Oregon 2011 Medicare Fast Facts

• 32 Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) available
• 85% of people with Medicare have prescription drug coverage (including 64% with Part D)
• 27% of people with Part D get Extra Help (also called the low-income subsidy, or LIS)
• 92% of people with Part D can pay a lower premium in 2011 than they did in 2010
• 81% of people with Medicare have access to a MA plan for a $0 premium
• 14 PDPs have $0 deductibles
• $14.80 is the lowest monthly premium for a PDP
• $42.90 is the lowest monthly premium for a PDP with any generic coverage in the Coverage Gap
• 8 PDPs have a premium of $0 for people who qualify for Extra Help

Source: CMS
Plan costs and coverage change each year, so all people with Medicare should check to make sure their plan still meets their needs and budget. There may be a Medicare health or drug plan available with better coverage or a lower deductible in 2011.

2011 Open Enrollment Important Dates

October
• Watch your mail for notices from Medicare, Social Security, and health and drug plans with information about changes in 2011
• Compare plans online at www.medicare.gov starting October 15
November
• “Medicare & You” 2011 arrives in your mail
• Open Enrollment starts November 15
December
• Open Enrollment ends December 31

The Oregonian has a good Oregon Medicare overview and resource guide, courtesy  of Brent Hunsberger.  You can read the guide here.  The  Oregon Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) has published a comprehensive Oregon Medicare guide which is available online here.

Prescription drug costs are typically a significant component of total Medicare costs, and the total annual cost for a given list of drugs varies significantly from plan to plan.  Many plans are raising rates, and increasing the cost of drugs in the plan.  If you have added or changed your prescription list this year, it is imperative that you review your drug plan.  Kiplinger has published a handy guide to using the Medicare prescription drug plan finder here.

All people with Medicare should:

· Review the 2009 costs for their current drug and health plan. Look at premium, co-pays and deductibles.
· Compare the cost and coverage to other plans in their area. Check to see if the plan covers their medicines, works with their pharmacy and doctors and covers the services they need)
· Choose a plan that meets their needs.

You can compare plans yourself by going to http://www.medicare.gov and selecting the option “compare plans”. You will need the complete name and dosage of each of your prescription drugs.

People with Medicare should review changes being made by their current plan and compare it to others to make sure it still meets their needs. Those who don’t have prescription drug coverage can also enroll in a drug plan through the end of the year.