Downloaded: From:

10/13/05 http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/7080135p-6985325c.html

Anchorage Daily News: Alaska's Newspaper

Pick wisely Seniors select Medicare drug plan

Published: October 13 !""# $ast Modi%ied: October 13 !""# at "3:!! AM

Health care is about to change significantly for some 53,000 Alaskans. Congress has created a Medicare prescription drug plan for seniors. E eryone participating in Medicare !! or about to "oin the program !! should pay attention to the go ernment#s ne$ Medicare %art & insurance plan. Ho$ you respond to the plan could sa e you or cost you hundreds of dollars a year, if not more. 'n (o ember, seniors all o er Alaska $ill be asked to choose a pri ate prescription drug plan from those offered by )) pro iders. Enrollment continues through May )5. *he pro iders# plans are subsidi+ed and regulated by the federal go ernment. (obody has to "oin, but those $ho do not $ill face higher premiums or out! of!pocket e,penditures if they decide later to buy the co erage. E ery e,pert $ho comments on the drug plan says the same thing !! in an effort to gi e consumers more choices, Congress created a comple, system. *he comple,ity is compounded by the multiple choices to consumers. 'f you are a senior, you $ill ha e to do some home$ork to determine $hat plan is best for you. 'f you are thinking, -(obody said anything to me about it,don#t $orry, you $ill be getting plenty of mail from the go ernment and pro iders. .inding the plan that is best for you $ill depend on your prescription needs, the amount you spend on drugs annually, your income and other indi idual factors. *here is no one!si+e!fits!all program for e ery Alaskan. *he (e$ /ork *imes recently ran a 01A that addresses the prescription plan. Here#s part of $hat the *imes said2

02 Ho$ does a person decide $hat drug plans are best3 A2 *his $ill not be easy. 'n almost e ery state, more than 40 free!standing prescription drug plans $ill be a ailable. 5'n Alaska the number is 678. 9ne plan may co er ),300 drugs, $hile another co ers 6,500. *he first plan may ha e lo$er premiums, but total out!of!pocket costs may be lo$er under the second plan. :nder many plans, the beneficiary $ill ha e to pay 60 percent of prescriptions. :nder other plans, the beneficiary $ill ha e to pay ;5 for a generic drug, ;65 for a preferred brand!name drug and ;45 for other brand! name medicines. <y no$, you may be thinking, -' am not going to make sense of any of this $ithout help.- =ell, help is a ailable. .or starters > Call )!?00!@33!4667 5)!?00!ME&'CAAE8 and speak to a public ser ice representati e. > Bisit the =eb site $$$.Medicare.go > Cee the )) pro iders offering plans in Alaska at $$$.cms.go DmapDchartsDchart4Ak.pdf > Attend a $orkshop at the Anchorage Cenior Center 5)300 E. )Eth A e.8 noon to 6 p.m. today, an e ent sponsored by the Cocial Cecurity Administration. 5A similar $orkshop $ill be offered from )0 a.m. to noon =ednesday, 9ct. 6@.8 *here#s plenty of time to prepare for the ne$ Medicare prescription drug regime. And if you prepare early, keep a file of all your correspondence and handouts and ask good Fuestions of the right people, you might be much happier $ith the results. <9**9M G'(E2 't pays to pay attention to choosing the right Medicare prescription drug plan.