Program Description
If you are eligible for a Medicare-approved drug
discount card, you can save between 11%-18% on many brand name drugs and
even more on generic drugs. This benefit is available to you regardless of
your income and has no effect on your existing coverage. You may have to pay
up to $30 annually for a drug card. If you have limited
income, you will not have to pay any annual enrollment fee, and you may also
be eligible for an additional $450 credit (this decreases to $300 on July
1st and $150 on October 1st ) to help you pay for
prescriptions. Even if you
don’t qualify for the $450 credit (this decreases to $300 on
July 1st and $150 on October 1st ), you can still receive the drug discount
card and save money on prescription drug costs now. Enrollment
in Medicare-approved drug discount cards is available until December 31,
2005. You can continue to use your Medicare-approved drug
discount card and your credit until May 15, 2006, or until you join a
Medicare prescription drug plan, whichever is first. After you join a
Medicare prescription drug plan, you can’t use your
Medicare-approved drug discount card. You also can’t use any
of the credit you have left. The
Medicare-approved drug discount cards were offered as a transition step to
help people with Medicare save money on prescription drug costs until
Medicare prescription drug plans become
available.
General Program Requirements
You can get a Medicare-approved drug discount card if
- you have Medicare Part A and/or Part B,
and
- you don’t have
outpatient prescription drug benefits through Medicaid (your state may call
this Medical Assistance).
If you’re enrolled in a state pharmacy
assistance program (not Medicaid), you can still get a
card. If you already have prescription
drug coverage through your current health insurance or you already get
discounts on your prescriptions, review your coverage closely to see if this
discount card will save you more money on your
prescriptions.
Application Process
For more information, see the Program Contact Information below.
Program Contact Information
For more information about this program, please
visit:
http://www.medicare.gov/MPDPF/Public/Include/DataSection/Questions/MPDPFInt...
Information is also available at the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services website at:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicarePresDrugEligEnrol/
Or at:
www.medicare.gov
Telephone: 1-800-MEDICARE
Managing Agency
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.hhs.gov/
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