Retirees have more time to
pick prescription drug plan

By Claudia M. Williams
Staff Writer
Retirees who participate in the Southwest Texas Conference benefits program have two additional months before they must convert to Medicare Part D for prescription drugs.
Extending the deadline to March 1 allows the conference Health Benefit Committee to “make a studied recommendation to our retired participants who will need to enroll in Medicare Part D,” said Doug Aycock, chair. The committee currently doesn’t have enough information about Medicare Part D providers in Texas.
“We will let everybody know what their response (to converting to Medicare Part D) needs to be as soon as we have enough information,” Aycock said.
Conference prescription benefits will continue until the deadline for conversion, Aycock said. During that time, the conference will absorb the higher expense for prescription coverage.
The 2005 annual conference session removed prescription drug benefits from the Conference’s Retiree Health Benefit Plan. Aycock said the premium for Medicare Part D coverage would be even lower than had been expected when the Board of Pensions recommended the change. As a result most program participants should see even greater savings than expected.
Out-of-pocket expenses incurred under Medicare Part D coverage could be higher, Aycock said. But premium savings should offset those expenses.