Medicare's Online Tools will Help Beneficiaries with Prescription Drug and Health Plan Choices for 2009

 

MEDICARE'S ONLINE TOOLS WILL HELP BENEFICIARIES WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUG AND HEALTH PLAN CHOICES FOR 2009

 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that beneficiaries, their caregivers, and family members can begin to review 2009 Medicare prescription drug plan and health plan information online through the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder and Medicare Options Compare at www.medicare.gov.

 

"This year it is especially important, now and throughout the upcoming open enrollment period, for beneficiaries to use our online tools to compare their current drug and health plan coverage to the options available for 2009 and take action to choose a plan that best meets their needs," said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems.  "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.  Yet, almost 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."

 

 

Beneficiaries will find contact information for their state's SHIPs in their handbook or at http://www.medicare.gov/Contacts/Include/DataSection/Results/Results.asp?language=English&Organizations=F%7CSHIP+--+State+Health+Insurance+Assistance+Program&State=Select+All+States&Type=ORGANIZATION.

 

For more information and to view the plan finder tool please visit:

http://www.medicare.gov/MPDPF.

 

The LIS Outreach Toolkit can be accessed at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/limitedincomeandresources/

 

To read more of the CMS press release issued today click here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp