January 12, 2006

Q:  My husband and I live in Maine, but we spend winters in Florida to escape the cold. We need a Medicare prescription drug plan that will cover our pharmacy costs in both locations. What should we do?  – Lucy

Dear Lucy:

You are right to think about how to get Medicare prescription drug coverage when you are away from home. It is not uncommon for people on Medicare to spend time away from their primary residence, but they will still need drug coverage throughout the year. Luckily, there is a way for you to get your prescriptions in both locations.

Many of the companies that offer Medicare prescription drug plans operate throughout the country. Before you choose a drug plan, be sure to ask if the plans that you are considering include pharmacies that are convenient to you in both Maine and Florida. The difference between using in-network and out-of-network pharmacies can be quite costly, so this is an important consideration. 

Another way to get your prescriptions while you are in Florida is to select a plan that has a mail-order option. Most of the Medicare drug plans allow enrollees to use mail order to get a 90-day supply of their medications. You can use mail order to continue to receive your prescriptions while you are in Florida. Of course, you still may need to go to a local pharmacy to fill a prescription if you or your husband should get sick unexpectedly.

Finally, a caveat. When choosing a Medicare plan, be careful about signing up for a plan that may limit the hospitals and doctors that you can visit. Many of the companies that offer drug plans also offer Medicare HMOs and PPOs, but these plans may charge you more if you go out of network for your basic Medicare benefits. For people who spend months away from home, this could mean unexpected bills down the road.

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.