Utilizing Your Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

As the new year begins, individuals with Medicare who have already joined a Medicare drug plan can take advantage of the new Medicare prescription drug coverage. Considering that this is a new plan for Medicare, you may well have queries about how to use your Medicare drug program. For instance, what if you joined a plan but haven't received a program ID card in the mail but? Or, what if your drugs were covered by Medicaid and you are not certain how to get your medicines now? Whatever concerns you have, Medicare has answers.

1st Pharmacy Trip

Here are some suggestions men and women with Medicare can use to make positive their first trip to the pharmacy goes smoothly:

• When you first join a Medicare drug strategy, you will get an acknowledgement letter in the mail about a week right after you join. Your strategy ID card should arrive 3 to 5 weeks later.

• If you need to go to the pharmacy before your ID card arrives, bring the acknowledgement letter from your plan, your Medicare and/or Medicaid card, and a photo ID.

• Save the receipts from your pharmacist.

• For additional assistance, call 1-800-MEDICARE, 24 hours a billing medicare day, seven days a week.

Individuals with Medicare and Medicaid

If your pharmacist is having difficulty confirming what strategy you are in different types of medicare or no matter whether you also get Medicaid, he can also call a unique toll-totally free quantity that Medicare set up for pharmacists to get assist. Folks with Medicare who also get Medicaid really should be able to get their prescriptions filled with minimal copayments and no deductibles.

How to Join a Program

If you haven't joined a Medicare drug strategy however, don't be concerned. You have until Might 15, 2006 to pick and join a strategy without having types of medicare fraud having to pay a penalty