New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits for American Indian and Alaska Native Elders Who Use the Indian Health Care System
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-11-15 16:29:27
From AARP and The National Indian Council on Aging, Inc.
This new opportunity helps you, your family, and your community.
Medicare approved private insurance plans will soon offer coverage to help people pay for prescription drugs. Starting January 1, 2006, Indian Health clinics and pharmacies will work with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan providers to help you get the prescriptions you need. This will affect all Medicare eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Elders.
Everyone who receives Medicare needs to talk with their Indian Health Service, Tribal, Urban Health Center, or Alaska Native Village benefits coordinator or pharmacist between November 15 and January 1st.
Why is this important for American Indian and Alaska Native Elders?
Your clinic can bill Medicare prescription drug plans for your medicine. This helps you, your family, and your whole community. You need to enroll in every benefit you can to help stretch the clinic dollars. If your clinic runs out of funding, everyone suffers.
Who can take advantage of Medicare's new drug coverage?
Everyone on Medicare can get drug coverage. No one can be denied for health reasons or level of income. To participate, you may have to pay a monthly premium and co-pays on some of your medications. These costs may or may not be covered by your Indian Health or Alaska Native Health Program.
How do you apply for extra help to pay the premiums and co-pays?
To get extra financial help to pay for your Medicare-approved drug coverage, you need to complete a separate application with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
- If SSA decides you are eligible for Extra Help, you must contact your benefits coordinator or pharmacy staff to find out what prescription drug plans they are working with and choose one that offers the medications you take.
- If SSA decides you are not eligible, you should notify your benefits coordinator. You can appeal SSA's decision. You can still enroll in a Medicare drug plan, even while SSA is deciding if you qualify for Extra Help. Your benefits coordinator can help you determine how to cover your monthly premiums and prescription co-pays for Medicare's drug coverage.
- You must apply for assistance each year. You should receive a reminder in the mail. Take any letters from SSA to your benefits coordinator for assistance.
- Additional assistance requires the following:
- Identification
- Social Security card and Medicare card
- Proof of income
- Spouse's income if living together
- Bank Account Statements, Stocks/Bonds
- Individual Retirement Account
- Life Insurance (cash value)
- Other real estate (except your home)
Please see your benefits coordinator for more information and help in applying.
How do I sign up for Medicare-approved drug coverage?
You may have many plans to choose from. To get coverage, you must enroll in one of the private drug plans Medicare has approved. It must also work with your pharmacy. Your benefits coordinator or pharmacist can answer your questions and help you choose a drug plan that meets your needs.
October 2005
You'll get the Medicare & You 2006 handbook in the mail.
November 15, 2005
First day you can join a prescription drug plan.
January 1, 2006
Your coverage starts if you joined a prescription drug plan by December 31, 2005.
May 15, 2006
Remember to join by this date or you may have to wait until November 15, 2006 to join.
Take all correspondence from the Social Security Administration or Medicare to your clinic. Your benefits coordinator or pharmacy staff will be able to assist you.
Print a PDF version of this fact sheet.
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