Effective January 1, 2010
Tufts Medicare Preferred to Offer Prescription Drug, Supplement Plans

Effective January 1, 2010, Tufts Health Plan Medicare Preferred will offer a prescription drug plan and group Medicare Supplement plans.

Prescription Drug Plan
This stand-alone Part D Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) will be offered to those who have Medicare as their primary medical plan and need to obtain drug coverage (Part D) by joining a Medicare PDP. Those covered under a Medicare Advantage HMO plan, such as the Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO, cannot elect the new PDP.

Members who elect the PDP as individuals, not through an employer group, will have a 4-tier plan. Tier 4 includes Specialty Drugs. Members who join through an employer group will have a 3-tier plan.

Members who join the PDP will be issued a Prescription Drug Plan card. To identify a Tufts Health Plan PDP member, the card will be clearly labeled with “PDP” displayed in the upper right corner.

Medicare Supplement Plans
Under these group Medicare Supplement plans, providers should submit medical claims directly to Medicare. Those claims will then be sent to Tufts Medicare Preferred for processing as crossover claims. Claims will not need to be submitted directly to Tufts Medicare Preferred as secondary claims.

Claims for Tufts Medicare Complement (TMC) members should continue to be sent to Tufts Health Plan as secondary claims according to the current process.

Questions should be directed to the Tufts Medicare Preferred Customer Relations Department at 800-279-9022.

November 1, 2009