Medicare now offers Medicare-approved drug discount cards that can help you pay for prescription drugs.  Medicare Savings Program clients are deemed to meet the income requirement for a $600 credit in 2004 and an additional $600 next year.   Clients can use this $1,200 to pay for their prescriptions this year and next.

Medicare Savings Program clients who have not already enrolled in a card will be randomly assigned to participating Medicare-approved drug discount card sponsors.

Starting in mid-October, card sponsors will mail an enrollment kit to each Medicare Savings Program client.  The enrollment kit will contain the following information:

Pre-enrollment materials (Card Program, Member Handbook, Membership Card, Discount Drug List, Pharmacy Directory)

A notice advising the Medicare Savings Program client of the automatic assignment, effective date of enrollment, eligibility for the $600 credit, information about their right to decline and/or switch to another Medicare-approved drug discount card, and a toll-free number.

The card begins providing discounts on November 1.  To activate the $600 credit, the client makes one call to 1-800-MEDICARE or to the card sponsor's 800 number.  On the call, the client will be asked two questions to confirm they are eligible for the credit:

Do you have any other health insurance with outpatient prescription drug coverage?

Do you have monthly income (including spouse, if married) above or below $12,569 for singles and $16,862 for couples?

Medicare Savings Program clients who wish to choose another card can call 1-800-MEDICARE to learn about their other choices.

If a client is not eligible for the $600 credit because of other drug coverage, they will still be able to use the drug card they received and benefit from any associated discounts.

Medicare Savings Program clients who wish to cancel enrollment in a card must call the drug card sponsor at the toll free number provided and request their enrollment be cancelled.

As a result of this new program for enrollment in the drug card program, all Medicare Savings Program clients can start getting large savings on their drug costs.

For more information on the Medicare Prescription Drug Program, click here to visit the Medicare website.