November 17, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

Beginning January 1, 2006, over 42 million Americans will be eligible to participate in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage program. Numerous national and local organizations are currently working to assist people covered by Medicare in understanding the benefits offered and to select a plan. Johns Hopkins is committed to helping as well.

In the coming weeks you’ll be seeing tabletop displays with cards, posters and other communications that provide our patients and their caregivers with information about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, including contact information for national and local resources that can provide education and counseling services.

You’re likely to get questions from your Medicare patients and customers. As an employee and/or provider of care at Johns Hopkins, you are strongly encouraged to be informed and available to assist Hopkins’ patients, their family and other caregivers, and your colleagues with their questions about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. While we cannot advise patients as to which plan to select, we want to do our part to make them aware of the program and to direct them to credible sources of information and assistance. In particular, we want them to know how to determine if the medications and pharmacies they use are included in the plan.

The attached tool kit, http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/medicarerx/providers/toolkit.pdf, provides you with brief informational tools that can get you started in understanding the program, what it means to your patients, and how and when they need to sign up for a plan. Please review these materials and share them with your colleagues.

In addition, a Web site has been developed at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/medicarerx that offers links to a variety of comprehensive resources, including this tool kit, for you and for patients. There is also a list of designated contacts at various Johns Hopkins Medicine organizations who will serve as reference sources for materials and ongoing issues.

Enrollment for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage is already under way (began on November 15, 2005). Seniors must sign up by December 31, 2005 to get coverage beginning January 1, 2006. The last day for seniors to sign up for coverage in 2006 without a possible late enrollment penalty is May 15, 2006.

Please take time to review the materials, be informed, and talk with your Medicare patients about this as appropriate and whenever possible.

Best Regards,

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
Chief Executive Officer
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President
Johns Hopkins Health System
The Johns Hopkins Hospital