Jim Sutton’s Weblog

You can find a description of Medicare and a definition of the various “parts” of Medicare at Future Years and some more detailed information on the Medicare Drug Plans.

The Medicare site has a moderately useful tool to help you choose a drug plan.  You enter the drugs you are taking, and the tool returns a number of drug plans in your area, including a number sorted by expected cost of premiums and drugs.

While anyone may purchase a Medicare Drug Plan, there is a means (income) test that can effect the cost of the plan.  Largely, these plans divide drugs into three categories, ranging from generics (which have small or no copayment) through “non-preferred” (brand name) drugs, which may have substantial copayments.