Making the Most of Medicare Open Enrollment

NCOA offers tools to help people with Medicare select plans and access benefits in 2011

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yesterday marked the beginning of Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period, which runs through December 31, 2010. During this time, people with Medicare can select or change their Medicare Part D prescription drug plan for 2011.

Plans change, and so do individual health care needs. With tools from the National Council on Aging (NCOA), people with Medicare can help determine which plan best fits their needs and budget, and find other assistance to help them pay for prescription and healthcare costs.

At NCOA’s My Medicare Matters (www.mymedicarematters.org), consumers can learn how to review plan choices for 2011 and find a guide to decision-making and helpful worksheets for selecting a plan. New Medicare enrollees can get seven simple steps for choosing a plan for the first time.

The Annual Enrollment Period is also a great time for people with Medicare to use BenefitsCheckUp® (www.benefitscheckup.org), NCOA’s free online screening service. Here they can not only learn about changes to Medicare Part D and the Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help), they can also discover whether they may qualify for additional benefits that help pay for prescription drugs, healthcare, and other household costs.

Specifically, people with Medicare can use BenefitsCheckUp’s Prescription Drug Assistance screening to get a personalized recommendation on what benefits options may be available, including:

  • Updates to Part D in 2011 as part of the health care reform law, such as the 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs during the coverage gap (also known as the "doughnut hole")
  • Whether they qualify for Extra Help, a program that assists with the monthly premiums, deductibles, and co-pays for Medicare prescription drug plans. Those who may qualify can submit applications online through BenefitsCheckUp.
  • Links to the Medicare Plan Finder to compare plans and enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
  • Updated information on State Pharmacy Assistance Programs (SPAP) and how these programs work with Medicare Part D
  • Updated information on Patient Assistance Programs, made available by private drug companies, which provide free or low-cost medication to people with limited incomes
  • Other benefits that help provide access to, and financial support for, other health care needs.

“Keeping track of changes to Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and matching these changes to your current health care needs is a difficult task,” said Stuart Spector, senior vice president at the NCOA. “Thanks to these tools from NCOA, people with Medicare can get assistance during this enrollment period to select the plans that best suit their needs, and to learn about other benefits that may supplement their coverage.”

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans—especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged—and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit www.ncoa.org.

About My Medicare Matters

My Medicare Matters is a community-based education program that is helping thousands of people with Medicare learn about the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) and make the enrollment decision that is right for their personal health and financial situation. As part of My Medicare Matters, My Medicare Community is an online community for professionals and volunteers who help people with Medicare, their families, friends and caregivers. This community exists to give professionals and volunteers engaged in this important work the chance to learn from each other and from experts in the field, to share promising practices, to solve problems together, and to access critical information, training materials and other educational resources. For more information visit www.mymedicarematters.org or www.mymedicarecommunity.org

About BenefitsCheckUp®

Developed and maintained by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), BenefitsCheckUp is the nation's most comprehensive Web-based service to screen for benefits programs for seniors with limited income and resources. It includes almost 2,000 public and private benefits programs from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since 2001, more than 2.6 million people have used the service, identifying benefits valued at more than $9 billion. For more information, visit www.benefitscheckup.org.



CONTACT:

National Council on Aging (NCOA)
Ken Schwartz, 202-600-3131
[email protected]

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  District of Columbia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Seniors  Practice Management  Health  Hospitals  Public Policy/Government  Healthcare Reform  Pharmaceutical  Other Health  Public Policy  Professional Services  Insurance  Consumer  General Health  Managed Care

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