Medicare D Enrollment Session at City Hall
February 10, 2006
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Counselors who are knowledgeable in the enrollment process and the new Medicare Part D will be available for seniors who need help. Advocates and volunteers will give individual attention to help seniors choose the best Medicare discount plan for their needs. If you come, please bring:

• Medicare card
• All presecription drugs
• Any other cards or letters from your drug plan

For additional informationon this and other programs for Boston seniors, visit www.cityofboston.gov/elderly or call 617-635-4366.

It can be frightening to walk into a drug store and hear that the medication you need isn’t covered by the prescription drug plan you were counting on.

State and local health officials, along with advocacy organizations throughout the state are working to ensure that every consumer can get the medications they need while Medicare is implementing new prescription drug coverage. Navigating the change will require patience and persistence from consumers, pharmacists and health care providers, but there are resources to help.

If you are covered under Medicare and MassHealth or Prescription Advantage but you are having difficulty using your pharmacy benefits:

• When a beneficiary is eligible for coverage under both Medicare Part D and Mass Health or Prescription Advantage, MassHealth and Prescription Advantage will continue to pay for prescriptions that cannot yet be billed under Medicare Part D. Information for pharmacies tells pharmacists how to bill MassHealth if they cannot get authorization to bill Medicare.
• Protect yourself and your health! This troubleshooting guide developed by the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute outlines steps to help you solve problems with your coverage. 
• The Medicare Advocacy Project of Greater Boston Legal Services can assist beneficiaries who have been unfairly denied Medicare benefits. They are also documenting the difficulties members have faced in obtaining medications so they can better advocate for improvements to the system. Reach the Medicare Advocacy Project at 800-323-3205 (617-603-1661 for Spanish speakers and 617-603-1680 for Portuguese speakers).
• Medicare is not only for seniors. This information is also important for disabled adults with Medicare coverage.  Disabled adults with HIV/AIDS may receive additional assistance through the HIV Drug Assistance Program (HDAP) at 617-778-5454 ext.320.

If you have not yet decided on a Medicare Part D Plan:

• The City of Boston maintains an information line to help Medicare beneficiaries make the best choices in this new environment. Call 617-635-MEDD (6333) for help. Don’t delay, because the initial enrollment period ends May 15. The SHINE Program, of the Boston's Commission on Affairs of the Elderly, is holding neighborhood information sessions to discuss the new changes in the Medicare Part D program. All seniors who have Medicare coverage are urged to attend one of these free sessions with an expert who can answer their questions.

IMPORTANT Telephone Numbers

Mayor’s Medicare Information Line (617) 635-MEDD (6333)

Medicare Advocacy Project (800) 323-3205