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thedrifter
01-18-07, 03:45 PM
Helpline lets you opt out of Medicare Part D
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 18, 2007 15:46:27 EST

After Medicare enrolled thousands of Tricare for Life beneficiaries in its new Part D pharmacy plan last year without their knowledge, causing them to lose their Tricare pharmacy benefits, the Defense Department announced today a new helpline for people to opt out of Part D.

Medicare Part D subsidizes the costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries. When the program began in January of last year, thousands of Americans, including an untold number of Tricare members, were automatically enrolled by Medicare without being notified — even though Part D is a voluntary program. Because Tricare is considered a secondary payer to Medicare Part D, Tricare beneficiaries have been denied payment for their prescription medications.

The Defense Department says those payments will be reimbursed, and if there has been an error, Defense Manpower Data Center officials say they will fix it within one day if Tricare beneficiaries call the helpline.

Any Tricare beneficiaries who are refused a prescription payment because they have been enrolled in Medicare Part D or who aren’t sure if they have been enrolled in Part D should call Express Scripts at (866) 363-8779. If a beneficiary has been enrolled in Part D, the helpline will provide information on how to cancel the enrollment, according to Defense Department officials.

Tricare recipients also can check their status by visiting www.medicare.gov, then clicking on “Prescription Drug Plan,” then “Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder,” and then “View Your Current Plan.

Ellie