Medicare Drug Coverage Beginning in the Fall

Medicare Drug Coverage Beginning in the Fall
By Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito

5/20/2005

The new Medicare prescription drug benefit will soon be available for seniors in West Virginia to help them access affordable prescription drugs. To help educate seniors about the new benefits Medicare is sending out information this month. The mailings will help explain how a senior can enroll beginning as soon as this fall. Once they have received the information seniors can begin learning how to obtain the money saving coverage.

There is a lot of new information to learn about, which might be confusing at first don't worry. The letters will help a senior decide if the Medicare drug benefits are less, equal, or better than their current coverage. And many seniors with limited income and resources may be exempt from paying the premium or deductible.

The new information will detail the benefits of the plan. If you qualify for low income assistance, information from the Social Security Administration will be sent to you explaining a subsidy that helps pay for a seniors prescription drugs. Information will also be sent to those seniors who already receive prescription drug coverage. Be sure to save any letters, they will include information concerning which plan will work best for your individual needs. Even seniors who do not use prescription drugs now should still consider joining a Medicare plan to minimize future costs.

Prescription drugs help seniors live longer and increase their quality of life. The new benefit can give a senior access to these expensive, yet essential drugs. Thanks to the reforms I fought for in Congress, seniors now have access to a prescription drug benefit. The next step is for seniors to find which plan best suits their individual needs so he or she begin to save money on their prescriptions.

http://capito.house.gov/press_office/detail-page.aspx?id=27&whichone=column