOC letter you will be informed how your current 2006 Medicare Part D plan will change for 2007. If a Medicare Part D Plan is merged into another plan, some Medicare beneficiaries may be automatically "moved" to the new Medicare Part D plan. Click on the link below for an example of how Part D plans can be combined.
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:: http://www.medicare-partd.com/Blog-PartDCommunityBlogInformYourself.php?blog_id=6
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Update - Part D Premium Reimbursement - Case to be heard in January
Short Summary: As noted in last months Newsletter, a government computer error resulted in over 230,000 Medicare beneficiaries mistakenly getting a refund on their Medicare Part D premiums. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent letters to people, asking that the refunds be returned to the government. In response, to the CMS letter, a lawsuit was filed by the consumer advocacy groups Action Alliance of Senior Citizens and Gray Panthers asking that CMS inform the affected Medicare beneficiaries of their right to request a waiver of recovery. The advocacy groups are being represented by the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc in their suit against CMS.
So where are we now? In late September a Federal judge ordered CMS to inform all 230,000 beneficiaries of their rights to seek a waiver of recovery. CMS was also ordered to stop recovering the Medicare Part D premium refunds - and to return those refunds already collected, allowing all beneficiaries the opportunity to request a waiver of recovery. CMS appealed and early this month a Federal appeals court awarded CMS a temporary hold on this earlier decision. Further preliminary hearings will be held and a trial date for the entire matter is set for January 2007. CMS noted that it will continue its efforts to collect the erroneous payments and at present has recovered from about half of the affected beneficiaries.
What to do? Once again, this question remains open until a final court determination. If repayment would cause economic hardship, Medicare beneficiaries may want to consider holding off on their repayment until a final court ruling in January, 2007. In the meantime, the Center for Medicare Advocacy website noted that: "If you have received the premium payment and been told to return it, and wish to participate in this lawsuit, please contact us (lawsuit@medicareadvocacy.org)." (see also, http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/default.htm) - Share your Thoughts or Comments:
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:: http://www.medicare-partd.com/Blog-PartDCommunityBlogInformYourself.php?blog_id=8
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Medicare to Cease Automatic Medicare Part D Plan Enrollment for
632,000 former Medicaid Beneficiaries
Approximately 632,000 former Medicare/Medicaid Dual Eligible beneficiaries will not be automatically enrolled into a Medicare Part D plan and must actively select and enroll in a Medicare Part D plan. This same group may also need to re-apply for financial assistance. Read more here (and provide us with your comments).
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:: http://www.medicare-partd.com/Blog-PartDCommunityBlogInformYourself.php?blog_id=5
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Closing Notes
- Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Annual Open Enrollment Period begins! You can join a new Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan - Your new Plan coverage begins on January 1, 2007. (Sign-up now and on November 15 we will eMail you a no obligation Enrollment Kit for your chosen Part D plan - ).
- Friday, December 8, 2006 - We recommend that you enroll by this date to ensure receipt of your new Medicare Part D Membership Information before January 1, 2007.
- Sunday, December 31, 2006 - Annual Open Enrollment Period ends - don't risk the penalty.
- Turning 65 or New to Medicare? - You have an initial 7 Month window to enroll.
- Changing to Medicare Advantage Plans? - Medicare beneficiaries can join or switch Medicare Advantage Plans from January 1 to March 31 of every year. However, during this time you cannot drop or add Part D prescription drug coverage.
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Last updated on: 07/18/2008
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