Medicare open enrollment is going on now through December 7th.Medicare open enrollment is going on now through December 7th.
In 2013, Iowa will have 32 stand alone drug plans, one less than 2012.
How do you know which plan is right for you?
To help you with the process there are people who can help.
Counselors with the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, or SHIPP, will walk you through your options. SHIIP is a free, confidential, unbiased service in Iowa with counselors available across the state to help you compare Medicare drug plans.
An important part of that counseling is helping you look at the different prescription drug plan options. Trained counselors from SHIIP can look at your current drug plan, enroll you in a drug plan, or look for other options. The counselors will do a plan comparison depending on your specific medications that could save you hundreds of dollars each month.
"Drug plans can change their deductibles from 0 to $325 this year," says Chris Kuchta, the Director of Advocacy & Community Relations with Siouxland Aging Services. "They can change their formularies, that's the list of the medicines they cover. They can move medicines between tiers, so something that might have been low cost last year may increase in cost this year or vice versa and they may change their network of pharmacies some companies."
One of the places you can find those SHIIP counselors to help is Siouxland Aging Services. You do have to make an appointment with them and you can do that by calling 712-279-6900.
