Under the new law, Medicare prescription drug benefits will not begin until January 2006. However, until this benefit begins, Medicare beneficiaries can sign-up for a Medicare-endorsed prescription drug discount card.  

Many of you have contacted my office to ask questions about how this discount card works. Therefore, I’d like to use this opportunity to try to answer some of your questions about the new Medicare benefit.

First of all, there will be at least 16 cards available from which Arkansas’s Medicare beneficiaries can choose. To find out how you can sign-up for the discount card, you may contact Medicare’s information center, either via the Internet or by calling them. 

Before you contact Medicare, I encourage you to have the following information handy. You should have a list of all the prescription drugs you take, including the dosages. You should also know your monthly income, and if you’re married, know the combination of your retirement benefits, Social Security, and income from the federal government and other sources. With this information, Medicare specialists will be able to give you a better assessment as to which discount card will work best for you.

The cost of the discount cards cannot exceed $30 annually. You will also be eligible for a $600 annual credit on drug purchases if you meet certain eligibility criteria such as income and other medical needs. 

It is important to note that Medicare-endorsed card sponsors will advertise their cards on television, radio, newspapers and direct mail.  If you received ANY cold calls from individuals encouraging you to sign up for a particular drug card, be cautious. These may be fraudulent calls. 

Because each card’s benefits and savings levels are different, it is important for you to carefully review the information you receive about the cards.  

Medicare’s information hotline at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and their website is www.medicare.gov. 

There is no question the process for obtaining this new discount card will be complicated and confusing. My office is here to help you make sense of the maze of information.  If I may be of service to you on this or any other matter, please let me know.