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Medicare Drug Program News
Senior Citizens Smarter About Medicare Plans in
Closing Days of Open Enrollment
Largest marketer of Medicare drug programs says
their new tools help
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Medicare Drug Program |
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 Open enrollment Nov. 15 - Dec. 31 allows
seniors to change drug plans.
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Dec. 28, 2007 – In the closing days of Medicare's
open enrollment period, when senior citizens can make changes to their
health plans, the largest provider of Part D prescription drug plans is
finding seniors much more knowledgeable about the program. The deadline
for changes is December 31.
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According to UnitedHealth Group, which has an
undisclosed financial agreement with AARP to market plans under that
name, Medicare beneficiaries have become increasingly savvy about these
offerings, better enabling them to choose – and use – the plan that best
fits their needs.
More frequent and longer visits to the company’s
Part D plans website and increased use of sophisticated online tools
indicate deeper analysis among seniors on a quest for value, the company
says in a news release.
The definition of value also has expanded,
underscored by a sharp rise in the use of generic drugs and mail order
options, resulting in more than $200 million dollars in additional
savings for the Company’s Part D Plan members in 2007.
"People are becoming more sophisticated about
purchasing and using Part D plans, with value being driven not only by
monthly premiums and copays, but also by formulary, coverage through the
donut hole, and the convenience and value of mail order and generic
drugs,” said Simon Stevens, chief executive officer of Ovations, the
UnitedHealth Group Company dedicated to serving the health and
well-being of people age 50 and older.
“That’s a trend we both support and want to
positively encourage,” he said.
More Frequent
Website Visits, Increased Web Tool Use Show Deeper Analysis in Quest for
Value
Visitors to UnitedHealth Group’s Part D plan
website,
www.aarpmedicarerx.com, are making more frequent visits and
are spending more time there. During the open enrollment period this
year, visitors have returned to the plan’s award-winning[i][i]
site 2.3 times on average, nearly double the level of the same period
last year, and are averaging more than 8.5 minutes looking at material
on the site. These are indications that seniors are conducting a deeper
analysis of drug plans as they balance covering their immediate health
needs with cost and peace of mind.
Also pointing to savvier and more discerning
Medicare beneficiaries is the sharp increase in seniors’ use of
sophisticated online tools to find information about plans.
● Approximately one third of visitors to
AARPMedicareRx.com have been using UnitedHealth Group’s Formulary Finder
– which helps seniors determine which of the company’s plans cover their
particular prescription drugs – during this enrollment period.
● Eighty percent of visitors this enrollment
period have used one of the site’s evaluation tools, such as Pharmacy
Locator, Estimate Costs or Find a Plan.
● Half of enrolled members who visited the
website have used it to check their claims history or calculate true
out-of-pocket costs.
“It’s becoming more important to seniors that their
drug is covered – or for peace of mind, that all Part D drugs are
covered, which is why they are flocking to online tools like our
UnitedHealth Formulary Finder,” said Tom Paul, Ovations’ chief pharmacy
officer. “We are seeing beneficiaries dig deeper than ever before,
beyond the basic information about Part D, which is a welcome
development.”
Nearly $200
Million in Additional Savings For Plan Members Over 2006 Costs
UnitedHealth Group Part D plan members have seen
significant savings by using mail order and by switching from name brand
to generic drugs; further underscoring that Medicare beneficiaries are
becoming more discerning and savvy about how they select and use their
Part D plan benefits:
● In 2007, an additional 370,000 AARP MedicareRx
Plan members began receiving new cost savings from the Preferred Mail
Service Pharmacy option, saving them a total of $50 million this year
(through 10/1/07).
● Through education and partnering with their
pharmacists and physicians, plan members have found efficiencies in
switching from brand name to generic prescription drugs; in fact,
members who switched from brand name to generic drugs in 2007 saved more
than $140 million (through 10/1/07.)
● In addition, the overall adoption rate by AARP
MedicareRx Plan members for new drugs that went generic in 2007 was
93.4%.
In response to this strong demand for mail order
and the rise in use of generic drugs, all of the company’s 2008
prescription drug plans offer $0 co-pay on a 90-day supply of most
generics ordered through the Preferred Mail Service Pharmacy.
Call Center
Questions Reflect More Informed Consumer Base
The content of questions received by UnitedHealth
Group’s customer service call center also reflects an increasingly
informed Medicare consumer population when it comes to the Part D
program and plans. During the current enrollment period, as people’s
comfort with the web increased, callers also are asking more precise
questions, reflecting increased knowledge of Part D, rather than
focusing on basic questions about what Part D plans are and how they
work.
Callers are focused on the same topics as last
year, especially the coverage gap and drugs covered, but their inquiries
are more specific this year. For example:
● Instead of asking, “What is the coverage gap?”
they are inquiring, “Based on the drugs I’m taking, will I hit the gap
and, if so, when?”; and
● Instead of asking, “Is my drug covered?” they
are saying, “What is the copay for my drug?” and, “Are there any
generics or alternatives?”
Holidays
Important Decision Time as December 31 Enrollment Deadline Nearing
Paul also noted, “Time is waning for seniors to
choose a Part D plan with the December 31 enrollment deadline fast
approaching. As families get together during the holiday season, still
undecided beneficiaries have a great opportunity to discuss and finalize
their choices.”
The company also offers around-the-clock customer
service, 24 hours, 7 days per week, including holidays. More
information about the wide spectrum of Medicare plans and programs
offered by UnitedHealth Group for people aged 50+ is also available at
www.ovationshealth.com.
UnitedHealth Group is also the largest provider of
Medicare plans overall, serving one of every five Medicare
beneficiaries. The company offers the only Part D plans that carry the
AARP name.
About
UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com)
is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making
health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.,
UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services
through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations,
AmeriChoice, Uniprise, Specialized Care Services and Ingenix. Through
its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves approximately 70
million individuals nationwide.
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