Medicare Part D and Open Enrollment November 15, 2006
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
is preparing for the 2007 Prescription Drug Open Enrollment that begins on November 15, 2006. A part of this preparation is launching the Drug Plan Finder tool to help people with Medicare and their families and friends compare plans now and prepare for the start of open enrollment. The Plan Finder tool has been improved based on both consumer testing and suggestions from many partners.
A recorded Webinar is now available to help people learn more about this tool before it is scheduled to go live later this week. To view a short tutorial called Navigating the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder see the "spotlight" page on the cms webiste and click on the link "Navigating the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder- Webinar" to start the webinar. It walks you through the Drug Plan Finder and highlights the changes for 2007.
Medicare Part D and Low Income Subsidy starting in 2007
In order to further assist you with targeted outreach efforts, CMS has posted information about mail notices some beneficiaries may receive. In September, Medicare and Social Security worked together to mail notices to people who will no longer automatically qualify for the LIS in 2007. The notice explains why a person no longer automatically qualifies, and encourages them to complete and return an enclosed LIS application (a postage-paid pre-addressed envelope is also included). Partners should encourage anyone who is losing their automatic LIS eligibility to apply for the LIS with Social Security or their State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office. Applying early is important so their extra help can be effective as early as January 1, 2007, the date that automatic eligibility ends. To help target your outreach efforts, go to the CMS "spotlight" webpage and click on "Re-Deeming Notice Data by State and County as of September 2006" to view the file for state- and county-level data reflecting the number of beneficiaries who will no longer automatically qualify for the LIS.
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