Medicare Drug
Benefit's First Open Enrollment Period:
NMHA Encourages Beneficiaries to
Shop Around for Best Plan
"The National Mental
Health Association and its network of more than 320 affiliates nationwide
are encouraging Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers to
prepare for the upcoming Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Open
Enrollment Period November 15 through December 31 by evaluating their drug
plan options and enrolling in the plan that best suits their needs. New
NMHA resources to help guide beneficiaries through this process are
available at: http://www.nmha.org/medicare
As the Medicare Drug Benefit
turns one-year-old, many changes have been made affecting the treatments
that beneficiaries can access, cost-sharing and other policies. Medicare
beneficiaries who wish to change plans may enroll in new ones during the
Open Enrollment Period, with coverage becoming effective on January 1,
2007.
"What may have been a good plan for someone in 2006 could be
entirely different in 2007," said NMHA president and CEO, David Shern,
Ph.D. "It's important that beneficiaries educate themselves about all
their options and empower themselves by choosing the plan they determine
best matches their needs."
NMHA materials include:
The Basics
Provides resources to successfully navigate the enrollment period.
Prepare and Compare
Includes the basic questions needed to evaluate
and select a new plan.
Changes in 2007
Summarizes Part D changes in
2007 for special populations.
Saving Dough in the Donut Hole
Offers
tips to save money and find programs offering financial assistance to
beneficiaries who fall into the benefit's coverage gap.
Medicare Rx
Consumer Workbook
Helps beneficiaries choose a drug plan. It is also
available in English and Spanish.
These materials are free to
individuals at http://www.nmha.org/medicare or by calling 800-969-NMHA
(6642).
The National Mental Health Association is the country's oldest and largest
nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental
illness. The NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans
through advocacy, education, research and service.
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