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Discover the best drug plans for 2008
By Margie Ware
The new prices for Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) are now available. (See the chart below for the PDP prices for 2008.)
If you pay all or part of your own premium for Medicare Part D, locate the name of your plan on the chart. The first numeric column gives the new price for 2008; the second gives the price of that same plan for 2007. The price increases go from 100% down to a few decreases, so the results are all over the board. You should be receiving an “Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC) letter from your plan informing you of price changes and underlining any changes in the formulary. Take time to read this letter carefully to determine whether you need or want to change plans for 2008.
Some of the most popular plans in Massachusetts have had significant price increases. Blue Medicare, AARP/United Healthcare, Humana, and Wellcare have all raised their prices. This is due in part to having experienced heavy demand and thus gleaning historical information about customers’ usage patterns. The new prices reflect what the plan’s real costs were. So this coming year will be a “sorting out” period where some new plans are trying to gain market share and more heavily-used plans are becoming more realistic about the costs of providing prescription coverage.
If you believe that your plan’s new premium is too high, or you want to check out what else may be available, Elder Services program, SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders), can help. Call SHINE at 1-800-544-5242 and request special forms to help you gather appropriate information. On the forms, make a list of your prescription medications and include your name, address, phone number, and Medicare number and effective dates. Mail the information to SHINE, 66 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201, and someone will either contact you by phone or mail you a comparison of three possible drug plans. SHINE can process these lists in advance of the actual enrollment period, which begins November 15 and ends on December 31.
Some of you may have received postcards announcing meetings about “Private Fee for Service Plans” (PFFS) in our area. As we noted in a previous issue, these are new kinds of Medicare Advantage plans that may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your income and your health status. While the people who sell these plans may be nice and friendly, they are “selling.” If you have any questions about these products, please call SHINE to ask whether one of these new products will meet your needs. If you do purchase a PFFS plan, please note that you are still responsible for your Medicare Part B premium.
Remember, if you are NOT a member of Prescription Advantage, and your income as a single person is under $30,000, or under $41,000 as a couple, you can join for free. Prescription Advantage can also be used with retiree plans if your co-payments in that plan are higher than those allowed by Prescription Advantage. It’s worth asking about the program since it may save you money.
Councils on Aging in Williamstown, North Adams, Adams, Dalton, Pittsfield, Lenox, and Great Barrington are ready to take your call and set up an appointment to discuss your options. Appointments at other COAs can be arranged as needed. Please take this opportunity to study the new information for the coming year and find out if you’re “good to go.”
Margie Ware is the Elder Services’ Regional SHINE Program Coordinator.
New Prices for Prescription Drug Plans
NAME OF PLAN
SPONSORING COMPANY
Type
2008
2007
%INC.
Deductible
Coverage in Gap?
AARP MedicareRx Enhanced
UnitedHealthcare
Enhanced
$63.40
$43.80
0.45
$0
All Pref'd Generics
AARP MedicareRx Preferred
UnitedHealthcare
Basic
$34.00
$26.30
0.29
$0
No Gap Coverage
AARP MedicareRx Saver
UnitedHealthcare
Basic
$31.00
$18.50
0.68
$275
No Gap Coverage
Advantage Allegiance Plan
RxAmerica
Enhanced
$43.80
N/A
$0
All Pref'd Generics
Advantage Freedom Plan
RxAmerica
Enhanced
$27.30
$27.90
-0.02
$0
No Gap Coverage
Advantage Star Plan
RxAmerica
Basic
$21.30
$23.20
-0.08
