Page 6 - 2020 Cover Letter and Evaluation for Donna Yacoe

program doesn’t show total costs, and so you have to look at the costs for the lowest-premium
plans).

The two plans that appear to have the lowest costs for 2020 are the Clear Spring Health
Premier Rx Plan and the WellCare Medicare Rx Select Plan. The Clear Spring plan is slightly less
expensive at $230 a year, which includes the plan’s $16.20 monthly premium and $3 monthly
co-payments for methotrexate.

The WellCare Medicare Rx Select plan costs $287 a year, including premiums of $20.90 a month
and monthly co-payments of $3. I included this plan in the comparisons in your evaluation, but
I’ve also attached a benefit summary for the Clear Spring plan. The reason I used the WellCare
plan in your evaluation is that it is the only one of the four options that does not have a “prior
authorization” requirement for methotrexate (but again, that may not be a major
consideration). Also, Clear Spring is no longer affiliated with CIGNA, and so it’s perhaps slightly
less well established than is WellCare.

If you want to enroll in the Clear Spring Health Premier Rx Plan, you can call (877) 384-1241,
and if you want to enroll in the Wellcare Medicare Rx Select Plan, you can call (888) 293-5151.
As it turns out, these two plans are new in 2020, and so if you get a Medigap policy, you will
need to have a different stand-alone drug plan for the last two months of this year.

The stand-alone plan that has the lowest-costs for November-December is the Aetna Medicare
Rx Select Plan – its total cost for these two months is $36,20, including premiums and co-
payments. Its costs for the last two months of this year are shown in Appendix B5. To enroll in
this plan, call (855) 429-0700.

In summary, if you get a Medigap policy you will enroll in the Aetna Medicare Rx Select Plan for
the remainder of the year and then in December enroll in either of the low-cost plans for 2020
(remembering that the December 7 deadline for annual open enrollment does not apply to
you).

In conclusion, Donna, there are a couple of things to keep in mind as you make the transition to
Medicare. On your initial visits to your doctors after November 1, show the office staff your
new enrollment cards. That will help to avoid any billing confusion. Also, you’re entitled to a
free “Welcome to Medicare” physical (see page 11 of the evaluation), but you’ll probably have
to request it.

Sincerely,

David Armes, CFP®

Attachment to this letter: Clear Spring Health Premier Rx Plan Summary
WDA:12115

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