Page 35 - 2023 Stamford Benefit Guide

Medicare Part D Notice: Prescription

Drug Coverage and Medicare

This notice has information about your current prescription drug When will you pay a higher premium (penalty) to join a
coverage with Stamford ManagementCo LLC and your options under Medicare Drug Plan? You should also know that if you drop or
Medicare's prescription drug coverage. This information can help lose your current coverage with Stamford ManagementCo LLC
you decide whether or not you want to join a Medicare drug plan. If medical plan and don't join a Medicare drug plan within 63
you are considering joining, you should compare your current cov- continuous days after your current coverage ends, you may pay
erage, including which drugs are covered at what cost, with the cov- a higher premium (a penalty) to join a Medicare drug plan later.
erage and costs of the plans offering Medicare prescription drug If you go 63 continuous days or longer without creditable
coverage in your area. Information about where you can get help to prescription drug coverage, your monthly premium may go up
make decisions about your prescription drug coverage is at the end by at least 1% of the Medicare base beneficiary premium per
of this notice. month for every month that you did not have that coverage.
For example, if you go nineteen months without creditable

Please note: If you are not Medicare eligible, and none of your
coverage, your premium may consistently be at least 19%
covered family members are Medicare eligible, no action is required
higher than the Medicare base beneficiary premium. You may
on your part.
have to pay this higher premium (a penalty) as long as you have
There are two important things you need to know about your Medicare prescription drug coverage. In addition, you may have
current coverage and Medicare's prescription drug coverage: to wait until the following October to join.
• Medicare prescription drug coverage became available in 2006 to For more information about this notice or your current
everyone with Medicare. You can get this coverage if you join a Prescription Drug Coverage: Contact your HR department for
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or join a Medicare Advantage Plan further information, 325-773-3671. NOTE: You may receive

(like an HMO or PPO) that offers prescription drug coverage. All this notice at other times in the future such as before the next
Medicare drug plans provide at least a standard level of coverage period you can enroll in Medicare prescription drug coverage,
set by Medicare. Some plans may also offer more coverage for a and if this coverage changes. You also may request a copy.
higher monthly premium.
For more information about your options under Medicare
• Stamford ManagementCo LLC has determined that the prescrip- Prescription Drug Coverage: More detailed information about
tion drug coverage offered by Stamford Management Co LLC medi- Medicare plans that offer prescription drug coverage is in the
cal plan is, on average for all plan participants, expected to pay out "Medicare & You" handbook. You'll get a copy of the handbook
as much as standard Medicare prescription drug coverage pays and in the mail every year from Medicare. You may also be
is therefore UNITED HEALTHCARE is considered Creditable Cover- contacted directly by Medicare drug plans.
age. Because your existing coverage is Creditable Coverage, you can
For more information about Medicare prescription drug
keep this coverage and not pay a higher premium (a penalty) if you
coverage:
later decide to join a Medicare drug plan.
• Visit www.medicare.gov.
When can you join a Medicare Drug Plan? You can join a Medicare
drug plan when you first become eligible for Medicare and each • Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (see the
year from October 15 through December 7. However, if you lose inside back cover of your copy of the "Medicare & You"
your current creditable prescription drug coverage, through no fault handbook for their telephone number) for personalized help.
of your own, you will also be eligible for a two (2) month Special
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call
Enrollment Period (SEP) to join a Medicare drug plan.
1-877-486-2048.
What happens to your current coverage if you decide to join a
If you have limited income and resources, extra help paying for

Medicare Drug Plan? If you decide to join a Medicare drug plan,
Medicare prescription drug coverage is available. For
your current Austin Healthcare and Rehabilitation medical coverage
information about this extra help, visit Social Security on the
will not be affected. Participants may keep this coverage if they web at www.socialsecurity.gov, or call them at 1-800-772-1213
elect Part D and this plan will coordinate with Part D coverage. If (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
you decide to join a Medicare drug plan and drop your current
Austin Healthcare medical plan coverage, be aware that you and
your dependents will NOT be able to get this coverage back.
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