What Information Is On Your Medicare Card
Besides your full name, your Medicare card includes your Medicare number as well as important information about the health insurance coverage to which you are entitled. This includes:2
- Medicare numberThis is one of the most important pieces of information on your Medicare card. Its what the billing department will use when it submits for reimbursement from Medicare. Your Medicare number used to be your Social Security number , but now its a more secure, randomly generated combination of 11 numerals and capital letters. It is confidential and should only be shared with people you trust.3
- Part AIf you have Part A, labeled HOSPITAL, you are entitled to care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, hospice care and home healthcare. The date your coverage begins is also included.4
- Part BIf you have Part B, labeled MEDICAL, you are entitled to medical care and preventive services. Your coverage starting date for Part B is also included.5
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will receive a separate ID card. If your plan covers prescription drugs, your MA card will include that information too. You should use your MA card as your primary Medicare card, but you should still keep your Medicare card in a safe place.
Good to Know
Your Medicare number is no longer your Social Security number, but a more secure combination of letters and numbers that helps protect you from identity theft.
W141 Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card And Transitional Assistance Program
Establishment of program
In general
The Secretary shall establish a program under this section-
to endorse prescription drug discount card programs that meet the requirements of this section in order to provide access to prescription drug discounts through prescription drug card sponsors for discount card eligible individuals throughout the United States and
to provide for transitional assistance for transitional assistance eligible individuals enrolled in such endorsed programs.
Period of operation
Implementation deadline
The Secretary shall implement the program under this section so that discount cards and transitional assistance are first available by not later than 6 months after December 8, 2003.
Expediting implementation
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out the program under this section which may be effective and final immediately on an interim basis as of the date of publication of the interim final regulation. If the Secretary provides for an interim final regulation, the Secretary shall provide for a period of public comments on such regulation after the date of publication. The Secretary may change or revise such regulation after completion of the period of public comment.
Termination and transition
In general
Subject to clause â
the program under this section shall not apply to covered discount card drugs dispensed after December 31, 2005 and
Transition
no annual enrollment fee shall be applicable during the transition period
State
Best For Local Pharmacy: Optum Perks
Optum Perks
Why We Chose It: The Optum Perks prescription discount card is accepted at pharmacy chains and local pharmacies across the U.S., and theres no membership required.
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No enrollment or membership required
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Accepted at 64,000 locations, including local pharmacies
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Official prescription discount program of AARP
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Not the best prices compared to other programs
Optum Perks offers a free, prescription discount card to get savings at more than 60,000 pharmacies throughout the U.S. The prescription discount card service has partnered with the pharmacy benefits manager, OptumRx, to obtain lower rates on medications.
Optum Perks has saved consumers more than $1.7 billion saved on prescription medications. Over 18.6 million people have used the companys discount card, and more than 64,000 pharmacies in the U.S. accept Optum Perks .
You dont need to enroll in any program or sign up for a membership to receive your card. Simply search for the discount online, find a pharmacy near you where you can present it , and print, email, or text your coupon card for your pharmacist to receive your discount.
While the card is not insurance, it makes sense to bring both your insurance card and Optum Perks coupon when you pick up your prescriptions to see which option is more cost-effective.
Rx Coupons are accepted at Walgreens, CVS pharmacy, Rite Aid, and Walmart.
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Can Medicare Patients Use Goodrx Prescription Coupons
GoodRx is a free program that gathers discounts and the most current drug costs. If you have Part D, can you use GoodRx? Yes, you can use GoodRx when you have a Part D plan.
In some cases, the prices may be lower than what youll pay through insurance. So just how does GoodRx provide you with these exceptional prices? GoodRx gets its pricing from several different avenues. The most popular channel is the price negotiations.
GoodRx negotiates with pharmacy benefit managers. Which provides customers with discounted drug costs. Pharmacy benefit managers are third-party administrators of drug programs for drug plans.
How Do You Replace Your Medicare Card
You can get a new copy of your card by logging onto your online Social Security account. If you dont have a Social Security account yet, youll have to create one to request a new card. Medicare beneficiaries can also call 1-800-772-1213 or contact their local Social Security office to receive a copy of their card.
