Q. My Medicare Advantage plan has worked great for me two years in a row. Recently I spoke with a friend that said I should pay closer attention to the Prescription Drug coverage included with my plan. How can I tell if my drugs will continue to be covered in 2013?
A. That’s a great question and one area that is often overlooked when people review their plan options. The first thing you should do is make a list of all your prescription drugs. Include the dosage and strength of each medication. Next, look at your plan’s formulary – it should have been mailed to you with the new plan information. Now it gets a little tricky. You will want to go through the formulary one drug at a time and see if your drugs are covered. If you can’t find something, make a note and go on to the next. When you find your drugs, it will be noted if they are Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3, etc. The formulary may also tell you if there are any restrictions on the drug. Make notes of all information.
An easier way to accomplish this task is to provide your Medicare insurance specialist at VibrantUSA your prescription drug list (he/she will even have a preprinted form for you to use). The VibrantUSA specialist will then run the top three drug programs best for you using the Medicare.gov website. You’ll receive a nice, neat comparison report that makes your decision pretty easy.
If you are computer savvy, you may want to run your own comparison reports. Go to www.Medicare.gov and follow the steps under health and drug plans and you should end up with the same report mentioned above. It’s usually easier said than done as you may not be familiar with many of the terms that go along with making the report work properly for you.
No matter which method you choose to follow, you will rest easier knowing you have done everything possible to avoid overpaying for your prescription drugs. And remember, the Medicare insurance specialists at VibrantUSA are always available to assist you. Give them a call at 866-733-5111. There is no charge for their service.
