Frequently Asked Questions about Archive

Update - Mailing of New Medicare Cards is complete - New Card, Same Benefits The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is mailing new Medicare cards through April 2019 - and your new Me . . .

In 2010, as part of the Affordable Care Act, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) automatically sent a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate check to all Medicare beneficiaries who . . .

No.  If you receive VA benefits and have not enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, you will not receive the Doughnut Hole rebate.  On the positive side, if you are receiving VA prescription dr . . .

The actual number of people who received a $250 Medicare Part D Donut Hole rebate checks was listed by the Department of Health and Human Services as: 3,756,677 with a total cost of: $939,169,250. A . . .

Unfortunately, the $250 Donut Hole rebate was only offered in 2010.   Starting in 2011, anyone who reaches the Donut Hole or Coverage Gap portion of their Medicare Part D prescription drug pl . . .

The $250 rebate check will be sent automatically from Medicare.  The mailing envelope will have a US Health & Human Services (HHS) symbol or logo and  the printed words "Medicare Part D" . . .

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is mailing new Medicare cards to all 57.7 million Medicare beneficiaries (starting back in April 2018) and will continue through April 2019*. Up . . .

All seniors and Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in a 2010 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and do not receive any financial Extra-Help will automatically receive a tax-free $250 rebate c . . .

No.  Your out of pocket costs or TrOOP does not determine when you enter the Coverage Gap.  Instead, TrOOP determines when you exit the Coverage Gap and enter the Catastrophic Coverage phase . . .

Maybe.  If you are enrolled in a 2010 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (or a Medicare Advantage plan that offers prescription coverage (MA-PD)) AND NOT receiving any financial "Extra H . . .

The 2010 Doughnut Hole $250 rebate is a one-time, tax-free rebate.  You will only receive one $250 check from Medicare once you reach the Doughnut Hole or exceed your Medicare Part D plan's Initi . . .

No.  If you receive any financial “Extra Help”, you will NOT be eligible for the $250 Part D rebate.Even if you are receiving only partial “Extra Help” you are NOT eligibl . . .

Complete Question: I received a $250 rebate check and unfortunately, I threw away the envelope that contained the check. Is it possible that this check is some sort of scam? Is there any way to be sur . . .

The first batch of $250 rebate checks will be mailed in early June of 2010.After the initial mailing, the $250 rebate checks will be mailed every month.If you reached the Doughnut Hole portion of your . . .

Complete Question: During the 2010 Medicare plan year, my Medicare Part D plan did not cover one of my more expensive medications and I had to purchase it myself. The total cost of the medication was . . .

No.  If you have not enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, then you will not be eligible for the $250 Donut (or Doughnut) Hole rebate. The $250 Doughnut Hole rebate is only ava . . .

Yes.  According to Medicare, the $250 rebate is available to all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in either a stand-alone 2010 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (also known as PDPs) or a . . .

No. The $250 rebate is based only on your 2010 prescription medication expenditures.  Your 2009 prescription costs do not count toward the $250 rebate.If you enter the Coverage Gap sometime in 20 . . .

The one-time, tax free $250 Part D rebate checks will be mailed approximately 45 days after your Medicare Part D plan notifies Medicare that you have reached the 2010 Coverage Gap portion of your pres . . .

Your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan is divided into different phases or parts: the Initial Deductible (if applicable), the Initial Coverage Phase, . . .

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is mailing new Medicare cards to all 57.7 million Medicare beneficiaries (starting back in April 2018) and will continue through April 2019*. Up . . .

If you are becoming eligible for Medicare during 2018, it will probably depend on the time of year when Medicare is issuing new Medicare cards and where you live to determine whether you receive an ol . . .

Update - Mailing of New Medicare Cards is complete - New Card, Same Benefits The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is mailing new Medicare cards through April 2019 - and your new Me . . .

Complete Question: I received a $250 rebate check and unfortunately, I threw away the envelope that contained the check. Is it possible that this check is some sort of scam? Is there any way to be sur . . .

Complete Question: During the 2010 Medicare plan year, my Medicare Part D plan did not cover one of my more expensive medications and I had to purchase it myself. The total cost of the medication was . . .

Unfortunately, the $250 Donut Hole rebate was only offered in 2010.   Starting in 2011, anyone who reaches the Donut Hole or Coverage Gap portion of their Medicare Part D prescription drug pl . . .

The actual number of people who received a $250 Medicare Part D Donut Hole rebate checks was listed by the Department of Health and Human Services as: 3,756,677 with a total cost of: $939,169,250. A . . .

Maybe.  If you are enrolled in a 2010 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (or a Medicare Advantage plan that offers prescription coverage (MA-PD)) AND NOT receiving any financial "Extra H . . .

No. The $250 rebate is based only on your 2010 prescription medication expenditures.  Your 2009 prescription costs do not count toward the $250 rebate.If you enter the Coverage Gap sometime in 20 . . .

No.  Your out of pocket costs or TrOOP does not determine when you enter the Coverage Gap.  Instead, TrOOP determines when you exit the Coverage Gap and enter the Catastrophic Coverage phase . . .

No.  If you have not enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, then you will not be eligible for the $250 Donut (or Doughnut) Hole rebate. The $250 Doughnut Hole rebate is only ava . . .

The 2010 Doughnut Hole $250 rebate is a one-time, tax-free rebate.  You will only receive one $250 check from Medicare once you reach the Doughnut Hole or exceed your Medicare Part D plan's Initi . . .

The $250 rebate check will be sent automatically from Medicare.  The mailing envelope will have a US Health & Human Services (HHS) symbol or logo and  the printed words "Medicare Part D" . . .

All seniors and Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in a 2010 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and do not receive any financial Extra-Help will automatically receive a tax-free $250 rebate c . . .

In 2010, as part of the Affordable Care Act, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) automatically sent a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate check to all Medicare beneficiaries who . . .

Yes.  Assuming that the retail cost of your prescription drugs exceeds your prescription drug plan's Initial Coverage Limit (usually $2,830 in 2010) before the end of 2010. In fact, according . . .

No.  In 2011, Medicare Part D beneficiaries who reach the Doughnut Hole (or Coverage Gap) will receive a 50% discount on the retail price of their brand name prescription drugs and a 7% discount . . .

If you have not received your $250 rebate check during the 45 days after you reached the Doughnut Hole, you should call your Medicare Part D plan to be sure that your prescription drug cost informatio . . .

As noted by Medicare, “[t]he envelope will have the US Department of Health and Human Services symbol on it and will say ‘Medicare Part D’." The check will be for exactly $250 an . . .

No.  Only a small percentage of the 42+ million Medicare beneficiaries actually reach the Doughnut Hole each year. However, the number of people who will go into the 2010 Coverage Gap is not s . . .