How To Enroll
Thank you for your interest in the NRECA Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan, an Employer PDP and Medicare-approved prescription drug benefit program.
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment — also known as the Annual Coordinated Election Period — will be held from November 15 through December 31, 2010. Starting in 2011 and every year after that, Open Enrollment will be held from October 15 through December 7.
Open Enrollment is the time of the year when all Medicare-eligible participants may change from one plan to another, or enroll in a Part D plan for the first time if they missed their Initial Enrollment Period.
If you already are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and you decide to stay with your current plan, you don't have to re-enroll during Open Enrollment. However, you should check the formulary (list of drugs) for your current plan to see if your prescription drugs are still covered for the next year.
After Open Enrollment ends, you may enroll in or change your plan only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, as defined by Medicare, or during your Initial Enrollment Period.
Initial Enrollment
If you are newly eligible for Medicare, you have 7 months for your Initial Enrollment Period. To avoid a late enrollment penalty, you must enroll in a Part D plan – from NRECA or another provider – when you first become eligible for Medicare.
If you are no longer working and do not have creditable coverage through another prescription drug plan when you reach age 65, you may enroll in Medicare Part D anytime from the first of the month that is three months before your 65th birthday through the last day of the month that is three months after your 65th birthday.
For instance, if you reach age 65 on June 11, you may enroll in Medicare between March 1 and September 30.
If you enroll during the three months before the month of your 65th birthday, your coverage becomes effective on the first day of your birthday month.
If your birthday is the first of the month, your Initial Enrollment Period shifts one month earlier.
For instance, if your birthday is June 1, then you must enroll between February 1 and August 30. Your coverage becomes effective on May 1 if you enroll during February-April, the first three months of your Initial Enrollment Period.
Special Enrollment
You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if
- You become eligible for Extra Help because you have limited income.
- You retire after age 65.
- You lose your creditable coverage through an employer plan.
- You move into or out of a long-term care facility.
- You meet other requirements defined by Medicare; call NRECA’s Member Contact Center if you think you qualify.
Eligibility
You are eligible for Medicare Part D if you are eligible for Medicare Part A and/or enrolled in Medicare Part B.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, that plan may provide Part D prescription drug benefits as part of its benefits. In most cases, you can have either a Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan, not both, even if the Medicare Advantage plan does not provide prescription drug coverage. The only exceptions are these three plans without prescription drug coverage: Private Fee For Service (PFFS) Plan, Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) and Cost Plan.
You are eligible to participate in one of NRECA's five national Part D plans if Medicare is your primary insurance and you are an eligible participant from a participating NRECA member co-op:
- retiree
- retired director
- director who is a retired co-op employee and not covered by a co-op for medical benefits
- disabled employee eligible for Medicare and not working
- Medicare-eligible spouse or dependent child of a retiree
- Medicare-eligible spouse or dependent child of a retired director
- Medicare-eligible spouse or dependent child of a director who is a retired co-op employee and not covered by a co-op for medical
- Medicare-eligible spouse or dependent child of a disabled employee eligible for Medicare and not working
- Medicare-eligible surviving spouse or dependent child
An employer plan is your primary insurer and Medicare is secondary if you
- are actively working, even if you are over age 65
- are covered on your spouse's plan and s/he is still actively working.
You cannot enroll in NRECA's Part D Plans if you are covered by the NRECA Medical as
- an active co-op employee
- a director with medical coverage through NRECA
- a spouse or dependent child of an active co-op employee
- a spouse or dependent child of a director with medical coverage through NRECA.
When You're Ready to Enroll
- Check with the benefits administrator at your co-op, or call the NRECA Member Contact Center to find out if your co-op handles enrollment or if you should contact CVS Caremark directly to enroll in a NRECA Part D plan.
- Download an Enrollment Form.
- Complete the enrollment form and sign it. Return it to your benefits administrator if your co-op handles enrollment. If CVS Caremark handles enrollment, please mail it to:
NRECA's Medicare D Enrollment
PO BOX 52067
Phoenix, AZ 85072
You may enroll in only one Medicare prescription drug plan at a time. You may join or leave a Medicare prescription drug plan only during certain times of the year.