January 5, 2006

Q:  My wife and I want to sign up for a Medicare drug plan.  Does it make sense to enroll in the same plan or should we choose separately? – Dan

Dear Dan:

While it might seem easier to choose one Medicare drug plan for both you and your wife, it probably makes sense to approach this decision individually. The new Medicare drug plans differ in a number of important ways, including the specific drugs that they cover and the amount they charge to fill your prescriptions. As a result, a Medicare drug plan that may be optimal for you may not be ideal for your wife, unless you happen to take the same medications.

As you begin the process of choosing a Medicare drug plan, it is a good idea to think about what is most important to each of you. For example, some seniors are looking for a plan that covers each of the specific drugs they take and allows them to use a particular, convenient pharmacy. Others are willing to switch drugs (from brand-name to generic) and pharmacies (retail to mail-order) in order to do anything possible to save money. Still others may prefer to sign up for the lowest-premium plan offered in their area, because they are healthy and doubt they will need a Medicare drug plan – at least in the first year or so.

If you are comfortable using the Internet, a good place to start is the government’s website, www.Medicare.gov. Look for the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder and Formulary Finder on www.Medicare.gov to compare plans that are offered in your area. Other resources include 1-800-MEDICARE, or for more individualized assistance, your state’s health assistance insurance and counseling program; the telephone number is listed in your Medicare and You Handbook.

This column was prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent, non-profit private foundation based in Menlo Park, Calif., that is not affiliated with the Kaiser Permanente health plan. Do you have questions about the new Medicare drug benefit? Send your questions to Medicare Q and A. The Kaiser Family Foundation. 1330 G St., NW. Washington, DC  20005 or MedicareQ@kff.org. 

(c) 2005, Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.