Notice for all Medicare beneficiaries

Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs - Apply Online!

A new Medicare Prescription Drug Program offers help with prescription drug costs. The new program gives you a choice of prescription plans that offer various types of coverage. You may be able to get extra help to pay for the premiums, annual deductible, and co-payments related to the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program - an average of $2,100 in extra help.

Extra help for Medicare Prescription Drug Plan costs for most people with resources less than $11,500 if single (or $23,000 if married). If you haven't received an application or information regarding extra help paying for one of the new Medicare prescription drug plans and you think you may be eligible, you should apply. Remember as Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Leavitt says, "If in doubt, fill it out!" You can apply Online by visiting:
http://www.medicare.gov/Spotlights.asp#extra
1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, 7am-7pm Monday-Friday

Information may be found at the following websites:

http://www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/
http://www.medicare.gov/
http://www.ssa.gov/

Call Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call the toll-free TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.

It was easy to do. I've sent my application in -- have you?

Fun in the Sun

Ultra Protection Factor

It's an established fact tht over-exposure to the sun's UV rays may result in skin cancer later in life.

15 = Good Protection - 93% UV Blocking
25 = Very Good Protection - 96% UV Blocking
40 = Excellent Protection - 97.5% UV Blocking
50+ = Excellent Protection - 98% UV Blocking

You may find the updated "Today's UV Index" of your region in the USA at the website:

http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html

The National Chronic Pain Society, Inc.

The National Chronic Pain Society, Inc. (NCPS) was created to provide peer support groups for people with chronic pain and their families. We also provide current, accurate information from qualified professionals through the Chronic Pain Report (CPR), a quarterly newsletter and through multidisciplinary conferences. As a society, we are dedicated to enabling persons with pain to have a better quality of life, despite their pain, by learning to live with pain.

http://www.ncps-cpr.org/

FDA Adverse Event Reporting

MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

Safety-related drug labeling changes for May 2005 have been posted on the MedWatch website. The May 2005 posting includes 42 drug products with safety labeling changes to the CONTRAINDICATIONS, BOXED WARNING, WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS, or ADVERSE REACTIONS sections.

The Summary page -- http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/may05_quickview.htm -- provides drug names and a listing of the sections changed.

The Detailed view -- http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/may05.htm -- includes sections/subsections changed and a description of new or modified safety information in the Contraindications, Boxed Warning, or Warnings sections. The full labeling may be accessed by clicking on the drug name in the detailed view.

The following drugs had modifications to the CONTRAINDICATIONS and/or WARNINGS/BOXED WARNINGS sections:

Alora (estradiol transdermal system)
Arixtra (fondaparinux sodium) injection
Atacand (candesartan cilexetil) Tablets
Cefuroxime for Injection USP and Dextrose Injection USP
Clozaril (clozapine) Tablets Lodine (etodolac capsules and tablets)
Midol Extended Relief (220 mg naproxen sodium)
Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a)
Requip (ropinirole hydrochloride) Tablets
Tagamet HB (200mg cimitidine) Tablets
Zestoretic (lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide) Tablets
Zestril (lisinopril) Tablets Zocor (simvastatin) Tablets

For more information on this and other important updates, please see:
www.RSDHope.org
Thank you.

Resolving Disputes Guide

The Kaiser Family Foundation and Consumers Union today released an updated guide to help consumers through the process of resolving disputes with their health plans. The resource, A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or Private Health Plan, 2005 Update , includes information about how consumers can take advantage of their health plans' internal processes to resolve disputes, as well as external review processes as allowed under state laws. The vast majority of Americans now receive their health coverage from Preferred Provider Organizations, Health Maintenance Organizations, or other types of managed care plans. This guide can help consumers to understand their coverage under these plans, their rights under the governmental rules that health plans must follow, and the role that state external review programs play in resolving disputes. Problems with health plans often arise during the course of a health crisis, making it especially difficult for consumers to resolve these issues successfully, Kaiser Family Foundation president Drew E. Altman said.

This guide provides valuable information to help people navigate what is often a confusing health insurance system. The guide includes state-by-state details on the external review programs in the 43 states and the District of Columbia that have such programs, including Arkansas and Nevada which implemented programs after the 2003 version of this guide was issued.

The updated guide also includes a new section about experiences with state external review programs, including data about the outcomes of consumers appeals to state programs. The guide also provides tips for avoiding some common mistakes that may prevent consumers from properly filing and successfully resolving disputes through external appeals. "States told us that consumers often make mistakes in filing their appeals," said Trudy Lieberman, Director of the Center for Consumer Health Choices at Consumers Union. "Too often they don't follow their state's rules or they don't bring sufficient documentation or their medical records when they begin the appeal process."

The guide was developed under a partnership between the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Center for Consumer Health Choices at Consumers Union. The updated version of this consumer guide is available for free on the Kaiser Family Foundations website or the Consumers Union website. In addition, an article about health plan choices, which highlights the guide and its information on how to appeal health plan denials of care, is included in the September issue of Consumer Reports magazine, which is published by Consumers Union.

Cut & paste the below URL in your browser.
The guide can be found at, http://www.kff.org/consumerguide/7350.cfm


For more information on this and other important updates, please see:
www.RSDHope.org
Thank you.