at 5:30 pm on the Courthouse lawn with a Chamber After Hours at Gridiron Garage following.
Month: September 2014
https://runsignup.com/Race/IA/Glenwood/KeithKlanCupRun
Please share your photos #thinkpink2k14 ~ help support the fight against cancer!
On Friday, October 3rd from 6-10 PM at 111 Sharp Street, Glenwood. Grab your favorite mug of cheers and join us for our 2nd Annual Oktoberfest at the local brewery! There will be brauts, sauerkraut, chips, music, and more! Free will donation with all proceeds going to the Beautiful Community Flower Baskets! Sponsored by the Glenwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
Des Moines, Iowa — In less than a month Medicare will announce the 2015 Part D prescription drug plans. “While cost is certainly an important factor, there are other important considerations in choosing a plan,” says Kris Gross from the State of Iowa’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). “These other factors can affect what comes out of your pocket as much as the price of the drugs,” she adds.
The list of drugs a plan will cover is called the “formulary.” This list must include drugs in most commonly prescribed categories and classes, but not necessarily all drugs. Your specific drug may not be covered by a plan. If you or your doctor don’t believe any of the drugs on your plan’s drug list are appropriate, you can ask for an exception.
If a plan removes a drug you are taking from its list, you must be notified at least 60 days in advance. In most cases, if you have been actively taking the drug during the calendar year, you can continue taking it and the plan will cover it until the end of the year.
It’s also important to understand that plans may have coverage rules to make sure that certain drugs are used correctly and only when necessary. These rules may include prior authorization, step therapy, and quantity limits. Prior authorization means your doctor must first contact the plan and show there is a medically-necessary reason why you must use this particular drug before the plan will cover it. With step therapy you must first try certain less expensive drugs that have been proven effective for most people with your condition. Quantity limits may apply to certain drugs for safety and costs reasons. As you compare plans for 2015 check if any of these coverage rules will apply. Not all plans use the same rules.
Finding a plan that includes your pharmacy in its network is the other important factor. Your plan may not cover your prescription if you don’t go to a network pharmacy. You can check to see if a network pharmacy is a preferred pharmacy, where costs may be less, or if it offers 60 or 90-day programs where you can get 60 or 90-day supplies. Some plans offer mail-order programs that allow you to get up to a 90-day supply delivered to your home at cost-effective rates.
As you compare plans for 2015 include on your checklist the drugs covered (formulary), network pharmacies and coverage rules. For more information or questions on Medicare Part D plans, contact SHIIP at 1-800-351-4664 (TTY 1-800-735-2942).
SHIIP has counselors across the state who are available to meet with you one-to-one to discuss Part D plans. Call Mills County Public Health at 712-527-9699 to contact the counselor serving Mills County or call 1-800-351-4664 or go to www.therightcalliowa.gov for the site nearest you. SHIIP is a service of the State of Iowa and does not sell or promote any insurance policy, company or agent. All services are free, confidential and objective.
Open enrollment through the Healthcare.gov marketplace opens in November 2014 and closes on March 31st, 2015. Once open enrollment closes, only those with a qualifying life event will be able to enroll through the marketplace until November 2015. If you don’t have insurance for 90 consecutive days (three months), you will have to pay a fine of $95 or one percent (1%) of your 2014 income.
Signing up for insurance through Healthcare.gov can be intimidating, but we are here to help. Mills County Public Health is co-hosting Information Events at 212 Independence St. in Glenwood, Iowa, from 10-5 on Wednesday, September 10th and Wednesday, October 15, 2014. Local federally certified Navigators will be present to answer questions and help attendees determine their options for enrollment. Sign-up events are scheduled for the following dates from 10-5 at the same location:
November 18, 2014, December 18, 2014, January 18, 2015 and February 18, 2016. Navigators will be able to assist with on-line sign-up at these events.
These events are free and open to the public for walk-in assistance, or you can call Mills County Public Health at 712-527-9699 to set up an appointment.
Life can be unpredictable, and health insurance removes some of the risk. Health insurance helps keep people healthy and helps prevent bankruptcy due to the high cost of medical bills. Having health insurance not only brings about peace of mind, it is the law. Come to this event. Let us help you help yourself.