NAPS news service Nov 3, 2019
It’s important for seniors to evaluate their
Medicare prescription drug plan every year. Plan benefits can change, including
prescription drug coverage, premiums, deductibles and pharmacy benefits. As you
do your research, you may run into a few misconceptions. Walgreens vice
president of specialty and retail pharmacy operations Rina Shah debunks five
common myths about Medicare Part D.
Myth 1: Your Medi-care prescriptions cost the
same at all pharmacies.
Fact: You often pay less on copays when you
fill a Medicare Part D-covered prescription at a preferred pharmacy in your
plan’s network. These savings can quickly add up.
Myth 2: Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage
plans can require you to fill prescriptions by mail.
Fact: Medicare prevents plans from requiring
patients to use a mail-order pharmacy exclusively.
Myth 3: Once you pick a plan, you don’t need
to review it each year.
Fact: Changes in the prescriptions you take,
plan design and coverage may cause your existing plan to no longer be right for
you. Your insurance provider sends a letter that describes any changes to your
plan. It is important to review these changes as they could affect your total
cost (see related story on Page 4).
Myth 4: It’s a good idea to pick a plan that a
friend recommends.
Fact: While your friends may have good
recommendations, their prescriptions and doctors are likely different from
yours. Because copays for drugs are an important part of the overall Medicare
costs, what works for your friend may not be the right choice for you.
Myth 5: Changing your plan means you must
change your pharmacy.
Fact: Getting a new plan doesn’t always result
in having to use a new pharmacy. When evaluating your plan options, always
consider your preferred pharmacy as an important part of your evaluation (see
related column on the importance of using a single pharmacy, on Page 6).
When you start to research coverage, make sure
your pharmacy of choice is in your plan’s preferred network.
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