PIERRE, S.D.- Attorney General Marty Jackley said today that the annual enrollment for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans begins on November 15^th and run through December 31, 2010. Jackley is reminding seniors that this is the time to decide what plan best fits their prescription needs. In addition to that Jackley also reminds seniors that with the legitimate plans there will be those plans that are merely just scams.

 

Here are a few tips to assist in the selection of a new plan:

 

·                    Signing up for a plan is free, so do not let anyone charge you an application fee.

·                    Never give out private financial information over the telephone unless you have initiated the call.

·                    The authorized drug plans are also required to adhere to the federal Do-Not-Call registry and to honor consumers’ verbal requests to stop calling.

·                    Plans are not required to offer the same types of drugs. If a person needs a particular type of prescription drug, it is important to compare his or her needs against the list of drugs approved by the plans that person is considering.

·                    If a plan sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure that the plan is approved by Medicare and that it will cover the drugs and any other benefits that you need. You can do so by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or go to www.medicare.gov.

·                    You do not need to do anything to remain on your current plan however, it is still important to review the plan to make sure it still meets all of your needs, for example: list of covered drugs, participating pharmacies, affordable premium, equivalent deductible, the provider network and any coverage gaps. Everyone that was previously on a plan should have received their Annual Notice of Change outlining the changes to their current plan.

 

If you believe you have been a victim of a scam contact the Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or consumerhelp@state.sd.us. If you have any questions regarding the enrollment process or with Medicare in general contact SHIINE at 1-800-536-8197 or the Medicare Assistant Programs at 1-800-695-8168 (West River) and 1-800-822-8804 (East River).