Fwd: CMS MEDICARE NEWS: CMS Reminds Medicare Beneficiaries to Review and Compare Their Current Drug Coverage

[Guest guest]

Department of Health & Human

Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Room 352-G

200 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20201

External Affairs Office

MEDICARE

NEWS

For Immediate

Release

Contact: CMS Office of Media Affairs

September 25,

2008

CMS

Reminds Medicare Beneficiaries to Review and Compare Their Current Drug

Coverage

Today, CMS Acting Administrator Kerry

Weems announced the 2009 Medicare prescription drug and Medicare

Advantage plan options. Approximately 97 percent of beneficiaries

enrolled in a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) will have access

to Medicare drug and health plans in 2009 whose premiums would be the

same or less than their coverage in 2008.

“As we enter the fourth year of the

Medicare Part D prescription drug program, we continue to see high

satisfaction rates among beneficiaries and high participation among

plans,” said Weems. “However, plans do change their offerings from

year to year. Some beneficiaries may see significant premium

increases or changes, such as reduced coverage in the gap, if they stay

in the same prescription drug plan in 2009. We encourage individual

beneficiaries to review how their plans are changing and what other

options are available to them to determine which plan best meets their

needs.”

In every state, beneficiaries will

have access to at least one prescription drug plan with premiums of less

than $20 a month, except for beneficiaries living in Alaska who will have

access to one prescription drug plan at $23 a month. Those who

qualify for the full Medicare subsidy will pay no premiums or deductibles

in these plans. The national average monthly premium for the basic

Medicare drug benefit in 2009 is projected to average approximately

$28.

Beneficiaries will continue to have

access to prescription drug plans that offer a wide range of design

options, including zero deductible plans. Plans with coverage in

the gap for generics are available in every state.

In 2009, 100 percent of beneficiaries

will have access to a Medicare Advantage plan. Many beneficiaries

will continue to have access to Medicare Advantage plans that have

prescription drug coverage (MA-PDs) and more than 93 percent of people

with Medicare will have access to a MA-PD for a $0 premium and with a $0

drug deductible.

Marketing of 2009 plans will begin

October 1 under new marketing requirements. “These new requirements

are meant to protect Medicare beneficiaries from deceptive or

high-pressure marketing tactics by insurance companies and their agents,”

said Weems.

This fall CMS will be conducting

numerous outreach events to help new beneficiaries and help those already

enrolled understand their plan choices. “We want to make sure

that every beneficiary knows where to go for individualized advice and

counseling,” said Weems.

Details about the specific plans in

each region will be available mid-October at

www.medicare.gov and

1-800-MEDICARE. Open enrollment for prescription drug coverage begins

November 15 and ends December 31. Beneficiaries who want to review their

current coverage as well as the other options available to them will have

access to information and assistance from many sources including:

A notice of any coverage changes from their current prescription drug

plan, by October 31st , The enhanced Medicare Drug Plan

Finder, available in mid-October; Toll free information available 24/7 at 1-800-MEDICARE

(1-); The annual Medicare & You 2009 handbook that explains

Medicare coverage, to be mailed in October; and Local organizations such as the State Health Insurance Assistance

Programs and thousands of other Medicare partner organizations that will

provide personalized assistance throughout the fall.

The list of national stand-alone

prescription drug plans and state specific fact sheets can be found

at:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/openenrollment.asp

“Beneficiaries should expect to hear

from the health and prescription drug plans in their communities and

should be assured that CMS has new oversight tools available to ensure

they have a positive experience,” said Weems.

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