IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTA ABOUT YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE AND MEDICARE
Please read this notice carefully. It has information about your current prescription drug coverage with the City of Atlanta and new prescription drug coverage first available January 1, 2006, for people with Medicare. It also tells you where to find more information to help you make decisions about your prescription drug coverage.
- Starting January 1, 2006, new Medicare prescription drug coverages were made available to everyone with Medicare.
- The City of Atlanta has determined that the prescription drug coverage offered by the City-sponsored plans for Medicare-eligible retirees are, on average for all plan participants, expected to pay out as much as the standard Medicare prescription drug coverage will pay for the period January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023.
- This notice explains the options you have under Medicare prescription drug coverage, and can help you decide whether or not you want to enroll. Anyone with Medicare can enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan from November 15 through December 31 each year with no penalty. However, because you have existing prescription drug coverage that, on average, is as good as Medicare coverage, you can choose to join a Medicare prescription drug plan later.
IF YOU ENROLL IN ANY ADDITIONAL MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN, YOUR COVERAGE WITH THE CITY OF ATLANTA WILL BE TERMINATED. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT DHR – Employee Benefits at 404-330-6036.
Because your existing coverage is on average at least as good as standard Medicare prescription drug coverage, you can keep this coverage and not pay an extra penalty if you later decide to enroll in Medicare coverage.
For more information about this notice or your current prescription drug coverage:
Contact the DHR – Employee Benefits office at 404-330-6036.
More detailed information about Medicare plans that offer prescription drug coverage can be found in the following places:
- Visit www.medicare.gov for personalized help.
- Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. (See your copy of the Medicare & You handbook for their telephone number.)
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
For people with limited income and resources, extra help paying for a Medicare prescription drug plan is available. For more information about this extra help, visit the Social Security Administration (SSA) online at www.ssa.gov, or call them at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Print out and keep this notice. If you enroll in one of the new plans approved by Medicare that offer prescription drug coverage after May 15, 2006, you may need to give a copy of this notice when you join to show that you are not required to pay a higher premium amount.
If you sign up for any Medicare Advantage Plan (other than Medicare Advantage plan offered by the City) that may be offered to you directly by various vendors, YOUR COVERAGE THROUGH THE CITY OF ATLANTA WILL BE TERMINATED. If you have any questions about this, please call the DHR – Employee Benefits at 404-330-6036 before signing up for another plan.