Will Medicare Cover More Mental Health Prescriptions In 2013?

Medicare Is Increasing Mental Health Prescription Coverage

It seems to be finally dawning on the Medicare folks that good mental health is part of good health. There is some good news. Medicare drug coverage will increase coverage on some mental health prescriptions. This should reduce out-of-pocket costs for many beneficiaries. There is also some bad news. Plans can choose how to implement their drug coverage, and not everybody will be able to maximize their benefits.

Your Individual Plan May Not Increase Coverage!

It is very important to review your coverage each year. It is also important to compare various Part D and Medicare Advantage plan health plans on the market. It may be possible that another plan could save you more money because of changes. It may also be possible that your current plan is the best one for you. However, in this case, what you do not know actually can hurt you!

Find Out What Mental Health Drugs That Various Plans Cover

I would like to outline some simple steps you can take to learn more about mental health service changes. Here is a basic summary of my suggestions.

Check your current benefitsIf you are not satisfied that your current insurer provides the maximum coverage for your own situation, check out other plans in your area,You can compare coverage online, with a phone call, or by visiting your local pharmacy or a certified Medicare agent.

Use Online Comparison Tools

It has been made fairly simple for beneficiaries to compare drug plans these days. You have a variety of information sources and ways to check on your benefits. If you are already enrolled in a plan, you can review the documents they sent you for next year. Most insurers also have online tools that help you figure out which drugs are covered, and at what level they are covered at. The official government website at Medicare.gov also has a variety of tools that can help you.

Use Your Phone

I understand that some seniors are still not comfortable using the Internet. While more and more senior citizens have computers and smart phones these days, not all of them do. In this case, it is still prudent to get information. I would advise these folks to pick up the phone and call their current carrier to find out if their own medications will be covered. If they are not covered, it is also time to call around and see if another insurer will provide better drug coverage for your own individual situation.

If you do not know who to call, consider these two suggestions. You can call Medicare at this easy to remember phone number: 1-800-Medicare

Visit A Local Pharmacy or Agent

You may also visit your local pharmacy. A lot of well known pharmacies bring in licensed and certified insurance agents to explain a variety of products. Your own pharmacist may be able to tell you when these or scheduled or who to call to find out about a seminar or visiting agent in your area.

At NoMedical.net we discuss a variety of health coverage topics, including Medicare and health insurance. Learn more about changes to Medicare Mental Health Coverage here.