Published: November 05, 2009 07:26 am      

Agency can help with Part D decision

If you’re 65-years-old or older, you might want to know whether your current prescription drug plan under Medicare Part D covers your individual needs.

The best way to find out is to compare current coverage with other drug plans, according to Leona Perry, director of the Oklahoma Economic Development Authority Area Agency on Aging (OEDA AAA) office in Beaver.

Medicare Part D is a federal program that subsidizes the costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries, Perry said. Under Medicare Part D, several insurance plans are offered.

Each year, the insurance plans change their premiums and which medications they cover, Perry said.

By making comparisons, people will know whether to change to a different insurance plan during open enrollment, which begins Nov. 15 and concludes Dec. 31, she said.

“This has been hard for people to understand, and they don’t know they have the chance to compare their plan with another (one) and pick the one that’s cheaper,” Perry said.

For people who would like help making a decision on a a change, assistants from the OEDA Area Agency on Aging office in Beaver will visit Woodward County to provide guidance at a future date which has not been set yet.

In making comparisons, one of the main things people will notice this year is an increase in their premiums, Perry said.

Kim Pierce, OEDA AAA information and assistance coordinator, said the average monthly premium that beneficiaries will pay in 2010 is about $30, which represents a $2 increase from 2009.

Because some people can’t afford Part D premiums and costs due to limited incomes, the government can offer them assistance through a Limited Income Subsidy (LIS), Pierce said.

LIS is available to people with incomes 150 percent below the federal poverty level and who have limited resources, Pierce said.

People can apply for LIS anytime, she said.

For more information, Perry or Pierce may be reached at (580) 625-4531 or at (800) 658-2844. The address of the office in Beaver is 330 Douglas.