Medicare Open Enrollment for Part D Prescription Drug Coverage is fast approaching. This is your opportunity to makes changes in your prescription drug coverage for 2008. The Open Enrollment begins November 15th and runs through December 31st.

All people who are currently enrolled in prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D should have received an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from their current plan which outlines the changes in the plan for 2008. Once you receive that information, it’s time to review your plan and ask yourself a few questions:

• Does my plan cover my current medications?
• Do I know the cost of the plan’s premium for 2008?
• Am I satisfied with my current coverage?

If you said yes to these questions, then you may choose to remain in your current plan for 2008. If you said no to one or more of these questions, it’s time to revisit all the plans offered in the State of Vermont for 2008.

In 2008, there are over 50 different plans offering drug coverage. According to Gail Ireland, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Counselor the number of Medicare Part D plans “can be very overwhelming.” According to Ireland during this open enrollment period people should ask themselves if “they are having to jump through hoops to get their medications covered, are there a lot of restrictions on the medications that they take?”

According to Patricia Selsky, SHIP Counselor, some of the concerns that people have about Medicare Part D “range from the affordability of the plan to what’s covered and anything in between.” The open enrollment period is an important time for people who have had changes in their medication. According to Ireland “ if a person’s medication needs have changed look to see if any plan better meets their needs.” Medicare Part D plans can range from $15 to $100 dollars a month with the average being $30 a month.

Those on a Medicare Part D plans should be aware that plans have a donut hole in their coverage. After the first $2,510 of prescription medication cost are met, Medicare clients are required to pay for the next $3,000 in medication cost out of their pocket. Some plans do cover generic drugs during this period. Selsky suggests that people “check into the generic options with their doctor.”

Additional information can be obtained by calling the plans directly or by navigating the Medicare web site www.medicare.gov. A SHIP counselor can be reached directly by calling the Senior HelpLine at 800-642-5119. Ship Counselors can help people on Medicare navigate the system to find the plan that is the best fit for them.

Sarah Lemnah writes on senior issues for the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. This article originally appeared in the Burlington Free Press.