Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Revised Calendar

Speak Up, Speak Out Network

Greetings,

What's Happening with the new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit?

On Friday, September 23, 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a press release regarding the approval of prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans. It is important to note that CMS and the plans have not yet released final details about the drugs that the plans will cover. This press announcement only serves to let us know the names of the plans as well as how many plans have been approved in each state. The crucial information that we are waiting for will be available in a few weeks (approximately October 13, 2005 ) when plans will release how they will cover specific drugs.

In the meantime, the CMS press release gives us the following overview of the plans:

There will be prescription drug plans in every state
Between 11 and 20 organizations will be offering prescription drug plans in each region.
Ten organizations have been approved offering drug coverage nationwide. These are Aetna, Connecticut General Life (Cigna), Coventry, Medco, MemberHealth, PacifiCare, SilverScript (Caremark), UniCare, United Healthcare and WellCare.
In every state but Alaska, at least one prescription drug plan has a premium of less than $20 a month.
In every state, at least five prescription drug plans will offer coverage with no premium to beneficiaries who qualify for that extra help.
According to CMS, all plans have met Medicare's requirements for providing access to medically necessary drugs, including formulary standards as well as standards for access to convenient retail pharmacies and to drugs in nursing homes.

A map of the prescription drug plan and Medicare Advantage plan regions can be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/mmaregions/.

For more information, including specific plans for each state please visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/map/map.asp.

Updated Timeline

September 23 --CMS press release on number and names of plans in each state.

September 25 -- Parade Magazine insert on how to educate others about the prescription drug coverage.

Early October -- The Medicare & You 2006 handbook will be mailed to every Medicare household.

Early October --Beneficiaries will begin receiving notices from former employer plans regarding how that coverage will work with Medicare's new benefits.

Mid-October -- Plans will release information on how they will cover specific drugs.

Mid-October --- Medicare's website, http://www.medicare.gov, and its 24-hour toll-free number, (800) MEDICARE or (800) 633-4227, will also have specific information available to help beneficiaries find the drug coverage that suits their needs.

November 15 -- Beneficiaries can begin enrolling in plans.
Day after Thanksgiving- A day of family conversation- including a call for families to discuss the new prescription drug benefit as they gather the day after Thanksgiving.

January 1, 2006 -- Prescription drug coverage begins.

May 15, 2006 -- Last day to enroll without penalties.

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