Enrolling for Prescription Drug Coverage – 2009

If you are trying to figure out how to sign up for Medicare Part D – prescription drug coverage – you may be somewhat overwhelmed or confused. There are ways that this can be a straightforward process. We will try to outline some steps that will help keep the process simple..

It is important that you get a list of all your medications before you even start the process. Your pharmacist will be able to give you the list of your current medications. Once you have that list, the next step is to call 1-800-MEDICARE or go online to www.medicare.gov. There are people that will help you through the process.

If you are online, click where it says “Medicare Prescription Drug Plans for 2009” and it will take you to a page that has one heading that says “Find and Compare Plans.” Click on that and you will be taken to a page that asks if you would like a “personalized” or “generalized” search. If you have your official Medicare card you can do a personalized search by entering your information from the card. The page will ask you for the information you need to put it.

After you have done this and put your information in, the computer will take you to a page that asks you to list the medications you take. YOU MUST FILL THIS OUT, even if you don’t take prescription medication right now. This is an important page because it can help you find your medication and help you list it, plus, it will tell you if there is a less expensive generic medication. It will also save your information in case you need to come back to it another time.

The next page will ask what pharmacy you want to work with. You can pick a pharmacy that you already use or a pharmacy that is close to home. Once you pick the pharmacy you will be asked to click again. When you click it will take you to the page that is the most important: this is the page that compares plans. It will show the least expensive plans, it will also show how well the different plan rank – for instance one star to five stars to help you know which plans have the best ratings. This page will also try to lower your costs by suggesting generic medications and possibly other drugs that are the same as what you are taking now but less expensive. After that comparison you can click on the various plans and you will be given a month by month cost. You can print all this information out.

After all of that, you will get to the point where you can choose a plan. Before you choose, it is important for you to call the plan’s toll-free number, ask questions such as confirming the coverage of your drugs as well as your copayments. If you feel comfortable, have them send you an application so you can sign up.

If you follow these steps it should take the confusion and the worry out of deciding on your Medicare Prescription Drug coverage and leave you feeling secure about the choices you are making for 2009.