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Medicare Part D Benefit: What You Need to Know Now !
Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - Columbus Convention Center
Greater Columbus Convention Center400 N. High Street
Columbus, Ohio
Presented by: Ohio Pharmacists Association
Online registrations for this event will begin on July 28, 2005.
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The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 represents the most significant changes to the Medicare program since its inception in 1965 and has many implications for pharmacy. The Act establishes a prescription drug benefit under Medicare - Medicare Part D for outpatient prescription drug coverage.
Medicare Part D Benefit: What You Need to Know Now will cover the essential information about the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, administered by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), that begins January 1, 2006. You will learn the latest about the various Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans that will be operating in Ohio. A discussion of the standard benefit and other options will help you inform Medicare beneficiaries of the choices that they will need to make. You will be able to discuss beneficiary enrollment options, and who is eligible for automatic enrollment.
The program will help you understand the following: creditable coverage, employer "wraps," TrOOP (true out-of-pocket expense) and coordination of benefits, and the requirements to qualify for the Low Income Subsidy (LIS). Many seniors will expect pharmacists to have a working knowledge of the above terms, and what they mean to the beneficiary. The program will cover initial and annual election periods, and disenrollment. All these items are critical to the understanding of this new benefit.
Marketing and enrollment guidance will also be an essential part of the program. There are specific ways that these programs can be marketed, and you want to be sure to follow the rules. You will learn what the PDPs (Prescription Drug Plans) and MA-PDs (Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans) can provide in terms of marketing help. The session will focus on the legal do's and don'ts for pharmacists, in addition to helpful ideas for marketing. You will learn what information has been given to the beneficiary, and what tools are available for you to recommend to your patients.
Pharmacists should find this program to be a critical resource for understanding the largest change in pharmacy benefits in our history.
Faculty
Gregory R. Dill, Pharm.D.
Health Insurance Specialist, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Gretchen Margraf
OSHIIP Program Director, Office of Consumer Services, Ohio Department of Insurance
Schedule
8:30 a.m.Registration/Coffee
9:00 a.m.Medicare Part D Benefit
10:40 a.m.Break
11:00 a.m.Medicare Part D Benefit
12:40 p.m.Adjournment
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the program, participants should be able to:
1. describe the standard benefit and other options of the Medicare Part D Benefit which will become effective January 1, 2006;
2. explain beneficiary enrollment options including who is eligible for automatic enrollment, initial and annual election periods, and disenrollment;
3. list the various Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans (MA-PDs);
4. identify what the PDPs and MA-PDs can provide in terms of marketing help; and
5. apply this essential information in assisting patients who are eligible for the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Continuing Education Credit:
ACPE # 129-000-05-051-L04
0.4 CEU (four contact hours)
This conference is targeted to pharmacists and pharmacy staff serving Medicare patients. The continuing education portion of this program is coordinated by the Ohio Pharmacists Foundation. As part of its mission, the Foundation provides continuing education programs designed for pharmacists to address the daily issues of pharmacy.
To receive continuing pharmacy education credit, you must fill out the CE form indicating programs attended. Sign, date, and return it to the OPA staff or office. Your statement of CE credit will be mailed to you within four weeks.
The Ohio Pharmacists Foundation, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
Driving directions, where to park, and a list of downtown hotels will be included with your confirmation letter when you register.
Questions? Contact OPA at 614.586.1497 or opa@ohiopharmacists.org.
Registration Fee
OPA Member - $69
Non-member Pharmacist - $89
Technician/Non-Pharmacist - $49
Fee includes handout materials, break, and CE statements of credit for pharmacists and technicians.
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Requests for refunds, less a $10 administrative fee, will be honored if received by 10/3/05.
