Employers must distribute Medicare Part D Creditable Coverage Notices to Medicare-eligible individuals by October 15.
Employers with prescription drug plans must provide a notice to Medicare-eligible participants letting them know if their prescription drug coverage is “creditable” or “non-creditable.” Prescription drug coverage is creditable if it provides benefits that are at least as good as the standard Medicare Part D benefit.
Individuals have to enroll Medicare when they first become eligible. If they do not enroll at that time, they will be subject to a penalty premium charge when they enroll at a later date. Medicare-eligible individuals with creditable prescription drug coverage will not be subject to a penalty when enrolling in Medicare Part D after initial eligibility.
The Medicare Part D annual enrollment period runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. In order for employees to have the proper information about their prescription coverage in order to make an informed decision about enrollment, employers must distribute their Medicare Part D notices prior to October 15. Notices also must be provided before group health plan enrollment, when group health plan coverage ends, when creditable status changes, or upon request.
Model notices are available on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ website. Click here for access to the model notices.
