Avoiding The Medicare Part D Doughnut Hole

If a senior has Medicare Part D, they may be at risk of falling into the coverage gap, or the so-called “doughnut hole.” While in the “doughnut hole a senior pays 100% for their drug costs, up to an additional $3,454 for 2009, after which catastrophic Medicare drug coverage kicks in. AARP has developed an on-line calculator designed to help seniors determine when they will reached the “doughnut hole” in their Medicare Part D coverage for that year, and suggest ways to delay or prevent that from happening.

To use the calculator, the senior will need to have at the ready a list of their medications, dosages and frequency with which they take the drugs. AARP claims that the calculator provides suggestions for alternative drugs which could delay or prevent the senior reaching their doughnut hole, which it turns saves them money. The calculator provides a list of such drugs which they can take to their doctor to determine whether switching to the lower-cost drug(s) would work for them.

To read more about the so-called Medicare Part D “doughnut hole”click here.