New Tools Available to Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Choices for 2007

Medicare has made enhancements to www.medicare.gov that will provide new help for people with Medicare prescription drug coverage who want to consider changing plans, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today. The changes will make it easier for beneficiaries to get personalized information about their coverage options and costs for 2007. With the enhancements to the website, beneficiaries who want to find out more about their Medicare drug plan choices can do so before open enrollment begins on November 15.

In addition to new 2007 plan year information, updates to the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder web tool include a cleaner look, increased usability, and reduced page scrolling and includes a Monthly Cost Estimator, a personalized chart illustrating 12 months of expected drug spending for each plan. New features help users compare plans based on price and benefit structure, estimate how their monthly costs may vary over the course of the year, and print clear reports they can refer to later.

CMS also issued the a fact sheet on Price Analysis for Drugs for Common Health Problems and Savings in 2007. This report presents updated findings for the drug plans available in 2007, as part of an ongoing analysis by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that has tracked prescription drug savings in the Medicare prescription drug benefit since it began.

For more information on please click here for the CMS Press Release issued today at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=2035