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From: IHS Pharmacists on behalf of Pittman, Robert E.
Sent: Tue 8/30/2005 1:19 PM
To: IHS Pharmacists
Subject: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - Area Trainings



Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) will start on January 1, 2006.  As part of our ongoing training, the Indian Health Service (IHS) Area Office Medicare Coordinators are planning outreach, education and enrollment training for September 2005.  The Area trainings schedule is listed below.

 

AREA                                      DATE                                      LOCATION

Aberdeen                                 September 29th                         Aberdeen, SD

Albuquerque                             September 29th                         Bernalillo, NM

Alaska                                      September 22nd                        Anchorage, AK

Bemidji                                     September 27th                         To Be Determined

Billings                                      September 27th                         Billings, MT

California                                  Sept. 22nd and 23rd                   Sacramento, CA

Nashville                                  To Be Determined                    Nashville, TN

Navajo                                     September 13th                         Gallup, NM

Oklahoma                                September 30th                         Midwest City, OK

Phoenix                                    September 28th                         Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix - Nevada sites             September 30th                         Las Vegas, NV

Portland                                   To Be Determined                    To Be Determined

Tucson                                     September 27th                         To Be Determined                    

 

These one day trainings are a follow-up to the Area Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) Awareness training which took place through June 2005 and the two open door forum conference calls on June 27, 2005 and August 18, 2005.  These trainings are designed for patient registration, patient benefits, billing office, pharmacy and other staff that will be working to educate and enroll patients in the Medicare prescription drug benefit.  Please note that these are Train-the-Trainer meetings and attendees are expected to take the information back to their facility and train local staff about Medicare outreach, education and enrollment.

 

While the end of the Fiscal Year is a challenging time for training, these trainings sessions were scheduled in September for several reasons including:

-         CMS is mailing out enrollment notices to dual eligible beneficiaries (those with both Medicare and Medicaid) starting in October,

-         Prescription drug plans will start marketing to beneficiaries in October,

-         Patients can start accessing the drug plan selection internet tool in mid October,

-         Many patients will come to clinic for the final time this calendar year during the month of October,

-         Plan formularies and premiums will be announced in September, and

-         The IHS and CMS Interagency Agreement (which funds the training sessions) expires at the end of September.

 

Attached is a list of the IHS Area Office Medicare Coordinators.  Please contact your Area Coordinator for additional information about the training session in your area.  Also attached is the draft agenda for the area training sessions.  While this training will prepare staff to start marketing the Medicare program and enrolling patients, additional information about the program will continue to be provided as it becomes available.  The IHS and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service will hold additional Open Door Forums in October and November 2005 to provide Medicare Part D updates and to allow sites to ask questions about the program.  Additionally, updates and questions and answers will be posted on the IHS web site at www.pharmacyissues.ihs.gov <http://www.pharmacyissues.ihs.gov/>  under the "Medicare and Medicaid" section.  If after contacting your IHS Area Office Medicare Coordinator you still have unanswered questions, please contact CAPT Robert Pittman, IHS Principal Pharmacy Consultant, at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>  or (301) 443-1190.