Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, unbiased, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
A Caregivers Guide to Medicare
Wednesday, May 08, 2024 | 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
In recognition of Older Americans Month, the VICAP team would like to recognize and explore the role and impact that family caregivers play in supporting independence and aging in place. A family caregiver can be someone caring for a spouse or parent, an extended family member, or even a friend or neighbor. Do you provide someone help with:
- Transportation to medical appointments?
- Communicating with health care professionals?
- Advocating on their behalf with providers?
- Grocery or other shopping?
- Daily activities or housework?
- Preparing meals?
- Managing finances?
If you answered “yes” to any of the examples listed above, you are a caregiver and may benefit from joining Arlington VICAP for a FREE, virtual Medicare class. Join us to learn:
- What caregivers should know about Medicare
- Home Health Services covered by Medicare
- Additional resources for caregivers
To register, please call 703-228-1725 or email MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
View The Administration for Community Living's website to learn more about Older Americans Month by clicking HERE.
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Looking toward your 2025
Medicare Part D coverage
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the proposed standard benefits for 2025 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan coverage. You can click here for a table comparing changes in Medicare Part D standard benefit coverage from 2006 through 2025.
Some key points for 2025 Medicare Part D coverage:
- The standard initial deductible increases from $545 in 2024 to $590 in 2025.
- The Initial Coverage phase continues until the $2,000 maximum out-of-pocket limit (RxMOOP) or the true out-of-pocket costs (TrOOP) is met. In 2025, the $2,000 RxMOOP should be reached when a person purchases Medicare Part D formulary drugs with a retail value of approximately $6,230.
- The Coverage Gap phase and corresponding Donut Hole discount are eliminated.
- Any plan members exceeding the $2,000 RxMOOP will enter the Catastrophic Coverage phase and pay no additional cost-sharing for formulary drugs through the remainder of the plan year.
- In 2025, the Medicare Payment Plan will begin and provide plan members with the option of spreading their monthly prescription drug costs over the year to lessen the impact of a single high-cost payment. For example, if a person purchases an expensive $10,000 medication in January 2025, the person would pay no more than $2,000 out-of-pocket for the entire year but could opt to spread the single $2,000 payment evenly over 12 monthly payments of $167.
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Woman speaks out after falling victim to 'malicious tagging' scam
Virginiasmp | March 22, 2024
“Malicious tagging,” or provocative social media post scams, are becoming more common, according to experts, and are typically either sent through social media. (Find Out More)
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Dear VICAP Team,
Why do my prescription costs change throughout the year?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
There are 4 phases of Part D coverage:
1. Deductible Period- This is the period you begin in until your deductible is met for the year. Until then, your prescription costs will be the full negotiated price. This price will vary by plan.
2. Initial Coverage Period- Once your deductible is met, your plan will help pay for your prescription costs. In this phase, you will still have a co-payment or co-insurance amount to pay on your prescriptions. The amount is determined by your specific plan.
3. Coverage Gap- Also known as the Donut Hole, this phase of your part D coverage is when you and your plan's payments towards prescription costs have reached a predetermined limit (5,030 for 2024). You become responsible for paying 25% of your medication costs.
4. Catastrophic Coverage- This is the period you enter after you have reached $8,000 in out-of-pocket costs for your covered prescriptions. In 2024, you will have no cost-sharing for the remainder of the year. To learn more about catastrophic coverage and what payments count towards the limit, click here.
If you have high prescription drug costs, contact Arlington's VICAP team to help you determine whether you are eligible for programs that can help lower your out of pocket prescription drug costs.
 Contact the Arlington County VICAP team by phone or email:
703-228-1725
MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0064, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy
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