Has Medicare Dropped Coverage Of Your Drugs?

 This is the time for choosing your Medicare provider.  For many, this includes discovering what your provider covers for prescription drugs.  Medicare prescription drug plans can change which drugs they cover.  However, Medicare drug plans are required to offer you a 30-day transition supply for the drug you are taking.  All Medicare Part D plans must offer these transition refills, including Medicare Advantage plans with prescription coverage.  The 30-day supply is designed to give you time to talk to your doctor about substitute medication or request a coverage exception from your current plan.  If you ask for a coverage exception, your plan must provide temporary refills until the request has been processed.
Residents in long-term care facilities also have additional protections.  If you are in a long-term care facility, your plan must cover all the 30-day refill requests you submit in the first 90 days on the plan.  After the first 90 days, the plan must offer an emergency 30-day supply if your request for an exception has not yet been processed.
Plans are also required to provide written notice that you are using your transition supply and explain in writing what your rights are.   This is the time for you to be reviewing the documentation your current Medicare provider is giving you.  Spending time with a good insurance agent that deals in Medicare plans is time well spent.
Ms. MacDonald’s practice is limited to Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration.  Ms. MacDonald maintains her practice in the Santa Clarita Valley at 25115 Avenue Stanford, Suite A-209 in Valencia, California.  She can be reached at 661-294-6464.