ANNUAL MEDICARE PART D NOTIFICATION DEADLINE FOR EMPLOYERS HAS CHANGED

The date by which employers must issue Medicare Part D Notices of Creditable/Non-Creditable Prescription Drug Coverage ("Medicare Part D Notices") to their group health plan participants has changed. The Medicare Part D Open Enrollment Period—which has previously run from November 1 to December 31—will run from October 15 to December 7 starting this year.  This means the annual Medicare Part D Notice must be distributed before October 15, 2011.

United States Department of Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") has issued a revised model notice reflecting the new open enrollment period.

Employers should update the Medicare Part D Notice for their employee and retiree medical/prescription drug plan(s) and distribute the updated notice before October 15, 2011. If not included with open enrollment materials that are distributed before October 15, 2011, the Medicare Part D Notice must be distributed separately.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the content of this alert, or need help updating your Medicare Part D Notice, please contact a member of Oppenheimer’s Employee Benefits Group.

This alert is a copyrighted publication produced by Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP. The information contained in this alert is of a general nature and is subject to change. Readers should not act without further inquiry and/or consultation with legal counsel.