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GeorgiaCares provides community education, counseling, and information about:

• Medicare and other insurance
• Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medigap and Medicare Advantage)
• Prescription Assistance Programs
• Long-Term care services and financing options
• Your Healthcare rights and protections

Ask us about one-on-one counseling, guest speakers, printed materials and rewarding volunteer opportunities!

 

We carefully present facts and explain self-help tools such as:

• Checklists for comparing features of common planning products
• Guidelines for assessing product risks
• Key questions to help you identify reputable professionals in insurance, financial services, and related fields

Get to know and understand your options through GeorgiaCares, your trusted source for information about Medicare and related health insurance, information about prescription costs, and lifelong planning resources.

River Valley Area Agency on Aging does not administer any Medicaid programs, nor do we provide prescription drugs at reduced prices or free of charge. However, our Information & Referral staff can help connect you to the agencies and programs that may be able to provide these benefits for you.

Please Contact us at 706-256-2900 for assistance.

 

MORE INFO ABOUT MEDICARE
Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Download the Medicare Part D forms

How does Medicare prescription drug coverage work?

• You pay a separate monthly premium for your prescription drug plan.

• You pay a co-payment or coinsurance, and deductible for your prescription drugs.

• You get a prescription card from your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. Show it when you get your prescriptions filled.

• You must go to pharmacies that belong to (are in the network of) the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan that you join. If you go to a pharmacy that isn’t part of the plan you join, in most cases, your drug won’t be covered and you will have to pay the full cost of the drug.

•• Each Medicare Prescription Drug Plan has a list of covered prescription drugs that may vary from plan to plan. In most cases, only drugs on this list will be covered.

How the standard benefit works
Your Drug Costs	You Pay	The Plan Pays	Your Out Of Pocket Costs
$0-$265	A deductible	$0	$0-$265
$251-$2,400	A co-pay percentage	The Balance	Varies
$2,251-$5,451.25	100% ($2,850)**	$0	$3,850
Over $5,451.25	5%	95%	5% of Rx costs after the $3,600

**This is the coverage gap.  Some plans in Georgia provide additional coverage for generics and/or brand name prescriptions.

 

When can I enroll?

You can enroll anytime between November 15 through December 31 of each year.  Your coverage will begin the first day of the month after you enroll. New Medicare enrollees will be able to enroll in a prescription drug plan when they enroll in Medicare. Enrollment is handled by the plan.

 

Delaying Enrollment
If you do not join a plan by January 1, and you do not have an existing drug plan that is at least as good as the Medicare prescription drug coverage, then you will pay a higher premium when you do enroll.

 

How do I join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan?

You can join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan in the following ways: By paper application: Contact the company offering the drug plan you choose and ask for an application. Once you fill out the form, mail or fax it back to the company. On the plan’s website: Visit the drug plan company’s website. You may be able to join online. On Medicare’s website: You will also be able to join a drug plan at www.medicare.gov
on the web using Medicare’s online enrollment center. By calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You can join a drug plan by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and talking to a Medicare customer service representative.  TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. GEORGIACARES can help you compare your choices and enroll in a plan that meets your needs. Attend a GeorgiaCares community event or call 1-800-669-8387.

 

How do I pay for the coverage?

In general, there are three ways you can pay your Medicare drug plan premiums:

1. You can give permission to the company that offers the Medicare drug plan you choose to deduct the premium automatically from your bank account, or

2. You can have your premium deducted every month from your Social Security benefits, similar to your premiums for Medicare Part B, or

3. You can pay the prescription drug plan directly for your premium by mailing them a check or money order each month.

 

What if I cannot afford a prescription drug plan?

People with limited income and resources will qualify for extra help paying their premium and for some of the cost of their prescriptions.

 

If you think you qualify for extra help with drug plan costs, and you do not already have Medicaid, then you must follow a two-step process:

1. First, you must apply for the extra help paying prescription plan costs. You can apply by mail, telephone (1-800-772-1213) or online at www.ssa.gov

2. Then, you must enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan that
meets your needs. Enrollment in the plans begins November 15, 2005.

 

How do I choose a Medicare prescription drug plan?

You should compare the costs of your prescriptions with the benefits provided by each of the plans to make sure you choose a plan that meets your needs. GEORGIACARES can provide personalized help when plan information becomes available in October– call 1-800-669-8387 to reach your local Area Agency on Aging office.

GeorgiaCares’ State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a free, unbiased counseling program provided by the State of Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services.

GEORGIACARES can also help answer your questions about Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance, long-term care insurance and other types of health insurance sold to people on Medicare.

 

If you have questions, GEORGIACARES can help. 1-866-552-4464