Jennifer Kern
Staff Writer

Itís Monday, Nov. 14 and Bob and Tom, retired Forest Lake residents, are discussing Medicare Part D over lunch.

ìItís a mess,î declares Bob, who had worked as an insurance agent for 41 years.

ìItís going to save me money, but Iím not sure how,î confides Tom, who retired from a career in retail sales.

Tom notes that he has attended two meetings regarding Part D and has spoke to various people on the phone, but still has some unanswered questions.

Part D confusion

As of Monday, neither of the men had decided whether or not they were going to take part in Medicare Part D, a new optional prescription drug benefit. The enrollment period for the program nationwide began on Tuesday, Nov. 15 for coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2006.

Across the United States, senior citizens are contemplating whether they will benefit from enrolling in the new program.

According to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, 61 percent of senior citizens noted they understood Medicare Part D, ìnot too wellî or ìnot at all.î

Plan options

The underlining theme of Part D is that Medicare, beginning Jan. 1, will cover prescription drug costs. Previously, this had not been offered. A non income-based option, Part D is available to anyone on Medicare.

Where the confusion over Part D lies however, is in which prescription plan works best for each individual.

For Washington County residents alone, dozens of plans are available, including local, regional and national options. Some include medical care coverage along with prescription drugs, whereas others solely cover drugs. Also, plans vary in which drugs they cover.

In October, John McCalley, an Associate State Director from AARP provided information on Part D to the local Forest Lake AARP chapter.

He noted a website, www.medicare.gov, for senior citizens to compare plans. The comparisons are available for print-out or, by request, can be sent through the mail.

ìItís a very useful tool,î said McCalley.

Another option is the Senior LinkAge Line, a phone hotline where senior citizens can call to ask questions regarding Medicare Part D. The number is 1-800-333-2433.

Along with determining which plan would work best based on coverage, individuals must also decide whether or not the need even exists for them to enroll.

This matter is particularly pressing for senior citizens with a supplemental or former employersí policy that already covers prescription drugs. In some cases, these individuals may already have adequate, reasonably-priced coverage.

Others that may question the need to enroll in Medicare Part D are senior citizens who currently have few prescription drug costs. Under Part D, $250 is the deductible along with monthly premium payments. Those people whose prescription costs are under $250 annually would actually have a higher yearly cost by enrolling.

McCalley warns though, that prescription drug costs can quickly rise unexpectedly.

ìThink about it as preparing yourself against future risk,î he said.

Making a smart decision

The enrollment period for 2006 coverage began on Tuesday and will continue through May 15, 2006. After that date, those interested in signing up for Part D will have to pay a penalty fee.

McCalley suggests the key to making a smart decision on whether to apply for Medicare Part D is by looking at plan costs, what the plan covers and how convenient utilizing the plan is.

ìAllow those to be the framework for your decision in the next two to three months,î he explains.

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