MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE - PART D

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="039285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>LIFE, DISABILITY, MEDICAL, MEDIGAP, DENTAL, LTCI and ANNUITIES </B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LIFE, DISABILITY, MEDICAL, MEDIGAP, DENT"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="038d2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <B>W. Forrest Veal, CLU</B></div> <div> <B>Veal Benefit Services Inc.</B></div> <div> <B>P. O. Box 700222</B></div> <div> <B>Dallas, TX 75370</B></div> <div> <B>972-250-6516</B></div> <div> <B>Fax 1 -775-542-0808</B></div> <div> <B>E-mail - vbsinsurance@juno.com</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>NOTE -</B></div> <div> <B>You may print this page and share it with others.</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE - PART D</I></div> <div> Important dates to remember -</div> <bR> <div> October 2005               You should receive by mail the Medicare & You - 2006 Handbook.</div> <bR> <div> November 15, 2005     The enrollment period begins for Part D.</div> <bR> <div> January 1, 2006            Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Begins for those enrolled.</div> <bR> <div> May 15, 2006                Enrollment Period without penalty ends but remember, coverage</div> <div>                                         begins after you enroll and there is no benefit to delay enrolling. If you</div> <div>                                         change your mind about the plan you selected, it is my understanding </div> <div>                                         that you may change once before the enrollment period ends plus each                                         </div> <div>                                         November 15 you will have the opportunity to change your selected plan.</div> <bR> <div> If you are a Medicare Beneficiary because you are age 65 or older or you qualify because of</div> <div> disability, you will soon need to make a decision regarding the new Medicare Prescription Drug</div> <div> Coverage - Part D.</div> <bR> <div> Following is information intended to help you make the best decision for your situation so you</div> <div> can select the right Medicare - approved plan that fits your need.</div> <bR> <div> First, select from the following list the situation that best describes you.</div> <bR> <div>      1. You are currently enrolled in Medicare Parts A & B and have no other medical insurance</div> <div>           other than maybe a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan A thru J.</div> <div>      2. You are currently enrolled in Medicare but have elected to participate in a Medicare</div> <div>           Advantage Plan available in your area that includes coverage for prescription drugs.</div> <div>           (Like Secure Horizons in the DFW area)</div> <div>      3. You are still working and participate in a group medical plan at your company that </div> <div>           provides prescription drug benefits and you are also enrolled for Medicare Parts A & B or</div> <div>           just Part A, because your group medical plan pays primary and you have postponed</div> <div>           enrolling in Part B.</div> <div>      4. You are retired and your former employer or union provides a group medical plan</div> <div>           including prescription drugs that supplements your Medicare Parts A & B.</div> <bR> <div> Now, go to the numbered paragraph below that corresponds to the above number you selected</div> <div> as best describing your situation.</div> <bR> <div>      1. You may select one of the stand-alone prescription drug plans available in your area or</div> <div>           you may consider changing to a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes coverage for </div> <div>           prescription drugs, assuming one or more of this type plan becomes available in your</div> <div>           area. Remember, that the prescription drug coverage may vary by the organization</div> <div>           providing the plan, except that each plan must cover at least the same benefits defined in</div> <div>           Medicare's standard plan with regard to access to medically necessary drugs and</div> <div>           convenient pharmacies. Part D monthly premiums will also vary by plan, primarily</div> <div>           because of additional benefits that may be provided in the prescription drug coverage.</div> <div>      2, If you are happy with your choice of a Medicare Advantage Plan and the included</div> <div>          prescription drug coverage qualifies as "creditable" coverage (Which means it is at least</div> <div>          as good as the coverage available under the new Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage -</div> <div>          Part D), then no other action is necessary unless you want to consider other Medicare</div> <div>          Advantage Plans that may become available in your area.</div> <div>      3. Your employer is required to provide you with a notice stating that the prescription drug</div> <div>           coverage provided by your plan is either "creditable" or "not creditable". If creditable,</div> <div>           then no other action is necessary, however, your employer may have the option to</div> <div>           discontinue prescription drug coverage, in which case you would need to choose a </div> <div>           stand-alone prescription drug plan available in your area.</div> <div>      4. If your retirement medical plan continues to provide prescription drug coverage that is</div> <div>          "creditable" then no further action is necessary, However, if the drug coverage is "not </div> <div>          creditable" or the prescription drug benefit of your retiree plan is discontinued, you will</div> <div>          need to choose a stand-alone prescription drug plan available in your area.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Other important information that you should remember.</B></div> <bR> <div>      1. Do not confuse Medicare Part D with Medicare Supplement plan D. Remember that</div> <div>          Medicare Supplement plans include standardized Medicare Supplement plans A thru J.</div> <div>      2. Medicare is now made up of four Parts. In addition to the new Part D, there is Medicare</div> <div>          Part A - Hospital Insurance, Medicare Plan B - Medical Insurance, Medicare Part C -</div> <div>          Medicare Advantage Plans previously called Medicare + Choice plans. Medicare</div> <div>          Advantage Plans include the following type plans.</div> <div>            a. Managed Care, sometimes referred to as an HMO Medicare alternative,</div> <div>            b. Preferred Provider Organizations Plans or PPO plans that are a Medicare alternative,</div> <div>            c. Private Fee-for-service plans which are also a Medicare alternative, and</div> <div>            d. Specialty Plans.</div> <div>         All these plans are described in the Medicare & You Handbook plus you can check for</div> <div>         the plans available in your area at the Medicare web site www.medicare.gov.</div> <div>      3. Beginning soon, you will begin receiving in your mailbox a tremendous amount of mail,</div> <div>          offering you the options available in your area by all the organization approved to provide</div> <div>          the new plans including Part D. My suggestion is to sort your Medicare Prescription Drug </div> <div>          Plan mail by the following categories.</div> <div>            a. Stand alone Prescription Drug Plans,</div> <div>            b. Medicare Advantage Plans by the types described above including a separate</div> <div>                category for Medicare Advantage Plan, if any, that do not include a prescription drug</div> <div>                benefit but require a separate stand-alone Part D plan.</div> <div>      4. Hopefully, this information will help you understand your options to take advantage of the</div> <div>          Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage available as early as January 1, 2006, assuming you do </div> <div>          not already have adequate and creditable coverage. Before enrolling in a prescription drug                                                 .        plan, make sure your current prescriptions are included in the new plan formulary or that there</div> <div>          is a substitute, acceptable to your doctor. After the initial enrollment period, you will only be able </div> <div>          to change plans on November 15 each year with the new plan effective on January 1.   </div> <bR> <div>                                                                                             W. Forrest Veal, CLU</div> <div>                                                                                             Veal Benefit Services Inc.</div> <div>                                                                                              972-250-6516</div> <div> Note - This information is available at web site www.vbsinsurance.com. Click on Part D Decisions.</div> <div>           </div> </td> </tr></table></body>