[Nfbmo] Important Letter

Eugene S Coulter escoulter at centurytel.net
Wed Sep 24 17:46:01 UTC 2014


Below is a letter from the Department of Social Services regarding changes in the Blind Pension drug coverage which Gary Wunder and I helped DSS draft. Important: if you do not receive this letter it is for one of two reasons, either DSS does not have your current address or you are on Supplemental Aid to the Blind.  The letter was mailed on September 23. An additional letter  is being issued within two weeks with further details. Also, we are working with DSS to implement the most painless way to reduce check amounts if such cuts are needed.
Thanks, Eugene Coulter
Here is the letter:




September 23, 2014





Dear Blind Pension Participant:



State budget spending restrictions on medical costs for blind pension participants require the Department of Social Services to work with you so that if you are enrolled in Medicare, your prescription costs will be paid by a Medicare Part D benchmark plan before they are paid by the State. Medicare Part D benchmark plans are prescription drug plans that offer coverage at or below a federally-established premium amount and are typically large, national plans. 



What do you need to do?

1.          If you are enrolled in Medicare and not enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, you will receive additional information from the Department of Social Services (DSS) in the next couple of weeks on how to enroll in a Medicare Part D benchmark plan during open enrollment (October 15 through December 7) and how to send enrollment information to the DSS.   

2.          If you are enrolled in Medicare and enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, you should select a Medicare Part D benchmark plan during open enrollment (October 15 through December 7) to continue your Medicare Part D coverage. In the next couple of weeks DSS will provide you with information on where to send your Medicare Part D enrollment information.

3.          If you are enrolled in Medicare and have employer-sponsored or other third-party insurance other than Blind Pension MO HealthNet, you do not need to enroll in a Part D plan. In the next couple of weeks DSS will send you a form asking you to provide information on your employer-sponsored or other third-party coverage.   

How does enrolling in a Medicare Part D plan change your prescription costs? 

MO HealthNet Division will pay all monthly premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance associated with coverage under the benchmark plan.



You will not pay additional money for prescriptions with this change. You will have two cards to present to the pharmacist: your Medicare Part D card and your MO HealthNet card. 



Beginning January 2015, the Medicare Part D benchmark plan will pay for your prescription drugs.



MO HealthNet may cover outpatient prescription drugs not covered under the benchmark plan, or work with the plan to help with necessary prior authorizations based on your plan rules. 



Who can I contact to ask questions about this change?

In the next couple of weeks you will receive information in the mail from the Department of Social Services on how to enroll in a Medicare Part D benchmark plan or how to provide information to DSS on your Medicare Part D benchmark plan or employer-sponsored/other third-party plan. For general questions related to this change, you can send an email to PartDQuestions at dss.mo.gov or call toll-free 1-855-731-0022.









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