Medicare beneficiaries who have chosen to change their health and drug coverage for 2008 should experience very few difficulties when getting their covered prescription drugs through Medicare Part D, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Dec. 28.
CMS has improved procedures for getting accurate plan information into the E1 eligibility system--the computer system that pharmacists use to identify current plan enrollment--especially for beneficiaries who were reassigned to new plans, or who may not have received their new drug card. The agency also supports a point-of-sale facilitated enrollment process that provides immediate coverage for people with Medicare who have Medicaid or have qualified for extra help, but aren’t enrolled in a Medicare drug plan.
Earlier this fall, CMS sent letters explaining steps beneficiaries could take to remain in their plan by paying a small premium and included a list of all the zero-premium plans available in their community. Read the press release.
