Mental Health Part D Resources

April 1, 2007

CMS Part D Resources for 2007

• NEW! Plan Obligations for Retro-Medicaid Eligibility: CMS has revised the Auto-Enrollment Letter PDF sent to inform people with Medicare and full Medicaid coverage about the change in their drug coverage from Medicaid to Medicare. The notice explains that these individuals will be enrolled in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan if they haven’t joined a plan on their own, what plan Medicare will enroll them in, and their costs in the plan. It will also notify them that their Medicaid isn’t creditable prescription drug coverage.

• NEW! Helping People with Medicare Apply for Extra Help PDF, January 2007

• NEW! Part D Special Enrollment Periods PDF, January 2007

• Handling Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan Complaints PDF (includes a listing of CMS Regional Office Part D E-Mailboxes)

• Landscape of Local Plans, State by State
  By-State downloads list all Plans available in a state, providing premiums, deductibles, coverage for the Gap (“donut hole”) [Scroll down to map and click on State.]
  » A link to the 2007 source PDP Excel file is provided at the bottom of the Medicare webpage
  » For state-specific press releases, which provide further Plan information at the state level, click here.

• 2007 Medicare Part D National Stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans: PDF
  Data as of September 12, 2006. Includes all contracts/Plans regardless of 2007 approval status. Employer-sponsored Plans (800 series) are excluded.

• Your Personalized Medicare Manager PDF is Waiting for you Online, fact sheet that explains information available on MyMedicare.gov.

• CMS site MyMedicare.gov, an online tool that gives Medicare beneficiaries access to personalized information regarding Medicare benefits and services, including Part D.

• Gap Tip Sheets
  "How the Coverage Gap works for People with Medicare Prescription Drug Plans," PDF for partners who work with people with Medicare; contains several questions and answers related to the coverage gap.
  
  "Bridging the Coverage Gap," PDF is written for distribution to people with Medicare and includes information on ways people can avoid or delay entering the gap, and continue to save money on drug costs while in the gap.
  
  Note: One of the tips in the "Bridging the Coverage Gap" tip sheet is for people to look into Patient Assistance Programs that may be offered by manufacturers of drugs. SHIP counselors may find helpful a reference chart of Patient Assistance Programs prepared by the private organization RxAssist.

• 5 Ways to Lower Your Costs during the Coverage Gap