December 2005 Vol. 24. No. 12

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

St. Vincent de Paul chefs help the bottom line

What do I need to do now if I have Medi-Cal and Medicare?

Area Agency on Aging names Senior Friends

Home Delivered Meal program grows

Humboldt Classics win bronze medal at World Senior Games

Can the proper diet prevent Alzheimer's?

Caregiver training planned in January

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Ask HICAP
What do I need to do now if I have Medi-Cal and Medicare?

No Share of Cost Medi-Cal

If you have Medicare and Medi-Cal with no share of cost, or you have
met your share of cost since July 2005, you will automatically be enrolled
in a Medicare drug plan. You will receive a new drug card that can be used
at a pharmacy beginning Jan. 1. You will have to pay co-pays of $1 for a
30-day supply of a generic drug or $3 for a 30-day supply of a brand-name
drug.

You will no longer use your Medi-Cal card at the pharmacy after Jan. 1,
but your other Medi-Cal coverage will not be affected by Medicare drug
plans.

You should have received a yellow notice in the mail letting you know
which drug plan you have been automatically enrolled in. You can call the
drug plan or you can call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) to make sure that your
plan covers your drugs and that you can use your plan at your pharmacy.

If you have Medi-Cal with no share of cost, you can change drug plans
once a month.

Share of Cost Medi-Cal

If you have Medi-Cal with a share of cost and your income and assets
are equal to or less than single income of $14,355 a year with assets of
$10,000 or married income of $19,245 a year with assets of $20,000, you can
get most of the costs covered for Medicare drug plans. Call Social Security
to enroll for the extra help (also called low-income subsidy) at
800-772-1213.

You must still enroll in a Medicare drug plan, even if you are already
enrolled for the extra help. There are ten Medicare drug plans available in
Humboldt County that work with the extra help. For more information on the
drug plans call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

For those who require in-person assistance regarding Medicare drug
plans call HICAP at 800-434-0222. There may be a wait to get an appointment.

Anne Antoville manages HICAP, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy
Program, for Humboldt and Del Norte counties.