Printer
TextVirginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
- 15 Tips to Help You Find a Medicare Part C or D Plan
- What is VICAP?
- How Can VICAP Help Me?
- How is VICAP Counseling Provided?
-
Where Can I Learn More?
- VICAP Links of Interest
-
Medicare Part D 2010
What is VICAP?
The Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) offers confidential help and advice about health insurance and long-term care insurance.
How Can VICAP Help Me?
Our trained counselors will:
-
Assist you in resolving Medicare, Medicaid or medical claims.
-
Help you compare and understand Medicare, Medicare supplemental
policies, Medicare managed care plans and Medicare drug plans.
-
Provide you with basic Medicaid information.
- Explore your long-term care insurance needs.
How Is VICAP Counseling Provided?
VICAP counseling is a free service provided by your Area Agency on Aging. Depending on your needs, counseling can be provided by telephone or in person, by appointment, whether in our office or in your home.
Where Can I Learn More?
To receive additional information or to schedule
an appointment with a VICAP counselor, please contact:
- 703-324-5851 - Fairfax Area Agency on Aging
(Brought to you by CMS' National Medicare
Education Program.)
VICAP Links of Interest
(To view PDF files, Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed on your computer. Download a FREE copy now.)
-
Accessible Medication Program
-
Health Assistance Partnership
(www.hapnetwork.org)
-
Medicaid Program
(www.dmas.virginia.gov)
-
Medicare
(www.medicare.gov)
-
Medicare Part D
2010
-
Health Assistance Partnership (HAP)
(For information about filing appeals when needed under Medicare Part D, please visit www.hapnetwork.org/medicare-drug-coverage/exceptions-appeals.html.)
-
Medicare's Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition Program (LI
NET)
(www.cms.hhs.gov/LowIncSubMedicarePresCov/Downloads/LINETgeneral100909.pdf)
-
Health Assistance Partnership (HAP)
-
Guide to Limited Income and Resources Mailings from CMS, Social
Security and Plans
(www.cms.hhs.gov/LimitedIncomeandResources/Downloads/2009Mailings.pdf)
-
Military Health Benefits
(www.tricare.mil)
-
Prescription Drug
Assistance
-
Social Security Administration
(www.ssa.gov)
-
Virginia Bureau of Insurance
(www.scc.viginia.gov/division/boi)
15 Tips to Help You Find a Medicare Part C or D Plan
Trying to determine which Medicare drug or health plan best meets
your needs can be confusing.
These tips can point you in the right direction.
-
Go to the official Medicare Web site, www.medicare.gov.
-
Press the "Compare Drug Plan" button located on that
page.
-
When you reach the next page, press the "Find & Compare
Plans" button the left side of the page.
-
You will next be given two options, either a “Personalized Search” or
a “General Search." If you are only doing research, you may
want to use the “General Search” feature but then do consider
using the "Personalized Search" feature when you enroll in a
plan.
-
On the next page, enter your zip code, answer the next few questions,
and then press the “Continue” button. You do not need to
enter your age or health status.
-
Look over the information on the Review Current Coverage page
to make sure it’s accurate, and then press the “Continue”
button.
-
You will be directed to the Find and Compare Plans page; read
the data on this page and press the “Enter My Drugs” button.
-
You will need to know all of the prescription medications you
take, as well as the dosage. Enter your drugs one at a time in
the search box. If you are not sure about the spelling of a
medication, you can use the alphabetical listing of drugs.
After listing all your medications, press “Continue.”
-
A list of the drugs you entered will appear. Carefully review
each one to make sure that the dosage listed next to the medication
is the dosage that you are prescribed. If not, simply press
on the dosage box and select the correct dose (e.g. many
medications can either be 10, 20 or 40 mg per tablet). Check
the frequency (e.g. 30 or 60 pills monthly).
-
To avoid having to re-input the information on the medications you
take, press on “Save Your Drug List” (or skip to the next
section), then press “Continue.”
-
You next will be asked if you want to choose a preferred pharmacy.
This is not necessary at this point. You may wait to check
for preferred pharmacies until you review the actual plans. You
may proceed however you prefer. Press “Continue.”
-
Choose up to three of the plans found by the Medicare Plan
Finder to compare and review. If you are searching for
Medicare Advantage plans, please be sure to understand their coverage
limitations on available providers, such as physicians
or hospitals, and any other utilization restrictions.
-
When reviewing each plan, be sure to go to the “More
Information” drop down box and look at “View Plan
Details.” Check to see if the plan has any important
utilization restrictions, such as prior authorization,
quantity limits, or step therapy (in which drug therapy
for a medical condition always has to begin with the most
cost-effective therapy, such as using generic drugs, and only
includes more costly medications if deemed medically necessary).
It may be worth spending a few more dollars each month to avoid
some of the restrictions; otherwise you may need to have your
physician assist you with writing a letter to the plan to overcome
any restrictions noted in your plan.
-
When you have all of your questions answered and have found the plan
that best fits your current needs, enroll either online or by
phone. It is important to complete your enrollment during
the annual enrollment period (November 15-December 31). The new
prescription benefits plan will be effective on January 1.
(Individuals newly qualified for Medicare will be asked to
choose a prescription benefit plan when they first become eligible
for benefits during their Initial Enrollment Period.)
-
If you have any questions, try calling the drug plan
using their toll-free phone number; call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227;
or talk to a Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) counselor. VICAP is a counseling program for
individuals to assist them (and their families) in understanding
Medicare, Medicaid, medical bills, or in making decisions about
Medicare supplement or long-term care insurance. There is no cost
for this service. Call the Virginia Department for the Aging
toll-free at 1-800-552-3402 to find a VICAP program in your
area.
Source: Howard Houghton, Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program, Fairfax County. Last Review: October 9, 2009.
**Survey: Provide Feedback About the Web Site, Including This Page**