Medicare Part D: Difference between revisions
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imported>Hayford Peirce (removed opening quotation mark since there's no closing one. alternatively, a closing one should be added, but i don't know where....) |
imported>Hayford Peirce (→Components: trying to make this clearer -- i eas initially baffled by this whole business 2 years ago when i began studying it for myself) |
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==Components== | ==Components== | ||
There are two | There are two different, but separate, plans by which a patient may obtain Medicare Part D coverage:<ref>Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. [http://www.medicare.gov/pdphome.asp Prescription Drug Coverage]</ref> | ||
* Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP). These plans only cover the costs of prescription drugs and are for patients who use the Original Medicare Plan (e.g. Parts A and B) that provides [[fee-for-service plan|fee-for-service]] coverage of their health care costs. | * Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP). These plans only cover the costs of prescription drugs and are for patients who use the Original Medicare Plan (e.g. Parts A and B) that provides [[fee-for-service plan|fee-for-service]] coverage of their health care costs. | ||
* Medicare Health Plans. These comprehensive plans cover the costs of both health care and prescription drugs. There are two types of Medicare Health Plans. | * Medicare Health Plans. These comprehensive plans cover the costs of both health care and prescription drugs. There are two types of Medicare Health Plans. | ||
Revision as of 10:41, 12 July 2008
In the United States of America, Medicare Part D is a stand-alone drug plan offered by insurers and other private companies to beneficiaries that receive their Medicare Part A and/or B benefits through the Original Medicare Plan.[1][2]
Who is eligible for coverage
Anyone with Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B is eligible for Part D.
Components
There are two different, but separate, plans by which a patient may obtain Medicare Part D coverage:[3]
- Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP). These plans only cover the costs of prescription drugs and are for patients who use the Original Medicare Plan (e.g. Parts A and B) that provides fee-for-service coverage of their health care costs.
- Medicare Health Plans. These comprehensive plans cover the costs of both health care and prescription drugs. There are two types of Medicare Health Plans.
- Medicare Advantage Plans (Medicare Part C). These plans include Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO). In addition, these plans may include Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) Plans, Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans, or Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNP).
- "Other" types of Medicare Health Plans such as Medicare Cost Plans, Medicare demonstrations or pilot programs, or PACE (Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly).
Enrollees may switch plans during the open yearly enrollment period which November 15 through December 31 of every year.
Criticisms
Medicare Part D has been criticized for its "Byzantine complexity"[4] and "doughnut hole" coverage.[5]
History
Medicare Part D was enacted as the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003."[1] Coverage provided by the plan began January 1, 2006.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Anonymous (2024), Medicare Part D (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- ↑ Bach PB, McClellan MB. A prescription for a modern Medicare program. N Engl J Med. 2005 Dec 29;353(26):2733-5. PMID 16382056
- ↑ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Prescription Drug Coverage
- ↑ Cooper HA. Medicare drug benefit. N Engl J Med. 2006 May 4;354(18):1960-1; author reply 1960-1. PMID 16672714
- ↑ Kravitz RL, Chang S. Promise and perils for patients and physicians. N Engl J Med. 2005 Dec 29;353(26):2735-9. PMID 16382057