How To use the Medicare Plan Finder to look up a Part D drug plan, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Access the Medicare Plan Finder:
- Visit the official Medicare website at Medicare.gov and navigate to the Plan Finder tool. You can directly access it by searching for “Medicare Plan Finder” in your preferred search engine.
- Log In or Continue as a Guest:
- If you have a MyMedicare account, log in to save your drug list and preferences. If you don’t have an account or prefer not to log in, you can continue as a guest, but note that you won’t be able to save your information for future visits.
- Enter Your Personal Information:
- Provide your ZIP code type of plan (Part D Drug Plan) and answer any questions about your current Medicare coverage and any assistance programs you may be enrolled in.
- Input Your Prescription Drugs:
- Enter each prescription drug you take, including the exact name, dosage, quantity, and frequency. This will help the tool calculate your costs accurately under different plans.
- Select Your Preferred Pharmacies:
- Choose up to five pharmacies where you prefer to fill your prescriptions. This step is crucial as some plans offer better pricing at specific pharmacies.
- Review Available Plans:
- The Plan Finder will display a list of available Medicare Part D plans based on your inputs. It is IMPORTANT to sort these plans by lowest drug + premium cost.
- Compare Plans I usually compare the top 3 plans, and most often select the very first one as it is the lowest premium plus drug cost. You have to make sure it is with a pharmacy you like and that is convenient.
- Select a Plan:
- Once you’ve compared the plans and found one that meets your needs, you can enroll directly through the Plan Finder tool or contact the plan provider for more information.
- Enroll in a Plan:
- You can enroll online via the Plan Finder, call the plan directly, or contact 1-800-MEDICARE for assistance with enrollment.
By following these steps, you can effectively use the Medicare Plan Finder to compare and select a suitable Medicare Part D drug plan based on your specific prescription needs and preference