If you recently enrolled in Part D after your 65th birthday, you may have received a letter from private insurance companies on behalf of Medicare requesting you to complete a “Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage” form. This declaration is essential as the government needs to verify that you haven’t gone without prescription drug coverage for more than 63 days since you became eligible for Medicare. In this article, we will explain the importance of this declaration, how to complete it, and answer some frequently asked questions.

Importance of Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage

The Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage is necessary to confirm that you have had continuous prescription drug coverage since you became eligible for Medicare. If you have not had continuous coverage, you may be subject to a penalty fee for late enrollment. The penalty fee increases each year that you do not have creditable prescription drug coverage, and it is calculated based on the number of months you went without coverage.

Completing the Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage Form

You will receive a letter from the private insurance company, on behalf of Medicare, called the “Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage.” This will arrive in the mail soon. This is a normal step in the process and nothing to worry about. It is the government confirming that you did not have a break in prescription drug coverage for more than 63 days since becoming Medicare eligible at age 65. Since you did not have a break in drug coverage, simply fill out the form with the dates that you had drug coverage. Some examples of this could be your employer health insurance, or a prior Part D plan from Medicare. Fill in the requested information (name of the health insurance, the coverage start and end date, etc) and mail it back to the requested address. Alternatively, you can call your new Prescription Drug Plan Company directly and give them a verbal attestation over the phone, stating that you did not have a gap in coverage. Either option is sufficient.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Who needs to complete the Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage form?

A: Anyone who has recently enrolled in Medicare Part D and has received a letter requesting them to complete the form needs to do so.

Q: What happens if I don’t complete the form?

A: If you don’t complete the form, you may be subject to a penalty fee for late enrollment.

Q: What should I do if I am unsure if I have had continuous prescription drug coverage?

A: You can contact your previous health insurance provider or Medicare to verify if you have had continuous coverage.

The Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage is an essential form that Medicare requires to verify that you have had continuous prescription drug coverage. If you have received a letter requesting you to complete the form, make sure to provide the dates and name of the health insurance plan you had. It is crucial to complete this form to avoid penalty fees for late enrollment. If you have any questions, call the Medicare advisors at Plan Medicare and we can assist you with this process.