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"Illinois Cares Rx was created to make sure that no senior or
disabled person would be left behind by the federal Medicare Part D
program," Blagojevich said. "I want to encourage seniors to go
online and apply to get these best-in-the-nation prescription drug
benefits. It is also critical for all other previously eligible
seniors to reapply as soon as possible to make sure they stay
covered through next year." Seniors and people with disabilities
who currently have coverage but need to reapply can fill out an
application via the Internet to avoid a break in Illinois Cares Rx
coverage and to ensure coverage continues on Jan. 1, 2008. The
deadline for applications is Dec. 31, but the Illinois Department on
Aging is encouraging everybody to apply now in order to avoid a
break in coverage if they wait until the end of the calendar year.
Blagojevich and the Department on Aging made the Illinois Cares
Rx applications available online to make it easier and quicker to
apply for benefits and to accommodate the increasing number of older
people accessing the World Wide Web. Several recent studies show
that seniors are the fastest growing population of Internet users.
Last year the number of Internet applications more than doubled,
when nearly 159,000 people took advantage of the Internet to file
their Illinois Cares Rx applications and Circuit Breaker claims,
compared with 75,288 filed online in all of 2005.
Before logging on to the Internet, the Blagojevich administration
suggests having the following information available in order to make
the process smoother: Social Security number(s), amount of property
taxes paid in 2006, amount of rent paid in 2006 and a copy of 2006
federal tax returns.
"If you haven't applied for the Illinois Cares Rx drug coverage
program this year because your income was over the limit, or you
didn't think you were eligible, I encourage you to try again," said
Illinois Department on Aging Director Charles D. Johnson. "Those
seniors who have access to the Internet, file for Illinois Cares Rx
online at www.illinoisbenefits.org so that you can get your benefits
faster. And if you don't own a computer, I recommend reaching out to
family members who do own computers and use theirs, visit your local
Area Agency on Aging or senior center, or contact a SHIP volunteer
in your community. And remember, if you have any questions, you can
always call the Illinois Department on Aging's Senior HelpLine at
1-800-252-8966."
Illinois Cares Rx provides a safety net for seniors and people
with disabilities when their out-of-pocket costs for prescription
drugs go up under the federal program. Illinois Cares Rx also offers
drug coverage for people who don't have Medicare. This year, a
significant number of seniors received Social Security
cost-of-living adjustments putting them over the income limit for
the program. Based on this fact, the new income eligibility levels
for Illinois Cares Rx are as follows:
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Total income must
be less than $22,793 for a single person.
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Total income must
be less than $30,594 for a married couple.
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Total income must
be less than $38,393 for a family of three.
Those eligible for Illinois Cares Rx fall into one of the
following groups whether you have Medicare or not:
1. Illinois Cares Rx Plus
Who can enroll? If you are 65 years of age or older and have an
annual income of no more than $21,936; or a married couple with an
annual income of no more than $29,412; and a citizen or qualified
noncitizen.
What's covered? Almost all prescription drugs are covered.
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2. Illinois Cares Rx Basic
Who can enroll? Seniors or people age 16 and over with
disabilities and with income less than $22,793 for a single person
or $30,594 for a married couple.
What's covered? Prescription drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's
disease, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, cardiovascular
disease, lung disease and smoking-related illnesses, osteoporosis,
Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and HIV/AIDS (if you have
Medicare).
In 2007, the standard federal Medicare Part D prescription drug
program will pay 75 percent of prescription drug costs up to $2,400
after a $265 deductible, with an average premium of $24 per month.
Beneficiaries are responsible for all of their costs between $2,400
and $5,451.25, with the plan paying 95 percent of costs beyond that
top threshold. The gap where a beneficiary has to pay all the drug
costs, between $2,400 and $5,451.25, is commonly referred to as the
"doughnut hole." The Illinois Cares Rx program assists members with
Medicare by filling in this gap in coverage. People with Medicare
applying for Illinois Cares Rx must also apply for Medicare's Extra
Help for drug coverage through the Social Security Administration.
Apply for Medicare Extra Help by calling 1-800-772-1213 toll-free or
online at www.ssa.gov online.
The Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans currently
coordinating with Illinois Cares Rx are the AARP MedicareRx Plan,
UnitedHealth Rx Basic and WellCare Signature. The Medicare Advantage
companies currently coordinating with Illinois Cares Rx are Group
Health Plan, Health Alliance, HealthSpring, OSF Health Plans,
SecureHorizons by United Healthcare and WellCare HMO. The
stand-alone prescription drug plans are available statewide.
Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans may be available only in
certain areas.
Individuals eligible for the Illinois Cares Rx program may also
be eligible for additional benefits from the state's Circuit Breaker
program. The Circuit Breaker program provides a property tax relief
grant for individuals who pay property tax on their residence or
rent or nursing home charges on a residence that is subject to
property tax. In addition, the program provides an annual $54
discount on the license plate fee for one vehicle. However, the new
income guidelines for Illinois Cares Rx affect the drug coverage
benefits only. The income limits for the Circuit Breaker property
tax grant and license plate discount have not changed.
In June 2005 Blagojevich signed the "No Senior or Person with
Disability Left Behind" law, which created the Illinois Cares Rx
program, the nation's most comprehensive response to fill in the
gaps created by the federal prescription drug program. Illinois
Cares Rx took effect Jan. 1, 2006, with the start of the new
Medicare prescription coverage and has provided extra assistance to
nearly 245,000 Illinois Cares Rx members and other Medicare
beneficiaries.
To apply for Illinois Cares Rx or to find out more information
about the new income guidelines, please call the Illinois Department
on Aging's Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 (888-206-1327 TTY) or
visit
www.illinoisbenefits.org.
[Text from file received from the
Illinois Office of Communication and Information]
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