Placitas Community Library hosting Medicare program next month

Placitas Community Library will be hosting a Medicare program event next month to show attendees how to navigate Medicare prescription drug coverage options and costs.

The event will be hosted by Dr. Neal Solomon, who has more than 40 years of experience as a pharmacist. Solomon was the pharmacy administrator for the state Medicaid program, overseeing the transition of Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles to Medicare Part D drug coverage.

The vent is 10 a.m. Nov. 29.

Solomon will explore the cardinal rules of health care:

• How insurance and health care are entirely different industries.
• If you ask the right question to the wrong person, you will always get the wrong answer.
• How drug “coverage” and benefit design work.
• How some drugs are so inexpensive, insurance (“coverage”) saves you little.
• “Trust is good, evidence is better”.
• There are two ways to save money on medication costs:
  • Switch to a different plan
  • Switch to a different drug
• Every problem in health comes down to two things:
  • Continuity of care
  • Education

Attendees are asked to bring an anonymous list of medications and health conditions to get a breakdown of out-of-pocket costs under:

• Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans
• Supplemental Medicare (Medigap) plans
• Approximate “cash” price