SPECIAL SECTION: Medicare D and Other Drug Coverage Updates


CMS TO REASSIGN 1.6 MILLION TO NEW PART D PLANS

Nearly 1.6 million low-income people with Medicare could face disruptions in their drug coverage when they are randomly reassigned to new Part D prescription drug plans effective January 1, 2008.

The plan reassignments, which affect one in six of the 9.5 million enrollees in the Part D Extra Help program, were announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 13. These individuals are now enrolled in plans that will no longer qualify for a full premium subsidy in 2008, because their plans’ premiums are above the regional average.

CMS will reassign the affected individuals to new plans with premiums that qualify for a full subsidy, although they will have the right to change to an alternate plan.

Because the reassignments are conducted randomly—without regard to whether the new plan covers the drugs a person takes—reassigned individuals could face new obstacles to receiving coverage for all the medications on their drug regimens.

The Extra Help program helps pay premiums and copayments under Part D for people with Medicare earning low income and with limited financial assets.

-From: “CMS To Put 1.6 Million People In New Part D Plans”, Medicare Watch, a biweekly electronic newsletter of the Medicare Rights Center, Vol. 10, No. 18: September 4, 2007. p


09/07