Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage: What does it mean?

When Medicare was created 40 years ago, there was no drug benefit included.  Today nobody would think of developing a health insurance program without a drug benefit particularly for the elderly.  The new reforms to Medicare were designed to correct this oversight but some of the changes are confusing and controversial.

The new Medicare drug benefits, which took effect in 2006, vary according to income and assets and by the amount you spend on medicine.  In Wisconsin low income seniors who are not eligible for Medicaid can still qualify for SeniorCare, a prescription drug assistance program that provides better coverage for many people than the new Medicare benefit.

Have questions?  Visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-633-4227.  The Kaiser Family Foundation also has a lot of information on the new Medicare drug coverage.  You can also find information on the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services website.