According to the Health and Human Services Department, it can take about 30 days for your replacement card to arrive in the mail. You can also go online to your Medicare account and print a copy of your card from there until the official copy arrives.6
If you lost your Medicare card and believe that someone else might be using your number, call 1-800-MEDICARE .
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Checklist For Deciding Whether A Discount Rx Drug Plan Works For You
Helpful tips and websites to learn more about discount prescription drug plans:
Some people automatically qualify for extra help
How Much Can Be Saved Using A Discount Drug Card
This depends on many factors, the most important of which are the specific drugs being purchased and the issuer of the discount drug card. In the best of situations, as much as 85% off the retail price can be discounted. Accurate data is difficult to obtain. However, informal studies have found an average discount of between 15% and 20% when using a discount drug card. Generics drugs, in addition to already being less expensive, tend to be discounted at a higher rate than their brand name equivalents.
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About David Duford
David Duford is the owner and operator of BuyLifeInsuranceForBurial.com. He’s helped over 1,500 people with their life insurance needs across the country. He is the author of 3 best selling insurance sales and marketing books, and helps insurance agents across the country help their clients with insurance needs.
Robocalls And Medicare Plus
This problem gives you voice messages that have been pre-recorded when you answer. You can ask your local phone company if they have a way to detect and block these types of fraudulent phone calls.
Dont speak to these kinds of calls. If your local phone providers blocking feature is too high-priced, then maybe you can find an app for your smartphone that blocks these calls.
On the bright side, for example, some Doctors offices use this type of call to remind you of your appointment. Hence, try to be aware of the difference.
If its a spammer, then hang up. As soon as possible, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
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Watch Out For Scammers
With the amount of confusion surrounding this new Medicare discount card program, it’s no surprise that scammers have found a way to use it to their advantage. Here are four ways to ensure you’re not being scammed:
1. The cards will NOT be available for your use before June – so if anyone has tried to ‘sell’ you one before that, it’s a scam. Fake Medicare discount cards have already turned up in Georgia, Idaho and Tennessee. Authentic Medicare discount cards will be stamped with a federal government seal.
2. You should have received an informational letter from the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, containing an illustration of the official government seal and telling you how and when to apply for the card. If you are contacted in any other way to ‘apply’ or asked to give out your personal information — such as credit card or bank account numbers — in order to get a card, you’re probably being scammed.
3. Card sponsors will be advertising their cards through the public media — television, radio and newspapers, for example — but will NOT conduct ‘cold-calls.’ Unless you’ve requested further information from an ad or direct mail piece, you should not get a phone call about the Medicare discount card program.
4. Once you have a card, don’t give it to anyone else. You are the only authorized user of your Medicare discount card.
Determining Savings In Advance Of Using The Card
Can the savings be determined in advance of using the drug discount card? Yes and no. The discounted rates are constantly changing due to many different factors. It is nearly impossible to determine the exact discount for a specific card for a specific drug at a specific pharmacy. However, one can present their card when making a purchase, receive a quote, and then elect to use or not use the card, or even to not make the purchase. One can also call their local pharmacy and ask for a quote using the card. In addition, there is a drug savings card, GoodRx, that has a mobile app that allows one to find the most affordable price of the sought after medication in their area.
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What The Letters Mean For The Parts Of Medicare
The four different parts of Medicare are each identified by a letter.
- Medicare Part A is hospital insurance and provides coverage for inpatient stays at hospitals and skilled nursing care facilities, among other inpatient services.
- Medicare Part B is medical insurance and provides coverage for outpatient doctors appointments and medical devices.
- Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, provides coverage for everything found in Part A and Part B through one plan provided by a private insurer. Many Medicare Advantage plans may also cover additional benefits not covered by Part A and Part B, such as prescription drugs, dental, vision, hearing, wellness programs like SilverSneakers and more.
- Medicare Part D provides coverage exclusively for prescription drugs.You can visit MyRxPlans.com to compare Part D plans available where you live and enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan online in as little as 10 minutes.1
Medicare Supplement Insurance, also called Medigap, uses a letter system to identify its plans. Medicare Supplement Insurance is used in conjunction with Part A and Part B of Medicare to provide coverage for certain out-of-pocket expenses like some Medicare deductibles and coinsurance.
