June 2005Vol. 6, No. 5Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits Coming Soon
On December 8, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-173). Among other provisions, this law offers seniors and individuals with disabilities insurance coverage for prescription drugs. Medicare prescription drug plans may provide significant assistance with prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients involved with the child welfare system, including grandparent caregivers and children with special needs.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offer a monthly update to provide the public and other interested parties with up-to-date information on CMS's efforts to implement the new legislation. This update will contain information on what CMS accomplished in the past month as well as major activities scheduled for the coming month, such as key implementation dates and regulations being published. Automatic notification of updates is available. (Editor's note: This link is no longer available.)
The Medicare website also offers a number of publications regarding the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 that may help recipients make decisions regarding their coverage.