AHIP Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Guide

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1.	Medicare Has Several Parts

2.	Becoming Eligible

3.	Who is Eligible

4.	Choices for Health Care Coverage

5.	Choices for Prescription Drug Coverage

6.	Payments

7.	Medicare Coverage Requirements

8.	Qualifying for Extra Help

9.	Signing Up

10.	Changing Your Plan

STEP 2: Find the Plan That's Best for You

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Finding the right Medicare drug plan will take a little homework, but this Guide can help.

Use this Guide:

	To learn about Medicare's new prescription drug coverage and your choices;
	To select the category of Medicare prescription drug coverage you want, whether you want a (1) stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) that will accompany your traditional Medicare fee-for-service coverage for doctor and hospital services, or (2) coverage that combines your Medicare doctor, hospital, and prescription drug coverage all into one health plan offered by a single private insurance company;
	To write down key information about your needs and preferences;
	To find the resources to make your final decision and enroll in a plan.


	Terms with dashed underlines are glossary terms. Click on a term to view its definition in a pop-up window. Go to the glossary of terms page to view a complete list of terms.

Did You Know...
Medicare now covers prescription drugs.
Medicare has gotten better with age. It now will help you pay for your prescription drugs.

Whether you are a new enrollee, evaluating your current coverage or considering a change, this Guide is designed to help you choose Medicare prescription drug coverage that will meet your needs.
Because people on Medicare have different needs and preferences, you have choices for your
prescription drug coverage.

Signing up now can help you with your current drug costs, and it will help if you ever need medicines in the future.
You can begin to save immediately on your prescription drugs. Even if you do not use prescription drugs today, buying the Medicare drug coverage now can help protect you against a future time when you may need expensive medicines. Just as with other kinds of insurance, your premiums will be lower if you sign up when you are first eligible.

You can change from one Medicare drug plan to another each year.
Choose the Medicare drug plan that is best for you now. Then, if your needs change, you can select a different plan in the future.

If you want to change plans for next year, you are encouraged to sign up by early December in order to ensure that your transition to your new plan is as smooth as possible.

If you have a modest income, you may be eligible for extra help. Go to our Money Saving Tips section for information on how to apply.

If you already have a Medicare drug plan and are happy with it, it is still beneficial to learn more about Medicare Part D in the following ways:

	Plans may change from year to year—make sure your current plan still meets your needs
	Read some money saving tips
	Visit medicare.gov for additional information


	If you have prescription drug coverage from a current or former employer— either your own or your spouse's—find out if you need to sign up for Medicare drug coverage. Your retiree health care coverage may include prescription drug coverage that is, on average, at least as good as Medicare's benefit. This is called creditable coverage. If you have retiree health care coverage that includes prescription drugs (including coverage from government programs for retirees and the military, or the Department of Veterans Affairs), check with the employer to determine your next steps.