Letter to EPIC Enrollees Potentially Eligible for Extra Help - June 2005
This document, Letter to EPIC Enrollees Potentially Eligible for Extra Help, is also available in Portable Document format. (PDF, 14KB, 1pg.)
Dear EPIC Participant:
If you have Medicare, later this year you will be offered new Medicare prescription drug coverage that will begin on January 1, 2006. You will not lose your EPIC coverage, but you should consider joining the new Medicare drug benefit too. Medicare and EPIC can be used together for greater drug coverage and savings.
I want you to know about an excellent opportunity that is available. Based on the income you reported to us, you may be eligible for "Extra Help" with the new Medicare prescription drug coverage. If you qualify, your Medicare drug coverage will be free and your co-payments will be only $2 for generic drugs and $5 for brand drugs. You can use your current EPIC coverage for any drugs that are not available under your Medicare drug plan. And, your EPIC fee will be waived!
Between June and August, you will receive an "Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs" from the Social Security Administration (SSA). You should complete the application and return it to SSA in the envelope provided. If you are married, your spouse can apply on the same application. If the application asks for information you do not have readily available, just answer to the best of your ability.
If you need help completing the application, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or call EPIC at 1-800-332-3742 (TTY 1-800-290-9138). More information is also available at www.socialsecurity.gov.
In the fall, Medicare will send you information on the different Medicare drug plans available. EPIC will also provide more information as it becomes available, and help you choose a plan that can easily be used with EPIC for the most savings. As always, the EPIC Helpline is available to answer your questions at 1-800-332-3742.
Sincerely,
Julie A. Naglieri
Director