I do qualify to get medicare coverage A and B since Im on Soc sec disability. But, this does not pay for prescriptions, a very large expense ! It doesnt pay for my LLMD either.....but even Aetna only pays about half of her bill anyways.

Medicare will start paying for prescription drugs (part D?) in January 2006. Which ones, or if there'll be limits, I don't know.

Course you'll have to opt for this and will be charged for it.

Some pharmacies, (walgreens) offer help for Medicare patients. I haven't checked it out, so it could be some type of supplemental coverage.

Since I started on medicare in 1999, i purchased a medigap program that paid for all the deductibles and every other thing that medicare did not, EXCEPT prescription drugs. I did that because the cost per month of the plan that included drugs was more per month than i spent on drugs per month.

This year, during the enrollment period, i signed up for the prescription drug plan because i had a relapse and there was a medium possibility that i have to do IV meds. If i get better on orals, i'll go back to the plan without drug coverage.

Anyway, find out about your medigap plans -- that's what you need -- there are A LOT of out of pocket expenses if you don't have such a plan and for me, the monthly cost of that is WAY LESS than paying for all the out of pocket costs of medicare. Whether that's true for the drug portion depends on how many prescriptions you purchase monthly...

PS - you only qualify for medicare after you've been on SSDI for two years. no clue why there is that waiting period, but its there.

Scroll down to the second section and there are a bunch of links to various programs for meds. Some of the links you just put in what you take, your state and a little info and it will tell you what's available. (I believe the benefits check up one does that.) Way cool!
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/035162.html

I am on medicare and get most of my meds from patient assistance programs. (The affordable ones I pay for.) You can also just call up the manufacturer and ask.

I am currently getting neurontin and, any day now, zithromax, I hope.

I hope this helps.