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Medicare Part D Resources for Consumers

Medicare Part D offers seniors help with the high cost of prescription drugs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which runs the Medicare program, provides several resources to consumers who may wish to access this new benefit.

To learn more about Medicare Part D, and the prescription drug plans offered,

Visit Medicare online at www.medicare.gov, or
Call 1.800.MEDICARE (1.800.633.4227).

Medicare’s Prescription Drug Plan Finder is located here:
https://www.medicare.gov/MPDPF/Public/Include/DataSection/Questions/Questions.asp

Whether you use Medicare’s phone or Website, you will need to have the following personal information:

  1. Medicare claim number (also known as HIC or Health Information Card number);
  2. last name;
  3. date of birth;
  4. effective date for Medicare Part A or B; and
  5. zip code.

Important note: Use the zip code that matches what you have on file at the Social
Security Administration (SSA); SSA provides basic data to Medicare, so Medicare’s Plan
Finder and other data searches for your SSA-recorded zip code.

Another important note for consumers considering Medicare Part D:

If you have retirement health insurance that includes prescription drug coverage, you will want to pay close attention to whether it is considered “creditable coverage” before deciding whether or not to participate in Medicare Part D.

Also, in some circumstances, enrolling in a Part D plan could trigger a loss of retirement drug and/or health benefits. CMS is strongly encouraging employer and union plan sponsors to take steps to prevent this unintended consequence, but beneficiaries with retirement health plans should check with retiree benefits plan managers to understand what impact signing up for Part D could have on their existing coverage and that of a spouse or family member who could depend on that health coverage as well. For details, please review information on www.cms.gov (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/downloads/eupautoissue.pdf).