Medicare Discount Drug Card Information

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The Medicare Reform Act creates discount cards for prescription drugs. There are many cards approved by Medicare and each one offers a different discount for each drug. The information about these cards may be confusing. Confusion among consumers provides a prime opportunity for fraud and deception. Companies whose cards are not Medicare-approved may try to scam seniors into purchasing cards that will not provide the promised benefits.

Please speak to someone you trust—a family member, health care provider, or City staff member—before selecting a Medicare Discount Drug Card. Below are links to resources to help you chose the card that's right for you.

• Press Release from April 30, 2004.
  
  
• Public Service Announcement video recording
  
  
• Medicare: Medicare has created a great website where you can go and sign up for a card. This site lets to compare the benefits of each card and chose the one that's right for you. www.medicare.gov.
  
  
• Elderly Commission SHINE Program: Filling out forms on the Internet can be difficult and confusing for some. To assist you in making the right decision, the City's Elderly Commission is available to help you chose a card. Trained counselors can help you fill out the enrollment forms and provide you with all the information you need to make the right decision. Call 617-635-4366 and ask to speak with a SHINE Counselor.
  
  
• Mayor's Health Line: If you are a disabled Medicare recipient or speak a primary language other than English, you can call the Mayor's Health Line—a free telephone service open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. You can reach multi-lingual staff by calling 1-800-847-0710 or (617) 534-5050. Residents may also call for information packets to be mailed.

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