Plans, Pharmacies Unveil Part D Help Site

A group of U.S. health plans and pharmacies have launched an online guide to help seniors choose a Medicare Part D prescription-drug plan.

Millions of Medicare beneficiaries now have access to a new online resource to evaluate their prescription drug plan choices for 2007, the major U.S. health plan trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the National Community Pharmacists Association said in a joint statement released Thursday. By visiting http://www.healthdecisions.org/guide, beneficiaries can work through an interactive prescription drug plan guide to determine which type of drug plan best meets their individual needs.

The new Web site includes a number of user-friendly features, the groups said, including:

— A three-step tutorial designed to assist beneficiaries with the enrollment process.

— Worksheets that can be completed online and printed at home.

— A progress bar prominently displayed on the bottom of each page to help beneficiaries understand where they are in the step-by-step process.