Local prescription drug plan earns top marks from Medicare

ROCHESTER, NY (10/25/2012)(readMedia)-- The prescription drug plan BlueCross BlueShield Rx PDP is one of four standalone Medicare Part D plans in the nation and the only such plan in New York state with the highest quality star rating from the federal government for 2013.*

BlueCross BlueShield Rx PDP is offered locally and throughout the state by New York's independent Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. The prescription drug plan is administered by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in cooperation with Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Empire BlueCross, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York.

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rate the quality of standalone Medicare Part D plans on a scale of one to five, with five stars representing the highest quality.

BlueCross BlueShield Rx PDP will provide drug coverage for Medicare-eligible individuals in New York state who are eligible for Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) and/or enrolled in Medicare Part B (physician and medical coverage).

Medicare Part D plans have emerged as a popular option for adults age 65 and older, with nine out of 10 seniors satisfied with these plans, according to a Medicare Today survey conducted from Aug. 31, 2012, through Sept. 10, 2012, by KRC Research. The survey is available at MedicareToday.org.

CMS rates standalone Part D plans on a variety of measures, including customer service, member complaints, responsiveness and medication adherence. The ratings were posted to the Medicare website to help beneficiaries select the best drug plan. Beneficiaries will see the star ratings when using Medicare's Plan Finder at Medicare.gov.

Plan performance star ratings are assessed each year and may change from one year to the next. For more information, go to NYMedicareRx.com.

*The number of standalone Medicare Part D plans in the state and nation was based upon a report issued on Oct. 12, 2012, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services titled "Fact Sheet – 2013 Part C and D Plan Ratings." The report, which evaluated 87 standalone Part D plans, is available on the CMS website, cms.gov.

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BlueCross BlueShield Rx PDP contracts with the federal government and is a stand-alone prescription drug plan with a Medicare contract. The plan is administered by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in cooperation with Empire BlueCross, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York. It's available to Medicare eligible members who reside in New York State.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Empire BlueCross, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

S3521_3164_0 CMS Accepted