Leah Kari
Leah Kari, licensed insurance agent and retired pharmaceutical representative
Are you wishing for an easy, more personalized experience when you access www.medicare.gov or call Medicare? Do you like to surf the plans available to you on www.medicare.gov, but dislike entering your prescription drugs repetitively? Knowing your prescription drug list, claims data for Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), and Part D (Medicare prescription drug insurance) can be easily accessed in one secure place may mean real peace of mind for you. Create this personal experience in minutes, using the www.medicare.gov secure Medicare account.
What is it? The online Medicare account’s design makes it simple for Medicare beneficiaries to keep prescription drug and personal health information in one place. By creating your own personal, secure Medicare account, (also known as a Blue Button account), you’ll be able to access your Medicare Part A, B, and D claims and personal health information. It’s simple to download your own records and share them with your providers or family members. Your information will be available when you look at Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D Prescription Drug plans, making plan comparisons easy.
What do I need to do? Access www.medicare.gov and click “Log in,” located in the far upper right corner of the page. Access “Create an Account” and follow the simple steps. You’ll need your Medicare card to create an account, and you’ll set your own username and password. When your account is created, you’ll see your current prescription drug plan and health insurance information. You’ll have options for different ways to access your data from the dropdown menu. Remember to download this personal information securely, using an encrypted or password-protected computer.
What’s in it for me? You will be able to create a personalized report for your family or providers. Those on Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and a stand-alone prescription drug plan, will have all Part A, B, and D claims accessible. Medicare beneficiaries on Medicare Advantage plans will see data for drug claims but will want to check with their plan’s member portal for additional health data.
Your prescription drug list becomes an easily updated working document, making reviewing your options easy where your prescription drugs are concerned. For those on Original Medicare (Parts A and B), a clear benefit is the ability to compare your health records with your provider and review for any inaccuracies that may exist in your electronic record.
If you’re not ready to create an account, access the www.medicare.gov live chat feature. This is a helpful way to ask Medicare questions and have those responses in print. You’ll also find a variety of new apps to download to help you manage and share your Medicare information. Telephone Medicare 24/7 at 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users dial 1 877 486 2048) or visit www.medicare.gov to see all that is available to you.
Contact Leah Kari, AMR, FHIAS, for more information at 520-484-3807 or email her at [email protected]. (TTY users please dial 711.)