Contacting the Social Security Office
For more information and to find copies of their publications, visit their website at www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free, 1-800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of hearing, call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778). They can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. They provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day.
They treat all calls confidentially. They also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why they have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls. To protect your personal information and prevent identity theft, they cannot issue Social Security numbers or cards online.
Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
Medicare Prescription Drug Plans are offered by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare. They add coverage to:
- Original Medicare
- Some Medicare Cost Plans
- Some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans and
- Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
With a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan:
- Generally, you pay less for your prescriptions.
- You will get a plan member card after you enroll. You use this card when you go to the pharmacy to get your prescriptions filled.
- You will pay the copayment, coinsurance, and/or deductible, if any
If you have limited income and resources, you may get extra help to pay for your Medicare drug plan costs.If you want to compare Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, use the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder.
Medicare Health Plans
Medicare Health Plans (like HMOs and PPOs) often cover prescription drugs. Medicare Health Plans include:
- Medicare Advantage Plans
- Other Medicare Health Plans
Medicare Advantage Plans (like HMOs and PPOs) that include prescription drug coverage as part of the plan are health plan options that are approved by Medicare but run by private companies. They are part of the Medicare Program. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan you are still in Medicare.
With Medicare Advantage Plans:
- You generally get all your Medicare-covered health care through that plan.
- You may get extra benefits, such as coverage for vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs.
- You usually will have to pay some other costs (such as copayments or coinsurance) for the services you get. Out-of-pocket costs in these plans are generally lower than in Original Medicare, but vary by the services you use.
- You may have to see doctors that belong to the plan or go to certain hospitals to get covered services.
- You don’t need to buy a Medigap policy.
Medicare Advantage Plans include:
- Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO)
- Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO)
- Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) Plans
- Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans
- Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNP)
Other Medicare Health Plans
There are some types of Medicare Health Plans that include prescription drug coverage as part of the plan but that aren’t part of Medicare Advantage that are still part of the Medicare Program. With these plans, you generally get all your Medicare-covered health care through that plan.
- Medicare Cost Plans
- Demonstrations/Pilot Programs
- PACE (Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly)
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