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Medicare Part D - What's in the chart
By TIMES STAFF
Published October 30, 2005
This chart includes coverage details for the 19 companies authorized to sell Medicare Part D drug plans in Florida. Information includes:
Monthly premium: What you pay for Part D drugs in addition to the Part B premium that comes out of your Social Security check.
Yearly deductible: You will pay all your drug bills out of your own pocket until total costs reach this amount. Some plans have zero deductibles, so coverage starts immediately.
Top 100 drugs in formulary: Plans have a "formulary" of discount drugs. Drugs not on the formulary are more expensive or not covered. In general, the more top 100 drugs on a plan's formulary, the better. Some plans are still adding drugs, so these numbers could get higher.
Coverage in the "gap": Medicare usually calls for plans to defray your drug bills until costs have reached $2,250 in any year. Between $2,250 and $5,100, you pay all the bills. After costs top $5,100, your plan resumes coverage. That $2,250 to $5,100 window is called the "coverage gap." The chart indicates which plans go beyond the minimum and cover generics and/or brand-name drugs in the gap.
Copayments appear in separate list.
Company phone numbers and Web sites are listed separately at right.
What's not in the chart
"Catastrophic" coverage beyond the gap: After your drug costs top $5,100 in a given year, your plan pays almost all your drug bills. You might have a 5 percent copayment or a $2 copayment. Medicare calls this "catastrophic" coverage. Contact individual plans for specific "catastrophic" coverage information.
Pharmacies: Most companies have broad coverage at chain drugstores and grocery stores. Make sure your plan works at pharmacies of your choice, including those outside Florida.
Plan formularies: Make sure your plan covers the drugs you take and does not impose unwieldy preapprovals or dosage restrictions.
The cost of drugs: Different plans will offer different discounts. The best way to find out what your drugs will cost is to call Medicare toll-free at 1-800-633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov and use the Drug Plan Finder.
[Last modified October 28, 2005, 14:19:24]
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