Medicare Part D Plans Vary
Compare premiums, co-pays and deductibles in your region.
Seniors need to examine their Medicare Part D plans carefully and compare premiums, co-pays and deductibles as all plans are not created equal.
CARxE the Coalition to Advance Prescription Drug Education and the Center for Practical Health Reform recently released preliminary results of a study they have performed.
The "Plan Cost Variability Study" looked at nine common conditions (Asthma, high cholesterol, diabetes, GERD, Alzheimer's, allergies, depression, heart disease and osteoarthritis) and the most commonly prescribed drugs for these conditions. They compiled the annual out-of-pocket costs for these drugs and found that the costs can vary up to 200%.
The lesson from this study is that seniors need to compare plans in their geographic location to find the best cost savings. Couples may even need to be on different plans depending upon their medical conditions and drugs they are taking.
Comparisons can be made on the Medicare Site at or the CARxE site at www.carex.org. The advantage of CAReX is that the comparisons can be saved and reviewed for individual price studies over time.
May 15 is the deadline to sign up for Part D without penalties. Take time to find the right plan.
