Every year, CMS tweaks the Medicare Plan Finder tool to make it a little more user-friendly.
Here's an inside look at some of the enhancements coming for this AEP.
- Inputting zip codes and plan types for plan searches will be a little bit easier.
- There will be new help drawers to clarify what pharmacy network labels mean.
- The "Total yearly drug + premium" heading will explain the timeframe of the drug cost calculation.
- The language on the generic drug modal will be updated to better reflect potential drug costs.
- Where a beneficiary’s drug list is long, CMS has added another ‘add drugs’ button.
- Anyone new to Medicare will see a custom workflow that gives messaging about key deadlines.
- Star Ratings will be removed from Medicare-Medicaid plans, since they don't apply.
- The Plan Finder will start showing mandatory supplemental hearing benefits instead of the Medicare-covered benefit.
And here are some adjustments that are specifically related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA):
- Apply the new tier-level cost sharing for covered Part D insulin drugs.
- Ensure that the deductible does not apply to covered Part D insulin drugs.
- Apply $0 cost sharing to ACIP-recommended vaccine drugs.
- Ensure that the deductible does not apply to ACIP-recommended vaccine drugs.
- Ensure that the dispensing fee and vaccine administration fee are not reflected in the beneficiary’s cost for ACIP-recommended vaccine drugs.
- Display separate cost sharing for Part B insulin drugs.
- Present $0 cost sharing for covered Part D drugs in the catastrophic phase.
- Use the same cost sharing for LIS levels 1 and 4.
We will keep you informed on any other changes coming to the Medicare Plan Finder! Make sure you follow us on Facebook to see all of the announcements we post.
