Parsing Through Prescription Plans

Then you're ready for the big click: compare plans. Within seconds, you'll see a listing of plans, with the lowest-cost plans listed first.

But you must take two more steps. Instead of just picking the lowest-cost plan, use the tool on this page to compare two or three plans. As you compare, look at the list of pharmacies on their list. Then you must click twice more because the best feature of the plan finder is buried under a little tab at the top of each plan description on the comparison page.

Be sure to click on "More Information" and then on "View Plan Details." Then scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll see a bar chart showing you how much you'll pay every month. That's very important because some plans may start out with an inexpensive monthly cost, and then you'll find your expenditures jumping dramatically when you hit that uncovered portion called the "doughnut hole."

You'll probably prefer a plan that promises level payments, making it easier to budget. So be sure to use this bar chart to compare monthly out-of-pocket costs. It is the most useful part of the plan finder.

Now you're ready to sign up. Instructions on how to contact each plan are right on your screen. Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the name of the plan provider. They've all been approved by Medicare. And your pharmacy has agreed to work with them.

You're getting your own meds from your own pharmacy -- and now you know that you're getting them at the lowest possible cost. And that's The Savage Truth.