Confused About Medicare's Prescription Drug Benefit?

[Mary Trabert]

 

Confused About Medicare’s Prescription Drug Benefit?

 

If you or your family members qualify for Medicare, you’ve likely been bombarded with information recently about the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. If you are confused about this benefit (also referred to as Medicare Part D and Medicare Rx) you are in good company! Even some of the folks trained to counsel people on this benefit are confused!

 

Here are a few key points and places to find help in choosing the plan that’s right for you.

 

#1 ALL Medicare beneficiaries qualify for this benefit – not just older folks.  If you are on Medicare disability you qualify also.

 

#2 You may qualify for extra help in paying for the monthly premiums for the prescription drug benefit.  More people qualify than think they do. If you are not sure if you qualify, ASK.  Here in NC nearly HALF of all people on Medicare should receive the extra help. 

 

#3 Yes, this benefit is optional, but if you choose not to enroll by May 15, 2006, late enrollment will result in PERMANENTLY HIGHER PREMIUMS. (The exception to this is people who already have coverage as good or better than Part D will provide – more next week.)

 

So, here’s what I recommend:

1. READ all of the information you receive from MEDICARE and SOCIAL SECURITY
2. CONNECT (by phone, in-person or on-line –- whatever works for you) with Senior Health Insurance Information (SHIIP) counselors who can help you make good choices (see below)
3. SELECT the plan that makes sense for you and
4. SIGN UP between November 15, 2005 and May 15, 2006.

Go to

http://www.shiipusa.org/Find_a_State_SHIIP.html for the toll-free numbers and websites of the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) by state.  Call and ask to speak with a counselor trained in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

 

This week’s note wasn’t as brief as usual but Medicare Part D is complicated!

 

Linking you with helpful caregiving resources and wishing you a wonderful week.

Mary Trabert
Co-author, The Portable Caregiver: 8 Essential Guidebooks for Elder Care
 

 

******************   It’s here!!!   ********************

 

We’ve just finished creating the 1^st copies of “Caregiver’s Rest” our relaxation CD for caregivers and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.  So much so that our supply isn’t keeping up with demand!  We want to make sure that everyone who’d like one gets it in time for the holidays, so if you would like to pre-order “Caregiver’s Rest” (which comes with a beautiful handmade strand of meditation beads), please call 1 (919) 968-3858 to place your credit card order. Or, mail your check made to “Metta Journey” for $ 17.99 (NC residents add $1.26 tax) for each Caregiver’s Rest CD and Meditation Beads set requested to

 

Metta Journey, PO Box 9600, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-9600. 

 

We’ll pay the shipping on all pre-orders received by November 1 and all pre-orders will be shipped November 7^th.

 

Great combination of music and voice and easily accessible to home-based caregivers.
The forgiveness and anger themes are especially apropos for family caregivers.
The packaging with the beads will attract interest.  It will do well as a holiday gift, recognizing family care.

 

Lisa Gwyther, MSW, Director, Duke Family Support Program.

 

Caregiver’s Meditation CD produced by Metta Journey, Inc. guided by Sarah Arnett, with original music by John Wurzer, copyright 2005.