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HealthPartners 2008 Medicare plans to include a low-cost option that covers generic drugs in the doughnut hole
Overall costs to decrease for most HealthPartners Medicare members
October 1, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – HealthPartners 2008 Medicare plans include a new benefit option in 2008 that includes coverage for generic drugs in the so-called doughnut hole. The doughnut hole is the coverage gap in which enrollees must pay 100 percent of their prescriptions. Medicare coverage drops to zero after an annual spending limit of $2,510 is reached. Coverage resumes after the beneficiary spends $4,050 for their prescriptions.
"Costs will go down in 2008 for most members enrolled in HealthPartners Medicare plans," said Donna Zimmerman, HealthPartners vice president, government and community relations. HealthPartners has 37,000 members in its Medicare plans statewide and nearly 26,000 of these members have a HealthPartners drug benefit. Zimmerman notes that in 2006, about 20 percent of seniors in HealthPartners most popular Part D plan hit the doughnut hole and that the new benefit could save them about $100/month.
Freedom Standard Part D premiums decrease
HealthPartners Part D annual premiums can decrease $180-$220 in 2008 for enrollees who do not need coverage in the doughnut hole. Part D premiums for HealthPartners Freedom plans will decrease up to75 percent from 2007 to as low as $5.60/month.
Most popular plan
Premiums for HealthPartners individual Freedom medical plans, which are the most popular, will increase just five percent or less than $72 a year.
Greater Minnesota, western Wisconsin
In addition to its current Medicare plans which are available statewide, HealthPartners will also be offering a new Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan that will be available in greater Minnesota and western Wisconsin in 2008. Premiums for Liberty are $5.60/month.
| HealthPartners Freedom Plans I,II,III |
2008 |
2007 |
| Medical Plan Premiums |
$55, $84, $122 |
$52, $80, $116 |
| Freedom Part D Prescription Drug Plans |
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|
Standard Part D
(no doughnut hole coverage) |
$5.60 or $8.20 |
$23.70 |
Standard Plus Part D
(includes doughnut hole coveragefor generic drugs) |
$52.90 |
NA |
Enhanced Part D
(includes doughnut hole coveragefor generic, brand, specialty drugs) |
$125.20 |
$68 |
HealthPartners Liberty
(available in Greater Minnesota,western Wisconsin) |
|
|
| Premium (medical, prescription, generic coverage in doughnut hole) |
$5.60 |
NA |
| Classic Plan for Minnesota Senior Health Options(low income beneficiaries) |
|
|
| Premiums |
$0 |
$0 |
| Part D |
$0 |
$0 |
For more information, go to http://www.healthpartners.com/portal/184.html or call 952-883-5601 or 1-800 247-7015 or TTY: 952-883-6060.
About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of healthcare companies serve more than one million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. It is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation, providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health of members, patients and the community. For the third year in a row, HealthPartners is rated one of the best commercial health plans in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, NCQA's "America's Best Health Plans 2007" and is ranked "Highest in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Minnesota-Wisconsin Region" by J.D. Power and Associates.
Contact: 952- 883-5308
Pager: 612- 527-1921
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