Prescription Advantage
Prescription Advantage is program offered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide residents with assistance with medication costs. The program is available to residents age 65 and older, as well as younger individuals with disabilities, who meet income and employment guidelines. For those individuals with Medicare who qualify for the program, Prescription Advantage provides secondary coverage to help reduce the cost of premiums, copayments, and prescriptions during the coverage gap.
Currently Prescription Advantage is open to new members and it is highly recommended to apply now even if you only have a few medications. For an application you may visit their website or call Prescription Advantage at 1-800-243-4636.
For Medicare beneficiaries that are approved for Prescription Advantage, you will receive a special opportunity to switch or enroll into a new Medicare Prescription Drug plan. MassMedLine can assist you in choosing the most cost effective plan in combination with Prescription Advantage. We can also assist you by explaining how your Medicare Part D plan will work with Prescription Advantage.
Beginning January 1st, 2009, due to state budget cuts, Prescription Advantage reduced assistance for a large portion of members. For members in categories S2, S3 and S4 Prescription Advantage will not provide deductible or co-pay assistance until the member has reached the coverage gap (donut hole) with their Medicare Drug Plan. In 2009, the coverage gap is reached when the total retail cost of a member’s covered prescription drugs is $2,700. Once the coverage gap is reached, Prescription Advantage co-payment assistance will begin at the same levels as 2008.
Members in these categories will continue to receive coverage for the benzodiazepine drug class, these medication include Lorazepam, Alprazolam, and Clonazepam. Prescription Advantage will continue to provide premium assistance for those members in the S2 and S3 categories in 2009.
For further information about these changes please review the 2009 Prescription Advantage Rate Schedule and Fact Sheet. Please contact MassMedLine at 1-866-633-1617 or Prescription Advantage at 1-800-243-4636 with any questions or concerns.