What is the new Medicare prescription drug program?
Currently, Medicare does not pay for most of the prescription drugs that you might take at home. However, beginning January 1, 2006, Medicare prescription drug plans will be available to cover these drugs for people with Medicare. Patient enrollment in these plans will begin in November 2005 and depending on which state you live in, you may have a variety of different Medicare prescription drug plans to choose from. How do the various Medicare prescription drug plans differ, and how do they work? The Medicare drug plans will be offered by many different insurance companies and will vary in terms of what prescription drugs are covered, how much you have to pay, and which pharmacies you can use. Enrollment in these plans will be voluntary and may require the following out-of-pocket cost sharing from the patient (actual out-of-pocket costs may vary depending on your specific Part D plan): • A monthly premium that is in addition to your Medicare Part B premium (if you are enrolled in Part