$275
No Gap Coverage
AdvantraRx Premier
Coventry AdvantraRx
Basic
$35.00
$35.00
0.00
$0
No Gap Coverage
AdvantraRx Premier Plus
Coventry AdvantraRx
Enhanced
$47.50
$48.40
-0.02
$0
All Preferred Generics
AdvantraRx Value
Coventry AdvantraRx
Enhanced
$21.70
$24.10
-0.10
$0
No Gap Coverage
Aetna Medicare Rx Essentials
Aetna Medicare
Basic
$25.50
$28.30
-0.10
$275
No Gap Coverage
Aetna Medicare Rx Plus
Aetna Medicare
Enhanced
$42.70
$42.60
0.00
$0
No Gap Coverage
Aetna Medicare Rx Premier
Aetna Medicare
Enhanced
$93.30
$71.80
0.30
$0
All Generics
Blue MedicareRx Premier
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Enhanced
$73.00
$45.80
0.59
$0
Some Generics
Blue MedicareRx Value
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Basic
$31.40
$22.00
0.43
$275
No Gap Coverage
Blue MedicareRx Value Plus
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Enhanced
$38.60
$30.30
0.27
$0
No Gap Coverage
CIGNA Medicare Rx Plan One
CIGNA Medicare Rx
Basic
$32.90
$21.10
0.56
$275
No Gap Coverage
CIGNA Medicare Rx Plan Three
CIGNA Medicare Rx
Enhanced
$78.60
$39.10
1.01
$0
Some Generics
CIGNA Medicare Rx Plan Two
CIGNA Medicare Rx
Basic
$34.60
$29.10
0.19
$0
No Gap Coverage
Community CCRx Basic
MEMBERHEALTH
Basic
$22.80
$27.20
-0.16
$275
No Gap Coverage
Community CCRx Choice
MEMBERHEALTH
Enhanced
$43.70
$35.60
0.23
$0
No Gap Coverage
Community CCRx Gold
MEMBERHEALTH
Enhanced
$44.80
$43.10
0.04
$0
All Generics
EnvisionRxPlus Gold
EnvisionRx Plus
Enhanced
$99.50
$60.50
0.64
$0
All Preferred Generics
EnvisionRxPlus Standard
EnvisionRx Plus
Basic
$64.50
$42.00
0.54
$275
No Gap Coverage
First Health Part D-Premier
First Health Part D
Basic
$27.00
$27.40
-0.01
$0
No Gap Coverage
First Health Part D-Secure
First Health Part D
Enhanced
$14.60
N/A
$175
No Gap Coverage
First Health Part D-Select
First Health Part D
Enhanced
$42.60
$39.80
0.07
$0
All Preferred Generics
Health Net Orange Option 1
Health Net
Basic
$25.40
$24.30
0.05
$275
No Gap Coverage
Health Net Orange Option 2
Health Net
Basic
$38.00
$29.00
0.31
$0
No Gap Coverage
HealthSpring PDP -Reg 2
HealthSpring Prescription Drug Plan
Basic
$18.80
$24.70
-0.24
$275
No Gap Coverage
Humana PDP Complete
Humana Insurance Company
Enhanced
$95.10
$87.40
0.09
$0
All Preferred Generics
Humana PDP Enhanced
Humana Insurance Company
Enhanced
$25.00
$25.80
-0.03
$0
No Gap Coverage
Humana PDP Standard
Humana Insurance Company
Basic
$24.00
$16.90
0.42
$275
No Gap Coverage
Medco - Choice
Medco Medicare Prescription Plan
Enhanced
$41.00
N/A
$0
No Gap Coverage
Medco - Access
Medco Medicare Prescription Plan
Enhanced
$68.60
N/A
$0
All Generics
Medco - Value
Medco Medicare Prescription Plan
Basic
$25.20
N/A
$275
No Gap Coverage
MedicareRx Rewards Standard
UniCare
Basic
$24.60
N/A
$275
No Gap Coverage
NAME OF PLAN
SPONSORING COMPANY
Type
2008
2007
% inc
Deductible
Coverage in Gap?
MedicareRx Rewards Value
UniCare
Basic
$27.10
$22.10
0.23
$0
No Gap Coverage
Prescription Pathway Bronze
Pennsylvania Life Insurance Co
Basic
$23.70
$25.20
-0.06
$275
No Gap Coverage
Prescription Pathway Gold
Pennsylvania Life Insurance Co
Enhanced
$29.00
$23.20
0.25
$0
No Gap Coverage
Prescription Pathway Platinum
Pennsylvania Life Insurance Co
Enhanced
$63.10
$43.70
0.44
$0
All Generics
SilverScript
SilverScript Insurance Company
Basic
$21.00
$24.40
-0.14
$275
No Gap Coverage
SilverScript Complete
SilverScript Insurance Company
Enhanced
$54.50
$37.40
0.46
$0
All Generics
SilverScript Plus
SilverScript Insurance Company
Enhanced
$41.70
$33.00
0.26
$0
All Generics
Sterling Rx
Sterling Life Insurance Company
Basic
$29.30
$27.00
0.09
$275
No Gap Coverage
Sterling Rx Plus
Sterling Life Insurance Company
Enhanced
$72.50
$52.40
0.38
$100
All Generics
UA Medicare - Silver Plan
United American Insurance Co
Basic
$35.10
$30.40
0.15
$150
No Gap Coverage
UA Medicare Part D
United American Insurance Co
Enhanced
$39.70
$39.80
0.00
$0
No Gap Coverage
UnitedHealth Rx Basic
UnitedHealthcare
Basic
$38.50
$38.00
0.01
$0
No Gap Coverage
UnitedHealth Rx Value
UnitedHealthcare
Enhanced
$21.20
N/A
$275
No Gap Coverage
WellCare Classic
WellCare
Basic
$27.60
$13.40
1.06
$250
No Gap Coverage
WellCare Signature
WellCare
Basic
$31.50
$21.50
0.47
$0
No Gap Coverage