Creditable Prescription Drug Coverage Disclosure Notice

Important notice from Fairfield University about creditable prescription drug coverage and Medicare

The purpose of this notice is to advise you that the prescription drug coverage listed below under the Fairfield University medical plan is expected to pay out, on average, at least as much as the standard Medicare prescription drug coverage will pay in 2020. This is known as “creditable coverage.”

Why this is important. If you or your covered dependent(s) are enrolled in any prescription drug coverage during 2020 listed in this notice and are or become covered by Medicare, you may decide to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan later and not be subject to a late enrollment penalty – as long as you had creditable coverage within 63 days of your Medicare prescription drug plan enrollment. You should keep this notice with your important records.

If you or your family members aren’t currently covered by Medicare and won’t become covered by Medicare in the next 12 months, this notice doesn’t apply to you.

Please read the notice below carefully. It has information about prescription drug coverage with Fairfield University and prescription drug coverage available for people with Medicare. It also tells you where to find more information to help you make decisions about your prescription drug coverage.

Notice of creditable coverage

You may have heard about Medicare’s prescription drug coverage (called Part D), and wondered how it would affect you. Prescription drug coverage is available to everyone with Medicare through Medicare prescription drug plans. All Medicare prescription drug plans provide at least a standard level of coverage set by Medicare. Some plans also offer more coverage for a higher monthly premium.

Individuals can enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan when they first become eligible, and each year from October 15 through December 7. Individuals leaving employer/union coverage may be eligible for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period.

If you are covered by one of the Fairfield University prescription drug plans listed below, you’ll be interested to know that coverage is, on average, at least as good as standard Medicare prescription drug coverage for 2020. This is called creditable coverage. Coverage under one of these plans will help you avoid a late Part D enrollment penalty if you are or become eligible for Medicare and later decide to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan.

If you decide to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan and you are an active employee or family member of an active employee, you may also continue your employer coverage. In this case, the employer plan will continue to pay primary or secondary as it had before you enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan. If you waive or drop Fairfield University coverage, Medicare will be your only payer. You can re-enroll in the employer plan at annual enrollment or if you have a special enrollment event for the Fairfield University plan.

You should know that if you waive or leave coverage with Fairfield University and you go 63 days or longer without creditable prescription drug coverage (once your applicable Medicare enrollment period ends), your monthly Part D premium will go up at least 1% per month for every month that you did not have creditable coverage. For example, if you go 19 months without coverage, your Medicare prescription drug plan premium will always be at least 19% higher than what most other people pay. You’ll have to pay this higher premium as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. In addition, you may have to wait until the following October to enroll in Part D.

You may receive this notice at other times in the future – such as before the next period you can enroll in Medicare prescription drug coverage, if this Fairfield University coverage changes, or upon your request.

For more information about your options under Medicare prescription drug coverage

More detailed information about Medicare plans that offer prescription drug coverage is in the Medicare & You handbook. Medicare participants will get a copy of the handbook in the mail every year from Medicare. You may also be contacted directly by Medicare prescription drug plans. Here’s how to get more information about Medicare prescription drug plans:

For people with limited income and resources, extra help paying for a Medicare prescription drug plan is available. Information about this extra help is available from the Social Security Administration (SSA). For more information about this extra help, visit SSA online at www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

 

Remember: Keep this notice. If you enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan after your applicable Medicare enrollment period ends, you may need to provide a copy of this notice when you join a Part D plan to show that you are not required to pay a higher Part D premium amount.

For more information about this notice or your prescription drug coverage, contact:

Blythe Josovitz, Benefits Manager

Fairfield University

1073 North Benson Road

Fairfield, CT 06824

203-254-4000 Ext. 2995

www.fairfield.edu

9/17/2019