There are 10 Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from, identified by letters: Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N. Note that Medigap coverage options are referred to as plan as opposed to part .
How To Use Prescription Coupons When You Have Medicare
We understand, especially on a fixed income, that youre looking for ways to save money. Drug discount coupons and cards can seem like an appealing option. Yet, its essential to be informed about the facts.
Thats where we can help. Weve assisted countless individuals in signing up for the right Part D prescription drug plans, and we can do the same for you. Just call the number above or fill out an online rate form. Youll be able to compare plans in your area, and well help you make the best choice.
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Can I Use A Drug Discount Card With Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage plans prove to be helpful. But even if you dont have drug coverage through your Advantage plan, you can still save money on your medications.
Many Medicare Advantage policies include Part D. Just like with Medicare, you can use either your built-in coverage or a discount drug card. You can use your discount card to save on your drug costs if it saves you more money than your Medicare Advantage plan.
Benefits Of The Medicare Plus Card
The Medicare Plus Card can be used by anyone who is on Medicare, regardless if they have existing insurance or not, similar to the service that helps you save money on doctors visits, Sesame Care. Those with an existing Medicare insurance plan can still save on drugs and services using their Medicare Plus Card. The Medicare Plus Card is accepted at the major retailers: Walmart, Costco, Krogers, CVS, Publix, Safeway, Albertsons, Kmart, and Rite Aid. The card is entirely free to sign up for and use. There are over 1 million people that have already received their free Medicare Plus Card. Start Saving Up to 75% OFF on healthcare services NOT covered by Medicare!
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Medicare Online Account Help
Learn how to get your own Medicare card and number using your Medicare online account, or the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.
The screenshots in this guide are from a computer. The screen layout will look different if youre using a mobile device.
You can get your own card online if you meet all of these requirements:
- youre living in Australia and youre an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or you have a permanent resident visa
- youre 15 or older
- youre only on one Medicare card
- your current Medicare card has other people on it
- youre not the contact person of your current Medicare card
- you want your own Medicare card with just your name on it.
If this isnt your situation, you can complete an application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another form.
Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card And Transitional Assistance Program
opens in new windowopens in new windowopens in new windowMEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG DISCOUNT CARD AND TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Overview: The Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card and Transitional Assistance Program was enacted into law on December 8, 2003 as part of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. The Administration worked with Congress to provide this voluntary program to give immediate relief to people with Medicare to help reduce their costs for prescriptions before the new drug benefit is implemented on January 1, 2006.
Today, seniors and persons with disabilities without drug coverage pay some of the highest prices for prescriptions, sometimes as much as 20 percent more than those with coverage. The Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card Program will enable Medicare beneficiaries to obtain discounts of 10 to 25 percent on prescription drugs.
Medicare will provide a $600 credit for the purchase of prescription drugs in 2004 and up to an additional $600 credit in 2005 to people with incomes that are not more than 135 percent of the poverty line if they do not have certain other drug coverage. Medicare will work with card sponsors so the funds are administered accordingly. Of the 7.3 million expected to enroll in the discount drug card program, an estimated 4.7 million are expected to apply for the $600 credit and save an estimated $2.4 billion, in addition to the savings from the discounts.
Eligibility:
Privacy
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When Should You Carry Your Medicare Card
Its a good idea to carry your Medicare card with you whenever youre away from home. You will need to show it to doctors, hospital staff and other healthcare providers whenever you are seeking care.1
If you dont want to bring it with you to a health appointment, you can call ahead and ask the doctors office if theyll need a copy of the card.
Do I Need Part D If I Have A Drug Discount Card
Learn when to use a prescription discount card and what it means for Part D
Recent data shows that 46% of the population uses at least one prescription drug a month. With that figure in mind, it is only natural to wonder how best to save effectively. You may be asking yourself: What is a drug discount card? When should I use it? Can I combine a drug discount card with Part D? As usual, Senior65 is here to answer your questions.
Lets go ahead an clarify one key point: Medicare Part D is the best choice for seniors to pay for drugs and protect their wealth. A drug discount card, in addition to Part D, can save you money in some cases. We will explain why and how below.
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