Are you already covered by a "creditable" prescription drug program?
Do you have VA coverage?
Do you have coverage from your previous employer or union?
Do you have any other plan that is as least as good as Medicare's basic drug plan coverage? (a good question for your existing plan's administrator)
Can this other creditable prescription drug coverage be coordinated with the Medicare Part D program? (another good question for your existing plan's administrator)
Determine your CMS region --the US is divided into 34 regions for purpose of Medicare Part D implementation -- for instance, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are in PDP Region 06. (The CMS website provides a nice PDP Region Map for your convenience.)
Once you have your region, determine which plans are available in your area. (Please note: We will be providing a list of national Medicare Part D providers on our website with a comparison per region.) As noted, please also take a look to the local Medicare Part D plans in your region and you may find that your nearby HMO or PPO can also provide you with the right plan.