Sarah Oestmann
It’s already time again to enroll in or change your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan! In previous years, that enrollment period has been between November 15 and December 31st. However, in an effort to avoid a rush of applicants so close to the holidays, the annual enrollment has been changed to October 15 through December 7th. This annual enrollment period is for people who already have Medicare and haven’t had a Medicare Part D Plan and need to enroll in one, or for people who want to change their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.
How do you choose a plan?
Medicare has created a ‘plan finder’ website that allows you to search for a Prescription Drug Plan that meets your needs. The ‘plan finder’ website can be found at :
https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/questions/home.aspx
How can you enroll?
In order to enroll, you will need to contact the plan provider directly and enroll either over the phone or through a paper application.
Need help searching for a plan?
Mary Beth, a volunteer from the Madison community, will be offering her time to assist residents of the North/Eastside side, search for an appropriate plan. Mary Beth will be in the NESCO office on Tuesdays from 9am-12pm; and Wednesdays from 1pm-4pm. Please call NESCO at 243-5252 if you are interested in setting up a time to meet with Mary Beth.
Need help paying for your prescriptions?
You can apply for ‘Extra-Help’, also known as the ‘Low-Income Subsidy’ through the Social Security Administration Website. You can complete this application online at
http://ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/
or you can call 1-800-772-1213.
Besides Medicare Part D, are there other options for obtaining prescription drug coverage?
Yes! Some people choose to enroll in SeniorCare. SeniorCare is Wisconsin’s Prescription Drug Assistance Program. Those persons 65 and older who meet the enrollment rules can enroll. The rules are: you must be a WI resident, you must 65 years of age or older and you must pay the $30 one-time annual enrollment fees. The amount you pay for monthly premiums, deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance depends on your income. To learn more, you can visit the website for the department of Health and Human Services for Wisconsin at: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/seniorcare/ or you can call the Senior Care customer service hotline at 1-800-657-2038.
