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The new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, also known as Medicare Rx (formerly Medicare Part D), began on January 1, 2006. The Connecticut Department of Social Services is working to coordinate existing state assistance programs with the Medicare drug benefit.

To help explain what this may mean to you, we are posting consumer information over the coming months.

• For information about the Medicare prescription drug benefit in a question and answer format, including several guides for special populations, we recommend viewing our publications below. 

• For ConnPACE members, we also recommend visiting the ConnPACE website for updated information. Facts about ConnPACE and the Medicare drug benefit are available at www.connpace.com/medicare.html.
   
• CHOICES (Connecticut Health Insurance Assistance, Outreach, Information and Referral, Counseling and Eligibility Screening) is an excellent resource to help answer any of your questions. CHOICES counselors are trained and certified to assist with Medicare, Medicaid and ConnPACE topics.
   

• CHOICES can be reached toll-free at 1-800-994-9422. Or visit the Aging Services website CHOICES Page for information about CHOICES and other helpful services.
   

• For policymakers and others interested in program development, a powerpoint presentation by DSS Deputy Commissioner Michael P. Starkowski gives an introduction to how the state and federal governments plan to coordinate Medicare benefits with state pharmaceutical benefits in the Medicaid and ConnPACE programs. The presentation linked here was given by Deputy Commissioner Starkowski to legislative committees on September 20, 2005.
   

• For service providers and others interested in in-depth discussion and information about Medicare services and issues, the Center for Medicare Advocacy’s website is at www.medicareadvocacy.org. The Center is based in Willimantic, Conn.
   

• The federal Medicare website, at www.medicare.gov, has extensive information about the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.
   

• The federal Social Security Administration website offers information about applying for extra help with Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, at www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/. The information on extra help is also in materials on the other websites cited above, as well as the following materials:

• A free assistance program called Together Rx offers prescription drug discounts.  The program’s website states:  “Together Rx is designed to make a real difference in seniors’ lives; the program will last until the Medicare prescription benefit takes effect in 2006.  Some of the biggest names in medicine are helping make it possible. Founding members include Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Aventis, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, L.P., Novartis, and Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc.”  Check out Together Rx at www.togetherrx.com/. 
• The federal Social Security Administration website offers information about applying for extra help with Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, at www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/. The information on extra help is also in materials on the other websites cited above, as well as the following materials

Latest News

•     Follow this link for the Medicare Rx Events Calendar

Medicare Rx Publications