The decision to get Medicare prescription drug coverage depends on how you pay for your drugs now and how you get your Medicare coverage. Most people with Medicare pay for drugs and get their Medicare in one of five ways:

• Original Medicare only, or Original Medicare and a Medigap (‘Supplement’) Policy without drug coverage. The new Medicare drug coverage will cover half of the costs for you if you have this kind of coverage now. Enhanced options are available that provide more coverage.
• Original Medicare and a Medigap (‘Supplement’) Policy with drug coverage. The new Medicare drug coverage will generally provide much more comprehensive coverage at a lower cost.
• Retiree or union coverage. In most cases, people with good retiree or union coverage can continue to get it, with new financial support from Medicare.
• Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare Health Plan, which already include drug coverage and other extra benefits.
• Dual coverage from Medicare with Medicaid drug coverage. These people will automatically get comprehensive prescription drug coverage from Medicare, starting on January 1.

NOTE: If you have limited income and resources, but you don’t have Medicaid, you may qualify for extra help that may pay for about 95% of your drug costs. Visit Extra Help for People with Limited Income and Resources for more information.

Because the way that Medicare drug coverage works depends on your current coverage, Medicare has specific information available to help you no matter what type of coverage you have. These resources include the CMS brochure What Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Means to You: A Guide to Getting Started and the Medicare & You 2006 Handbook that you got in the mail this fall. You can get the brochure and other free Medicare publications by visiting www.medicare.gov or calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You should also look for and review information from your current insurer about how your current coverage will work with the Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Reference: http://www.medicare.gov/MedicareReform/drugbenefit.asp

Buy dental insurance online at http://www.insurancecompany.com

Related posts:

1. Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Medicare prescription drug coverage is insurance that helps people pay for prescription drugs at participating pharmacies. It is available to everyone who has Medicare....
2. Step 3 to Get Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage All of the plan options must meet or exceed Medicare's standards for coverage, including coverage for medically necessary drugs....
3. Step 2 to Get Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage you can get drug coverage and the rest of your Medicare coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, like an HMO or PPO, that typically provides more benefits at a significantly lower cost through a network of doctors and hospitals. No matter what type of plan you choose, you can choose a plan that reflects what you want in terms of cost, coverage and convenience....
4. Extra Help Paying for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) If you qualify, your drug costs in 2010 will be no more than $2.50 for each generic drug and $6.30 for each brand‑name drug. Look on the Extra Help letters you get, or contact your plan to find out your exact costs....
5. Medicare: Cutting High Prescription Drug Costs Medicare: Cutting High Prescription Drug Costs...
6. Medicare – Help someone save an average of $3,900 on prescription drug costs Now, you can help someone you care about apply for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. Anyone who has Medicare can get Medicare prescription drug coverage. Some people with limited resources and income also are eligible for Extra Help to pay for the costs—monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments—related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth an average of $3,900 per year. ...
7. Your Medicare Coverage Choices Run by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. ...
8. Apply Online for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs Apply Online for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs...
9. Medicare & You contains important information about what’s new, health plans, prescription drug plans Medicare & You contains important information about what's new, health plans, prescription drug plans...
10. Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder Tool You can now enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for next year! ...
11. MedicareCard.com – NIH Podcast Shines Light on Prescription Drug Abuse in Women NIH Podcast...
12. Medicare – Ways to save money during your coverage gap Consider Switching to Generics or Other Lower-Cost Drugs - You may wish to talk to your doctor about the drugs you are currently taking to find out if there are generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs that would work just as well as the ones you're taking now....
13. Medicare is a health insurance program – Is this True? Medicare is a health insurance program - Is this True?...
14. Medicare Coverage Database (MCD) contains all National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) The Medicare Coverage Database (MCD) contains all National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) and Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs), local policy articles, and proposed NCD decisions...
15. Lower Your Costs During the Coverage Gap Lower Your Costs During the Coverage Gap...