Reassessing Medicare Prescription Drug plans...

December is the month that most of us have Christmas on our mind…either what we're going to get or what we're going to give. Many of us are also wondering how we'll afford it as well.

December is also the month that people who are on Medicare need to reassess their Medicare Prescription Drug plan. Many of the plans have increased their premiums and many have also changed the list of drugs that are covered by their plan. You should have received notice from your current Prescription Drug Plan showing what changes, if any, are in store for next year.

If you looked at what they sent to you and are satisfied with it, you don't need to do anything. Just kick back and relax! However, if the premium went up too much or the drug list is not satisfactory you still have time to do something about it. You have until Dec. 31, 2008 to choose a different plan for the year 2009.

There are 48 stand alone prescription drug plans for the year 2009, that's seven less than last year. This means some of you may have to choose a new plan because your 2008 plan has been discontinued. If that is the case you should receive a letter from CMS (Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services) telling you so.

There are 85 Medicare Health Plans (formerly known as Medicare Advantage Plans) to choose from and 23 Special Needs Plans. I realize this can be overwhelming for some of you. Jackie and I are offering our assistance to those of you who need it. As you can imagine, we are pretty much swamped but don't want to leave anyone out. If you need help call us at 335-3331 or 1-800-392-8771. It may take a while for us to get back to you but we will do our best to return your calls in a timely manner.