February 3, 2006

MGH helps with new Medicare prescription drug plans

On Jan. 1, Medicare — the federal government's health insurance program — implemented Medicare Part D, a new prescription drug benefit that offers eligible individuals insurance coverage for prescription drugs through a variety of different plans. To help MGH patients navigate the new system and choose the plan best suited for their needs, staff members from MGH Patient Financial Services, Senior HealthWISE, MGH Community Benefits and the Blum Patient and Family Learning Center have joined together to provide patients with a variety of Medicare Part D resources. Beginning Feb. 6, Patient Financial Services will provide counseling and enrollment assistance at Central Registration in the WACC and in inpatient registration areas. The department also will provide counseling on an ongoing basis at the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care, Room 2A.

Additional resources for patients are weekly information tables — located in the Main Corridor adjacent to the Blum Center — which will be displayed on an ongoing basis. At these tables, visitors will have access to brochures and free assessments and pre-screenings for their personal Medicare Part D needs.

"This has been the greatest expansion of Medicare in its 40-year history," says Joseph Ianelli, manager of MGH Patient Financial Services. "In Massachusetts, patients have to choose from 45 plans or several Medicare advantage plans. From the very beginning, the MGH collaboration has been a significant help in assisting patients with this important decision."

For more information, to join an e-mail list providing the latest information about the plans or to arrange a presentation about the program for individual departments, contact Ianelli at (617) 724-2009 or at jianelli@partners.org.

Back row, from left, Kim Simonian and Kathleen Kehoe; front row, from left, Barbara Moscowitz, Ianelli and Taryn Pittman all collaborated on the Medicare Part D project.