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CMS launches Online Tool that allows people
to better compare Medicare Prescription Drug
Plans as Open Enrollment Period begins
[Nov 15, 2007] The open enrollment period
for the Medicare prescription drug benefit
begins on Thursday, and
CMS
has established a new online tool to help
with the comparison of plans, the
Wall Street Journal
reports.
The tool, which appears on the
Medicare.gov
Web site, allows users to enter the list of
medications that Medicare beneficiaries
currently take to determine the amount that
each prescription drug plan charges for
premiums, copayments and deductibles.
In addition, the tool allows users to
compare Medicare prescription drug plans
based on customer service and other areas.
The tool also allows users to compare
Medicare Advantage plans based on overall
quality, disease management, access to
physicians and other areas.
The tool is part of Medicare Path Finder,
which also appears on the Web site and
allows users to compare prescription drug
plans based on out-of-pocket costs and
pharmacy networks. The Web site also
includes a tool that addresses the so-called
"doughnut hole" coverage gap in the Medicare
prescription drug benefit.
Acting CMS Administrator Kerry Weems said of
the new tool, "This is really moving into
consumer-driven health care."
Tricia Neuman, a Kaiser Family Foundation
vice president and director of the
Medicare Policy
Project at the foundation, said
that the tool in large part will help health
insurance counselors, family members and
others because many Medicare beneficiaries
do not use the Internet or e-mail (Zhang,
Wall Street Journal,
11/15).
Broadcast Coverage
NPR's
"Morning
Edition" on Thursday reported on
efforts to help Medicare beneficiaries
determine whether they should switch
prescription drug plans during the open
enrollment period. The segment includes
comments from Leta Blank, head of the
Montgomery County, Md.,
Senior Health
Insurance Program; Neuman; Kevin
Prindiville, a staff attorney at the
National Senior
Citizens Law Center; and a
Medicare beneficiary (Rovner, "Morning
Edition," NPR, 11/15). Audio and a partial
transcript of the segment are available
online.
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