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Medicare & You 2006 handbook information

Question

I qualify for extra help paying for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. The charts in the Medicare & You 2006 handbook say I can join any of the plans listed, and I won't have to pay a premium. Is this true?

Answer

It is true for some of the plans. However, there is an error on the charts in this year's Medicare handbook that were mailed in October. Beginning on page 97-A of the Medicare & You 2006 handbook, there are charts that show the Medicare Prescription Drug Plans available in each area. Some of the plans incorrectly state "Yes" in the column of the chart that says "If I Qualify for Extra Help, will My Full Premium be Covered?"

If you qualify for extra help, you should check to see if you will have to pay a premium for the plan you are interested in.

There are a number of ways to find available plans and the premium amount you would have to pay for each. You can

* Use the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder on http://www.medicare.gov/ (available October 17)
* Download corrected versions of the Medicare & You 2006 handbook
* Call the organization offering the plan you are interested in
* Use personalized counseling in your local community

Medicare says that they'll enroll me in a plan if I don't pick one. Can they put me in a plan that has a premium?

No. If you qualify for the extra help, you will be automatically enrolled ONLY into a plan for which you would pay no premium.

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