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Congress mandated the Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards
and Transitional Assistance Program through the Medicare
Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003
(MMA). CMS has prepared a variety of educational products to
assist providers, beneficiaries and their advocates to
understand the new program.
Basic Information for Health Care Professionals
Educational materials for Medicare physicians and other health
care professionals, and pharmacists and other pharmacy
professionals/pharmacies, are geared toward explaining the
fundamental elements of the Medicare-approved drug discount
cards and assisting these audiences to refer Medicare beneficiaries to www.medicare.gov and
1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227). The resources below are downloadable and
print-friendly:
Materials for Physicians & Other Health Care
Professionals:
Materials for Pharmacists & Other Pharmacy
Professionals:
Of Special Note to Physicians, Pharmacists, and Other Health Care Professionals:
Different rules apply to the Medicare-approved drug discount card credit if you live in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands. Each territory is enrolling qualified individuals into its own program to provide extra help to people with Medicare who have low income. For more information, see the questions and answers on www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Beneficiary-focused Information and Materials for
Beneficiaries, Their Advocates and Providers Who Want to Take
a More Active Role in Educating or Counseling Beneficiaries
These resources on the Medicare-approved drug discount cards
are available at www.medicare.gov.
Patient Publications: Health care
professionals may download and photocopy these materials from
www.medicare.gov
(updated regularly) to distribute to their patients, or call
1-800-MEDICARE to order a limited number of free copies
(publication number follows title):
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Introducing Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards
- 11060 This brochure gives a brief introductory
overview of the new Medicare-approved drug discount cards
and $600 credit. (4 pages)
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Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Tip Sheet -
11071 This tip sheet provides guidance for
counselors, caregivers, and intermediaries who help people
with Medicare compare and choose drug discount cards. (2
pages)
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Guide to Choosing a Medicare-Approved Drug
Discount Card - 11062 This booklet provides
information about the new Medicare-approved drug discount
cards including who can get a card, how they work, and how
to choose the best card for you. (36 pages)
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Drug Discount Card Enrollment Tip Sheet - 11076
This tip sheet tells you how to enroll for a Medicare-approved drug discount card once you know which card you want. (2 pages)
Facts You Need to Know About Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards This information contains basic facts about the drug card program and outlines 3 simple steps for people with Medicare to follow when deciding on the card that is best for them.
Web-based Training Tool: This tool
teaches the basics of the Medicare-approved drug discount
cards and how to compare
drug discount cards. Visit www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships and
click on "National Medicare Training."
Drug Price Comparison Internet
Tool: This site features eligibility,
enrollment, and price comparison information for each
available drug discount card in a particular area, as well as
their state pharmacy assistance programs. It also has a tool
that helps beneficiaries determine the best savings program
based on their prescription drugs. www.medicare.gov/AssistancePrograms/home.asp
State Health Insurance Assistance Programs
(SHIPS): Beneficiaries may also contact their
SHIP counselor for information on prescription drug cost
assistance programs. To find the telephone number for the
nearest SHIP, call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov/Contacts/Related/Ships.asp.
Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Poster
CMS has developed a poster for people with Medicare on how to get information
and help on choosing a Medicare-approved drug discount card. Physicians,
pharmacists, and other health care professionals may want to display the
poster in their offices, pharmacy, or other health care settings.
Pre-order a poster today. To view or print the poster, an 8 ½ x 11 inch copy is available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format for download. The files contain graphics and may print slowly. Download the English Version (adobe pdf 250Kb). Download the Spanish Version (adobe pdf 337Kb).
MMA Information for Health Care Professionals
For health care professionals who want to know more about all
aspects of the new legislation, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform.
Information on this website is updated routinely.
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