Panelists at the Medicare Rx Insurance Orientation January 24 were (above, l-r) Brant McConkey of InStil Health, Columbia, S.C.; Joey Fievet of Fievet Pharmacy; and Henry Bowen from CVS Pharmacy. Washington-Wilkes pharmacists and other experienced and trained experts reviewed the basics of the Medicare Prescription Drug Insurance Program (often called Medicare Part D) for an audience of more than 50 on Tuesday January 24. The afternoon meeting was open to the public and held at the Edward B. Pope Community Center on Lexington Avenue.

Rev. Gale Seibert, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, welcomed participants and introduced panelists, Henry Bowen, Joey Fievet, and Brant McConkeyu.

Bowen represented CVS Pharmacy; Fievet, Fievet Pharmacy; and McConkey was a representative of Blue Cross-Blue Shield.

Rev. Seibert also introduced Joseph Harris, PhD, of Washington Area Faith in Action Inc. who had had training offered by the Agency on Aging and provided an overview of the Medicare prescription drug insurance program.

Harris emphasized the basic insurance features of the Rx, or Part D, program: monthly premiums, deductibles, and choices of policies or plans. He emphasized that most of those in the audience had previous experience with auto, home, and other insurance and that this was little different, including that soon after enrollment, a card arrives by which bills are paid.

More than 50 retirees and others (at left) attended the Medicare Rx Insurance Orientation sponsored by the First United Methodist Church and Washington Area Faith in Action. Ann Myers, MSN, MSM, described the enrollment process. Two are available – one by calling the 1800-MEDICARE number and the other through the Internet site www.medicare.gov. She emphasized that both are easy and listed the information needed for completion of the application. A big difference, she explained, is having a printed policy, or plan, available, as from the Internet application.

Panelists answered questions from the audience during an exchange lasting more than 40 minutes. In response to questions, Henry Bowen said that the enrollment card may come within days or weeks after application.

McConkey made it clear that if a patient’s prescribed drug was not on the list from his company’s plan, the physician’s word on need for this drug was sufficient for insurance coverage.

Fievet explained that if physicians know what drugs are covered by a patient’s plans, those drugs can be prescribed in preference to others – if they are equivalent.

In closing, Rev. Seibert asked for suggestions of other subjects for other similarly educational meetings which would use the public forum format. Lively discussion continued in small groups during the refreshment period.

The program was co-sponsored by the First United Methodist Church and Washington Area Faith in Action Inc.