How Will the New Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Affect My Medi-Cal Drug Benefits?
On January 1, 2006, Medi-Cal stopped paying for most drugs for people on Medicare. Your Medi-Cal drug coverage was replaced by Medicare coverage that may not be as good. Your Medicare prescription drug plan may not cover some of the prescriptions you are taking. The private companies offering Medicare drug plans are not required to cover all medications. (See Question 6) You may also face new out-of-pocket expenses for prescriptions. Most Medi-Cal beneficiaries must pay co-payments for their drugs, ranging from $1 to $2 for generic drugs and $3 to $5 for brand name drugs. Medi-Cal beneficiaries in nursing homes are exempt from the co-payments. You might also have to pay a monthly premium for your Medicare drug coverage. In 2006, Medicare will pay your Medicare drug plan’s monthly premium if you are on Medi-Cal and enroll in a basic drug plan with a premium not more than $23.25 per month. If you select a plan with a higher premium, you must pay the difference. Example: Maria’s Medicare
