Plan Advisors

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Mail Order Pharmacies: Convenient for Medicare Clients

Prescription Drug Plans

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We all know the main reason seniors are staying home these days. If you have Medicare clients who wish to stay home in order to maintain their health, you can recommend they use mail order pharmacies to take advantage of their Medicare plan benefits from the comfort of their home.

You can educate your clients on the convenience of using their Medicare Part D drug plan’s mail order pharmacy feature. Most all MAPD and Part D plans either have their own mail order pharmacy program, or they partner with another pharmacy, such as CVS, to administer their mail order pharmacy benefit.

The Benefits of Mail Order Pharmacies

In addition to having their maintenance meds delivered right to their door, there are other advantages to clients using their plan’s mail order pharmacy benefit, such as:

  • 90-day supplies
  • Potentially lower copays
  • Discreet packaging
  • Online account management
  • Free shipping

If your client is in the Medicare Part D coverage gap, they may especially be concerned about cost.

How to Get Mail-Order Prescription Services

Getting enrolled in a mail order pharmacy program is fairly simple. Here are the main steps:

  1. Register for the program – options typically include:
    1. Completing a form online
    2. Enrolling by phone
    3. Completing a printed form (mail, fax, or scan and email)
  2. Ensure medications are available through the mail order program.
    1. Search printed formularies, if made available by the pharmacy
    2. Utilize online prescription look-up tools
    3. Call and ask the pharmacy
  3. Submit prescriptions.
    1. E-Prescriptions – doctors submit prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy (easiest!)
    2. Physician printed form – filled out and signed by physician; typically faxed to the pharmacy

Medicare Carriers Who Offer Mail Order Pharmacies

Click on the carrier name for mail order pharmacy enrollment information and/or forms:

AetnaDevotedMMMSolis (call 888-240-2211)
BCBS (varies by state)FreedomMedigoldUnited Healthcare
Bright HealthHealth FirstMolinaWellcare
CignaHumanaSelect Health

Help save your clients a monthly trip to the pharmacy. You may also be helping them save a few dollars. If you have any questions, please let us know. We are always here to support you.

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[Read more…] about Your client is in the Medicare Part D Coverage Gap…Now What?

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[Read more…] about Calculating the Medicare Part D Late Enrollment Penalty

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Medicare enrollment periodsIn case you’ve missed it, we started a little series on election periods. Did you know there are over 20 SEPs (Special Election Periods) for MAPD and Prescription Drug Plans? 

Here’s the scoop on Dual Eligibles:
Dual Eligibles are defined as those having both Medicare and either partial or full Medicaid benefits. Here are some qualification items you can ask to verify their status: Medicaid Card, Medicaid Award Letter, Medicaid #, or Member Attestation Form. 

As long as they are eligible for dual status they have a continuous open enrollment period. For those who have recently lost their status (which can be verified by member attestation or state notice showing loss of status), then the SEP begins the month of lost dual eligibility and runs for two consecutive months following the first month.