Congressman Geoff Davis : Serving Kentucky's Fourth District

Throughout my time serving the people of the Fourth District, one of my priorities has been to make sure Kentuckians are kept up-to-date and informed on federal issues and how they will impact you and your family.

Ensuring seniors are equipped with the information that they need to make important decisions regarding their health care is of great importance.  November 15^th through December 31, 2010, marks the Medicare open enrollment period for 2011.  During this annual period, seniors have the opportunity to review their current Medicare coverage, consider other plans that may better suit their needs and make changes to their plan if necessary.  This is also a time for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries to select a health plan and prescription drug plan that will best meet their needs. 

When reviewing the 2011 costs and coverage of your current plan, it is important to choose a plan that not only meets your health care needs, but also that meets your budget, particularly when it comes to Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs).  One way to do this is by shopping around and comparing it to other plans.  In Kentucky, there are thirty-two Medicare PDPs available for 2011.  Currently, the lowest monthly premium for a PDP in Kentucky is $14.80 a month.

For a free, personalized comparison of costs and coverage of the plans available in your areas, visit http://www.Medicare.gov. On this website, visitors can use the Medicare Plan Finder and Medicare Options Compare tools or request the 2011 Medicare & You handbook to be mailed to your home.  You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for assistance 24 hours a day to find the best plan to fit your needs. 

Kentuckians can also receive personal counseling from our State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).  SHIP can help point you in the right direction to know what plan is best for you.  For more information, visit http://chfs.ky.gov/dail/ship.htm or call 1-877-293-7447. 

Those Medicare beneficiaries who may have difficulties meeting the costs of prescription drugs may qualify for Medicare's Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition (NET) Program.  Through NET, qualifying beneficiaries will pay no more than $2.50 for each generic drug and $6.30 for each name brand drug.   NET can also help pay for premiums and other out-of-pocket costs.  It is free to apply to see if you qualify for the extra assistance.  To apply online, visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp or for more information, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

As your Congressman, in an effort to provide you with information to find the plan right for you or someone you know, I am pleased to host an upcoming telephone town hall, along with Medicare experts, dedicated to assisting seniors with questions that they have regarding their Medicare benefits. 

Through this call, seniors will be able to ask Medicare experts questions about their benefits or simply listen in to hear what the experts have to say about the Open Enrollment Period.  If you are aged 65 or older, or you know someone who is, I encourage you to join our call to learn some tips on reviewing your Medicare benefits.  There is still time to make a change if your current health plan or prescription drug plan no longer fits your medical needs. 

As always, my office stands ready and willing to assist you in whatever way we can be most helpful.  If you or someone you know is having an issue with Medicare, we want to help.  Please sign up for my telephone town hall today by visiting http://geoffdavis.house.gov/Forms/Form/?ID=981 or call my office at 1-859-426-0080.

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