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TextVirginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
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15
Tips to Help You Find a Medicare Part D Drug Plan
What is VICAP? The Virginia
Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) offers confidential
help and advice about health insurance and long-term care
insurance.
How Can VICAP Help Me?
Our trained counselors will:
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Assist you in resolving Medicare, Medicaid or medical claims.
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Help you compare and understand Medicare, Medicare supplemental
policies, Medicare managed care plans and Medicare drug plans.
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Provide you with basic Medicaid information.
- Explore your long-term care insurance needs.
How Is VICAP Counseling Provided? VICAP counseling is a free service provided by your Area Agency on Aging. Depending on your needs, counseling can be provided by telephone or in person, by appointment, whether in our office or in your home.
Where Can I Learn More? To receive
additional information or to schedule an appointment with a VICAP
counselor, please contact:
703-324-5851
Fairfax Area Agency on Aging
Brought to you by CMS'
National Medicare Education Program
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VICAP Links of Interest
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Accessible Medication Program (PDF) | • |
Military Health Benefits (www.tricare.mil) |
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Health Assistance Partnership (www.hapnetwork.org) |
• | Prescription Drug Assistance (PDF) | ||
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Medicaid Program (www.dmas.virginia.gov) |
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Virginia Bureau of Insurance (www.scc.viginia.gov/division/boi) |
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Medicare (www.medicare.gov) |
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15 Tips to Help You Find a Medicare Part D Drug Plan:
Enrollment November 15-December 31, 2008
Trying to determine which Medicare prescription drug plan best meets
your
needs can be confusing. These tips can point you in the right
direction.
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Go to the official Medicare Web site, www.medicare.gov.
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Within the shaded box on the right side of the page, Prescription
Drug Plans, select the “Compare” button.
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When you reach the next Web page, select the “Find & Compare Plans”
button on the left side of the page.
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You will next be given two options, either a “Personalized Search” or a
“General Search” – select the “General Search” button.
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On the next page, enter your zip code, answer the next three questions,
and then press the “Continue” button. You do not need to
enter your age or health status.
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Look over the information on the Review Current Coverage page to
make sure it’s accurate, and then press the “Continue” button.
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You’ll be directed to the Find and Compare Plans page; read the
data on this page and press the "Continue" button. On the
next page press the “Enter My Drugs” button.
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When you get to the Enter My Drugs page, you will need to know
all of prescription medications you take, as well as the dosage. Enter
your drugs one at a time in the search box. If you are not sure
about the spelling of a medication, you can use the alphabetical
listing of drugs. After listing all your medications press
“Continue.”
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A list of the drugs you entered will appear. Carefully review
each one to make sure that the dosage listed next to the medication is
the dosage that you are prescribed. If not, simply select the
dosage box and select the correct size (e.g. cholesterol medications,
for example, can either be 10, 20 or 40 mg per tablet).
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To avoid having to re-input the information on the medications you
take, select “Save Your Drug List” (or skip to the next section), then
press “Continue.”
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You next will be asked if you want to choose a preferred pharmacy. This
is not necessary at this point – wait to check for preferred pharmacies
until you review the actual plans. Select “Continue.”
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Choose two or three of the programs found by the Medicare Drug Plan
Finder to review and compare.
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When looking at each plan, be sure to go to the “More
Information” drop down box and look at “View Plan Details.” Check
to see if the plan has any important restrictions, such as quantity
limits, a requirement for prior authorization, or step therapy (in
which drug therapy for a medical condition always has to begin with the
most cost-effective therapy and only includes more costly medications
if deemed medically necessary).
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If you have any questions, try calling the drug plan using
Medicare's toll-free phone number (1-800-633-4227); or talk to a
Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) counselor.
VICAP is a counseling program that assists individuals over age
60 and their families in understanding Medicare, Medicaid and
medical bills, or in making decisions about Medicare supplement or
long-term care insurance. There is no cost for this service. Call the
Virginia Department for the Aging toll-free at 1-800-552-3402 to find a
VICAP counselor in your area.
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When you have your questions answered and have found the plan that best
fits your current needs, enroll either online or by phone. It is
important to complete your enrollment during the annual enrollment
period (November 15-December 31). The new prescription benefits plan
will be in effect as of January 1. (Individuals newly qualified for
Medicare will be asked to choose a prescription benefit plan when they
first become eligible for benefits.)
Source: Howard Houghton, Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program, Fairfax County.