Where to go for Medicare information

Here are a few good starting points on Medicare Part D:

GETTING STARTED

* New to Medicare Part D in 2009? Start at www.medicare.gov and click on Prescription Drug Plan, on the left, or call 800-MEDICARE (633-4227) for a compendium of all things Part D.

* Part D veteran? Head right to plan comparisons at Formulary (Drug) Finder. This option lets you compare the premiums, deductibles and drug co-pays for plans in your area. But the task is tedious. A recent search for a plan that covered just a single drug took 20 clicks on the site.

WHO CAN HELP

* The website My Medicare Matters, offered by the National Council on Aging, presents the very complex Part D information in simple terms and divides it into digestible chunks before sending you off to the next section.

* The Medicare Rights Center, an advocacy group based in New York and Washington, D.C, offers Medicare Part D telephone counseling from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EST) Monday through Friday. The group's website offers plenty of information as well.

* The National Alliance for Hispanic Health, an advocacy group, can answer questions about Part D benefits for Spanish-speaking beneficiaries. Call (866) 783-2645, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EST) Monday through Friday.

* California Health Advocates is a nonprofit Medicare education and advocacy group. Its site is well-written, but a little highbrow, with lots of acronyms, and is best used by Medicare-savvy beneficiaries and caregivers who have a good handle on basics.

* The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), run by the California Department of Aging, offers one-on-one counseling on Medicare, managed care and long-term care. A call to (800) 434-0222 is routed to the closest office.

Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program

LOW-INCOME AID

* Medicare offers financial assistance to low-income beneficiaries. Contact Medicare Extra Help to find out the qualifications for the program. Then go to BenefitsCheckupRX, and click on Apply for Medicare Rx Extra Help, or call 800-MEDICARE (633-4227).

* Information on low-income assistance is available on the California Health Advocates website (see above). California Health Advocates Click "Low-income help" to the left of the home page.

* HICAP operators (see above) also answer questions and provide resources.

-- Francesca Lunzer Kritz