Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)
Blue MedicareRx
When you choose Blue MedicareRx, you’ll receive the savings, coverage and convenience you should expect from your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Blue MedicareRx offers two plan designs, Value and Plus. For a more detailed description of each plan, you can review the Summary of Benefits by clicking here. You can also call 1-877-213-1821 to speak with one of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s knowledgeable Product Specialists directly, or if you need to request information in another format or language. If you are hearing or speech impaired, call 1-888-285-2252. Call from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. local time, Mon-Fri. Voicemail is available on weekends and holidays.
If you want to meet with me to discuss Medicare part D plans, you will need to fill out, sign and mail back to me a “Scope of Appointment form”. This must be done prior to our meeting. This is a CMS requirement.
When is the Scope of Appointment form required?
The scope of appointment form is required under the following circumstances:
- In-home sales appointments or personal/individual appointments with an existing member/client in office, coffee shop or other similar location;
- For appointments with new members / clients (not existing members / clients); and/or
- When a plan or agent/broker sells more than one type of product.
Please click here to download a copy of the form.
Begins January 1, 2011
Effective January 1, 2011, the Social Security Act was amended to establish an income related monthly adjustment amount under the Part D program (Part D-IRMAA). The Part D – IRMAA is an amount added to the monthly Part D premium for individuals whose modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds certain threshold amounts. Below are a few facts about the program.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine which beneficiaries enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug program will be assessed the Part D-IRMAA.
The thresholds for the MAGI assessment are as follows and are scheduled to remain in effect for calendar years 2011 – 2019.
$85,000 for a beneficiary filing an individual income tax return or married and filing a separate return, and
$170,000 for a beneficiary filing a joint tax return.
The additional premium ranges from $0 – $69.10 depending upon the income level and whether or not the tax filing is single or joint.
Once SSA makes this determination, it will provide each identified beneficiary with a written notice that includes:
- the amount of the Part D-IRMAA
- what information was used by SSA to make the determination
- how to request a review of the Part D-IRMAA determination
In general, the Part D – IRMAA will be paid through premium withholding from monthly Social Security benefit payments. However, in cases where a beneficiary’s monthly benefit amount is not sufficient to pay the Part D – IRMAA or the individual is not receiving Social Security benefits, SSA will enter into agreements with CMS, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to allow the respective Agencies to bill enrollees directly for the Part D -IRMAA.
