Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) adds to your Medicare health care coverage. It helps you pay for both brand-name and generic drugs. Medicare drug plans are offered by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare. You can get coverage two ways: Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (sometimes called "PDPs") add prescription drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans, some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans; Medicare Advantage Plans (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare health plans that offer prescription drug coverage. You generally get all of your Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance), Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance), and Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) through these plans. Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage are sometimes called "MA-PDs." In this publication, the term "Medicare drug plans" means all plans that provide Medicare prescription drug coverage. You must choose and join a Medicare drug plan to get Medicare prescription drug coverage. Everyone with Medicare has to make a decision about prescription drug coverage. If you don't use a lot of prescription drugs now, you still may think about joining a Medicare drug plan to help lower your prescription drug costs now and help protect against higher costs in the future. If you're new to Medicare and already have other prescription drug coverage, you have new options to think about. If you aren't new to Medicare, you may want to look over your options to find drug coverage that meets your needs. You can join or switch Medicare drug plans between October 15-December 7 each year, with your coverage beginning January 1 of the following year. To join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, you must have Medicare Part A or have Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). To join a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare health plan with prescription drug coverage, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B. You must also live in the service area of the Medicare health plan or drug plan you want to join. Medicare drug plans may be different from each other in the prescription drugs they cover, how much you have to pay, and which pharmacies you can use. All Medicare drug plans must give at least a standard level of coverage set by Medicare. However, plans offer different combinations of coverage and cost sharing. Having more than one plan to choose from helps you get the coverage you want at a price you can afford. Also available in Spanish.

Everyone with Medicare has to make a decision about prescription drug coverage. If you don't use a lot of prescription drugs now, you still may think about joining a Medicare drug plan to help lower your prescription drug costs now and help protect against higher costs in the future. If you're new to Medicare and already have other prescription drug coverage, you have new options to think about. If you aren't new to Medicare, you may want to look over your options to find drug coverage that meets your needs. You can join or switch Medicare drug plans between October 15-December 7 each year, with your coverage beginning January 1 of the following year.

This booklet tells you how your Medicare prescription drug coverage works, how it works with other drug coverage you may have, and how you get Extra Help if you have limited income and resources.This is a low-cost print edition of a publication available online.

Confused about Medicare’s drug coverage? You’re not alone. Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies explains Part D in plain English and shows you how to find the best deal among numerous drug-coverage plan options. Whether you’re new to Medicare or already in the program, you’ll navigate the system with more ease and confidence, avoid pitfalls and scams, and have plenty of help choosing the plan that’s right for you. This easy-to-understand, consumer-friendly guide helps you find out whether Part D affects any drug coverage you already have and weigh the consequences of going without coverage. You’ll find ways to compare plans, identify the one that covers your drugs at the least cost, and make sure you sign up at the right time. And you’ll learn how to minimize your expenses, use the “right” pharmacies, and troubleshoot any problems with your coverage. Discover how to: Decide whether you need Part D Understand how Part D works, from costs to coverage Choose and enroll in the best plan for you Get up and running with Part D Handle the coverage gap Lower your drug costs Join and switch plans Comply with long-term-care rules and rights Challenge plan decisions Avoid scams and hard-sell marketing Now, more than ever, you need clear, reliable information that helps you understand Part D and make smart, cost-saving healthcare decisions. You need Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies.

Confused about Medicare’s drug coverage? You’re not alone. Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies explains Part D in plain English and shows you how to find the best deal among numerous drug-coverage plan options. Whether you’re new to Medicare or already in the program, you’ll navigate the system with more ease and confidence, avoid pitfalls and scams, and have plenty of help choosing the plan that’s right for you. This easy-to-understand, consumer-friendly guide helps you find out whether Part D affects any drug coverage you already have and weigh the consequences of going without coverage. You’ll find ways to compare plans, identify the one that covers your drugs at the least cost, and make sure you sign up at the right time. And you’ll learn how to minimize your expenses, use the “right” pharmacies, and troubleshoot any problems with your coverage. Discover how to: Decide whether you need Part D Understand how Part D works, from costs to coverage Choose and enroll in the best plan for you Get up and running with Part D Handle the coverage gap Lower your drug costs Join and switch plans Comply with long-term-care rules and rights Challenge plan decisions Avoid scams and hard-sell marketing Now, more than ever, you need clear, reliable information that helps you understand Part D and make smart, cost-saving healthcare decisions. You need Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies.

A prescription for the right health care. Although Medicare Part D, the federal program to subsidize the cost of prescription drugs, went into effect in January 2006, beneficiaries are still confused by it. With The Pocket Idiot's GuideTM to Medicare Part D, readers have all the information they need to pick the plan that's right for them in one handy book that takes them through the process step by step, including what's covered, who's eligible, and understanding costs. *Complements The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Social Security and Medicare, Second Edition, also by Lita Epstein *Includes screenshots of the Medicare online tool to help readers choose the right plan *Beneficial to seniors, their families, and pharmacists