Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled (PAAD)
Is this you?
- You are at least 65 years old or receiving Social Security Disability benefits.
- You are not eligible for Medicaid.
- You are a New Jersey resident.
- Your annual income is below $20,437 (single) or $25,058 (married).
- You do not have insurance that covers the full cost of your prescription medicines.
If so, you should be eligible for the PAAD Program (Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled) and pay only $5 per prescription. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for PAAD.
If you do not already have a PAAD card, you can get an application from most pharmacies or call PAAD at 1-800-792-9745. You can apply online (see below link).
Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards
For Medicare beneficiaries who do not choose to belong to PAAD or who do not qualify for PAAD, the annual selection period for choosing a new Medicare-approved discount drug plan or for changing your Medicare-approved discount drug plan will be November 15, 2004–December 31, 2004.
If you already have a Medicare-approved drug discount card and your plan does not offer the prescriptions you need, this is the only time you may change plans for the next year, except in the following circumstances:
- You move to another state;
- You join or leave a Medicare managed care plan;
- You enter or leave a long-term care facility (like a nursing home); or
- The private company stops offering your discount card.
If you do not have PAAD and you need assistance to compare Medicare-approved drug discount plans to find the best plan for your prescription needs, you can call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or compare approved plans for the best prices on Medicare’s Web site (see below link). You may also call your local Area Agency on Aging and make an appointment to meet with a State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) counselor who will help you compare approved plans. To get the number of the Office on Aging nearest to you, call 1-877-222-3737 or 1- 800-792-8820.
Remember, you may only have one Medicare-approved drug discount card. However, you may use any number of other discount cards offered by manufacturers or pharmacies that may also give you discounted prices on your prescriptions.
This article appeared in the November 2004 issue of Looking Out for Your Legal Rights®. |
