What do individuals need to know if they have full coverage from their state Medicaid program?
Medicaid prescription drug coverage is changing. Medicare, not Medicaid, will start paying for prescription drugs beginning January 1, 2006. Medicaid will still cover other care that Medicare doesn’t cover. The last day that the state Medicaid program will pay for prescription drugs is December 31, 2005. Individuals will have continuous Medicare prescription drug coverage and, in most cases, will pay a small amount out of their own pocket. Medicare pays for almost all of the cost of drugs if individuals join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare Health Plan with Medicare prescription drug coverage. Individuals can join a drug plan starting November 15, 2005. Medicare will let them know the plan it has picked for them in October 2005, but they can still compare plans and choose another plan by December 31, 2005. If they have not joined a drug plan by December 31, 2005, Medicare will enroll them in the plan it has picked to make sure there is no
