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MEDICARE PART D UPDATE FROM DOH
Effective January 1, 2006, Medicare, not Medicaid, will pay
for most of your prescription drugs.
By now you should have received a
yellow letter from CMS with information about the Medicare
prescription plan chosen for you. Please keep this important
letter. If this plan covers your medicines, you do not need
to take any action and you can use this plan to get your
prescriptions beginning January 1, 2006. But you may also join a
different plan if you prefer. If you choose to join a different
plan, you need to do so before December 31, 2005 or you will be
automatically assigned to the plan chosen for you by CMS. Because
you have both Medicare and Medicaid coverage, you can also change
plans at any time after January 1, 2006.
IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR DUAL ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS: If you do not
participate in a Medicare prescription drug plan, DOH has said you
may lose all your Medicaid benefits.
However, some people on Medicare and
Medicaid may receive a letter from their employer or union stating
that if they enroll in Medicare Part D they will lose the health
care benefits provided by the union or employer. If you have
received this letter, you may disenroll from the Medicare
Prescription Drug program by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
You must also give a copy of this letter to your Medicaid worker
in order to continue your Medicaid benefits. In some cases, you
may have to re-enroll in Part D in order to continue to receive
Medicaid. For the full DOH notice, please see
www.nysacra.org/nysacra/medicare.htm for a pdf copy.
Helpful websites include:
www.health.state.ny.us;
www.medicare.gov;
www.thedesk.info/PartD or on NYSACRA’s website at
www.nysacra.org/nysacra/medicare.htm.
VP CHENEY BREAKS TIE-VOTE ON BUDGET CUTS BILL –
BUT IT’S NOT DEAD YET!
Senate Democrats delayed final action on a $39.7 billion budget
savings package today as they forced the deletion of three
provisions that violated Senate budget reconciliation rules. By a
51-50 vote, with Vice President Dick Cheney breaking a 50-50 tie,
the Senate amended the measure with the text of the House-Senate
conference agreement except for the three disputed provisions, and
sent it back to the House. Though the House could complete work
on the measure by voice vote when it reconvenes tomorrow
afternoon, Democrats have indicated they will not go along with
such a move. If the House must gather for a roll call vote on the
budget savings package, final action could be delayed
significantly. See links below or online at
www.nysacra.org for more
details and stay tuned for new ACTION ALERTS!
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NYT Article
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