AHIP – 3 Questions And Answers 2022

Mrs. Mulcahy is concerned that she may not qualify for enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan because, although she is entitled to Part A, she is not enrolled under Medicare Part B. What should you tell her? - Answer - An individual who is entitled to Part A or enrolled under Part B is eligible to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan. As long as Mrs. Mulcahy is entitled to Part A, she does not need to enroll under Part B before enrolling in a prescription drug plan. Mr. Carlini has heard that Medicare prescription drug plans are only offered through private companies under a program known as Medicare Advantage (MA), not by the government. He likes Original Medicare and does not want to sign up for an MA product, but he also wants prescription drug coverage. What should you tell him? - Answer - Mr. Carlini can stay with Original Medicare and also enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan through a private company that has contracted with the government to provide only such drug coverage to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. Mr. Jacob understands that there is a standard Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, but when he looks at information on various plans available in his area, he sees a wide range in what they charge for deductibles, premiums, and cost sharing. How can you explain this to him? - Answer - Medicare Part D drug plans may have different benefit structures, but on average, they must all be at least as good as the standard model established by the government. Mr. Zachow has a condition for which three drugs are available. He has tried two but had an allergic reaction to them. Only the third drug works for him and it is not on his Part D plan's formulary. What could you tell him to do? - Answer - Mr. Zachow has a right to request a formulary exception to obtain coverage for his Part D drug. He or his physician could obtain the standardized request form on the plan's website, fill it out, and submit it to his plan. Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn both take a specialized multivitamin prescription each day. Mr. Vaughn takes a prescription for helping to regrow his hair. They are anxious to have their Medicare prescription drug plan cover these drug needs. What should you tell them? - Answer - Medicare prescription drug plans are not permitted to cover the prescription medications the Vaughns are interested in under Part D coverage, however, plans may cover them as supplemental benefits and the Vaughn's could look into that possibility. Mr. Wingate