CMS Announces First Phase of Improvements to new Medicare Plan Finder
CMS is continuing to work on improvements for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period, and have already announced a few updates to the new Medicare Plan Finder system. More updates are expected in the coming weeks.
CMS has released updated Q&As, now with this list of MPF improvements that are planned to be in place by the start of AEP on October 15:
- Display drug tier costs
- Link directly from MyMedicare.gov to new Plan Finder
- Integrate partial gap coverage into cost sharing
- Adding Original Medicare info and card for comparison
- Add sort option for total cost (plan premium + drug costs)
- Add footnote for excluded drugs
- Maintain filters and SNP selections when using back button
- Add option to add mail order on pharmacy selection page
- Refine the ZIP code entry process
- Show distinction between preferred in-network versus in-network pharmacy on the Costs-by-Phase table
- Add note about over-the-counter drugs to drug-lookup page
- Add option to compare a third retail pharmacy when mail order isn’t selected
- Improve print format
- Update various backend technical details to prepare for display of 2020 plans
CMS has added several new resources to the Plan Finder page on its National Training website and encourage you to access these for information and training. A few highlights to note:
- New overview video, with end-to-end walkthrough
- Three new “Pointers” videos quick tips focused on plan results, pharmacy selection and adding prescription drugs
Registration is still open for CMS’ next Medicare Plan Finder webinar at 2:00 p.m. ET on October 9. Register here.
