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As the new year begins, men and women with Medicare who have already joined a Medicare drug program can take advantage of the new Medicare prescription drug coverage. Given that this is a new system for Medicare, you may have queries about how to use your Medicare drug strategy. For instance, what if you joined a plan but haven't received a strategy ID card in the mail however? Or, what if your drugs had been covered by Medicaid and you are not confident how to get your medicines now? Whatever queries you have, Medicare has answers.

Initial Pharmacy Trip

Here are some guidelines people with Medicare can use to make sure their initial trip to the pharmacy goes smoothly:

• When you first join a Medicare drug plan, you will get an acknowledgement letter in the mail about a week right after you join. Your program ID card must arrive three to five weeks later.

• If you need to have to go to the pharmacy just before your ID card medical billing fraud arrives, bring the acknowledgement letter from your program, your Medicare and/or Medicaid card, and a photo ID.

• Save the receipts from your pharmacist.

• For further help, call 1-800-MEDICARE, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People with Medicare and Medicaid

If your pharmacist is having difficulty confirming what program you're in or no matter whether you also get Medicaid, he can also call a special toll-cost-free quantity that Medicare set up home healthcare fraud for pharmacists to get aid. Folks with Medicare who also get Medicaid must be able to get their prescriptions filled with minimal copayments and no deductibles.

How to Join a Strategy

If you haven't joined a Medicare drug plan however, don't worry. You have till May 15, 2006 billing medicare to decide on and join a plan without having having to spend a penalty