Consider these questions:

• Do the total prices of your current drugs add up to more than $200 per month and your Part D plan provides no donut hole coverage? (This means you will land in the donut hole in 2007 and have to pay the next $2,800 or so in drug costs by yourself.)
• Did you enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan before May 15, 2006, but you're unhappy with your plan, or you suspect that your plan may no longer be the best one for you in 2007?
• Did you decide not to enroll in the Part D prescription drug program when it was initially offered, but now want to re-evaluate that decision while the premium penalty percentage is still low?
• Do you just have questions or uncertainty about your current prescription drug costs and/or coverage?

The Medicare Part D annual enrollment period runs from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, when everyone who has Medicare Part A or is eligible for Part B can enroll in a Part D drug plan, or change to a different plan. The Federation urges everyone to re-evaluate Part D, especially if you answered "yes" to any of the questions above  Counselors will help you get information about your unique situation and assistance enroll or change Part D plans using the on-line computer system. And we can help people apply for Extra Financial Help.

For anyone who lives outside the Metro area, you can use the toll-free number to reach a counselor at the Federation's Health Plan Information Center, 1-877/783-5045 or take advantage of special one-on-one appointments at two locations in November and December.

Counseling is by appointment only at two locations.

Minnesota Senior Federation Office 
651/783-5019; 1855 University Ave. W., St. Paul; Wednesdays, Nov. 15, 22, 29 and Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays, Nov. 18, Dec. 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Medica Skyway Senior Center  
612/370-3869; 950 Nicollet Mall, Suite 290, Minneapolis; Wednesdays, Nov. 15, 29 and Dec. 13, noon-3 p.m.

To give you the most help during your appointment, bring these items with you:

• Your red, white and blue Medicare card; if you have lost your card, see if you can locate your Medicare identification number including the alpha letter at the end
• The identification card from any Medicare Part D plan you currently have, or any other health coverage you have that includes prescription drug coverage
• A list of all the prescription drugs you take; including the name of the drug (spelled exactly like it is on the pill bottle), dosage, number of times you take it per day; or just bring all your prescription bottles with you in a sturdy bag
• If you applied for Extra Help to pay for Part D and received a letter from the Social Security Administration, bring it, especially if it says the following at the top: "Medicare Prescription Drug Assistance - Notice of Award."

This year the Federation's Health Plan Information Center will dedicate itself to phone counseling for Part D and refer requests for face-to-face appointments to the Wednesday and Saturday counseling/enrollment events.