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Pre-2010 Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information

***Archive: Below is the Pre-2010 Medicare.gov Tutorial***


The next Medicare.gov screen allows the user to enter their prescription medications — one at a time — and add them to their Drug List.

Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information Tutorial
Medicare.gov provides two ways for you to search for your medications, you can choose to browse through an alphabetical list or search by drug name. We suggest using the "Search for Drug" function because it allows for partial searches and even "fuzzy" searches where you may have misspelled the name of a medication.

Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information Tutorial

You may recall that, in general, Medicare Part D plans exclude certain medications. So if you are finding that one of your medications is never found in the medication database, it might not be covered by the Medicare Part D program. Alternatively, if you have been prescribed a very new medication that has just been released, it is possible that the medication database has not yet been updated and you should save your partial medication list and come back at another time and check again.




Medicare.gov - Tutorial - Drug Search by Name
The graphic below shows how to begin using this part of the Medicare.gov Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder. This screen also shows how a partial search functions — here we have only put in "lip" for Lipitor® and Medicare.gov returns a list of choices based on this partial word with Lipitor® as our first choice. We then choose to "Add Selected to Your Drug List".

Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information Tutorial




Now we see how "My Drug List" (graphic below) looks after adding two of our medications. We did not even have to choose the drug Revlimid from a list of similar drugs since the system found the only possible match and put it directly into list.

Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information Tutorial

Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information Tutorial
Note the check box under your drug list: "Use lower cost generic drugs when available." If you check this box (the default is "checked"). Your name brand medications will be replaced with their generic equivalents. If you should need to change the medication back to the name brand, you will have to search for the name brand again, add it to your list, delete the generic you’re your list and be sure to uncheck the use generics box. Note for advanced users: add all of the drugs that can be converted to generic leaving the box checked, click "Continue" to go to the next screen. On the next screen click "Add More Drugs". It will bring you back to the drug search. Add all of the medication that cannot be converted to generic. Uncheck the use generics box. Click "Continue" to move forward with your plan comparison.

Medicare.gov - Find and Enter Your Drug Information Tutorial
DO NOT click on "Save My Drug List" on this screen. If you do, you will skip over the screen where you enter your medication dosages and strengths. The system will use default values in finding the best plan.

Medicare.gov - click on continue
Rather, click on "Continue" to go to the next screen where we can enter the Quantity (number of times the drug is taken per day/month) and medication strength (mg or ml).



Tips & Disclaimers
  • Q1Medicare®, Q1Rx®, and Q1Group® are registered Service Marks of Q1Group LLC and may not be used in any advertising, publicity, or for commercial purposes without the express authorization of Q1Group.
  • The Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plan data on our site comes directly from Medicare and is subject to change.
  • Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed the information on our site.
  • We provide our Q1Medicare.com site for educational purposes and strive to present unbiased and accurate information. However, Q1Medicare is not intended as a substitute for your lawyer, doctor, healthcare provider, financial advisor, or pharmacist. For more information on your Medicare coverage, please be sure to seek legal, medical, pharmaceutical, or financial advice from a licensed professional or telephone Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
  • We are an independent education, research, and technology company. We are not affiliated with any Medicare plan, plan carrier, healthcare provider, or insurance company. We are not compensated for Medicare plan enrollments. We do not sell leads or share your personal information.
  • Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, provider network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year. Our PDPCompare.com and MACompare.com provide highlights of annual plan benefit changes.
  • The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan.
  • Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply.
  • We make every effort to show all available Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans in your service area. However, since our data is provided by Medicare, it is possible that this may not be a complete listing of plans available in your service area. For a complete listing please contact 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov.
    Statement required by Medicare:
    "We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options."
  • When enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, you must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium.
  • Medicare beneficiaries with higher incomes may be required to pay both a Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). Read more on IRMAA.
  • Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MAPDs) are considered Medicare Part D plans and members with higher incomes may be subject to the Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), just as members in stand-alone Part D plans. In certain situations, you can appeal IRMAA.
  • You must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Members may enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan only during specific times of the year. Contact the Medicare plan for more information.
  • If you are enrolled in a Medicare plan with Part D prescription drug coverage, you may be eligible for financial Extra Help to assist with the payment of your prescription drug premiums and drug purchases. To see if you qualify for Extra Help, call: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov; the Social Security Office at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. TTY users should call, 1-800-325-0778; or your state Medicaid Office.
  • Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next.
  • A Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan (PFFS) is not a Medicare supplement plan. Providers who do not contract with the plan are not required to see you except in an emergency.
  • Disclaimer for Institutional Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone with Medicare who meets the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) level of care and resides in a nursing home.
  • Disclaimer for Dual Eligible (Medicare/Medicaid) Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the State and Medicare. Premiums, co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles may vary based on the level of Extra Help you receive. Please contact the plan for further details.
  • Disclaimer for Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone with Medicare who has been diagnosed with the plan specific Chronic Condition.
  • Medicare MSA Plans combine a high deductible Medicare Advantage Plan and a trust or custodial savings account (as defined and/or approved by the IRS). The plan deposits money from Medicare into the account. You can use this money to pay for your health care costs, but only Medicare-covered expenses count toward your deductible. The amount deposited is usually less than your deductible amount, so you generally have to pay out-of-pocket before your coverage begins.
  • Medicare MSA Plans do not cover prescription drugs. If you join a Medicare MSA Plan, you can also join any separate (stand-alone) Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
  • There are additional restrictions to join an MSA plan, and enrollment is generally for a full calendar year unless you meet certain exceptions. Those who disenroll during the calendar year will owe a portion of the account deposit back to the plan. Contact the plan provider for additional information.
  • Medicare beneficiaries may enroll through the CMS Medicare Online Enrollment Center located at www.medicare.gov.
  • Medicare beneficiaries can file a complaint with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by calling 1-800-MEDICARE 24 hours a day/7 days or using the medicare.gov site. Beneficiaries can appoint a representative by submitting CMS Form-1696.