MEDICARE PART D
NOTICE OF NONCREDITABLE COVERAGE

To participants, spouses and dependents eligible or becoming eligible for Medicare.
Important notice regarding your prescription drug coverage under this Plan and Medicare Part D.

Introduction
Please read this notice carefully and keep it where you can find it. This notice contains information about prescription drug coverage provided by this Plan and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage available for everyone with Medicare. It also tells you where to find more information to help you make decisions about your prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage became available in 2006.
You may have heard about Medicare’s prescription drug coverage and wondered how it will affect you. Medicare prescription drug coverage became available to everyone with Medicare in 2006. All Medicare Part D prescription drug plans provide at least a standard level of coverage set by Medicare. Some plans might also offer more coverage for a higher monthly premium.

You might want to consider enrolling in Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Prescription drug coverage provided by this Plan is limited to your available account balance and is considered “non-creditable.” In other words, coverage provided by this Plan is, on average for all plan participants, NOT expected to pay out as much as the standard Medicare prescription drug coverage will pay. Therefore, you might want to consider enrolling in a Medicare prescription drug plan.

If you don’t enroll when first eligible, you may pay more and have to wait to enroll.
Generally, individuals can enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan when they first become eligible for Medicare and each year from November 15 through December 31. If, after becoming eligible for Medicare, you go 63 days or longer without creditable coverage (prescription drug coverage that is at least as good as Medicare’s prescription drug coverage); your premium will go up at least 1% per month for every month after May 15, 2006 that you did not have creditable coverage. You will have to pay this higher premium as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. For example, if you go nineteen months without creditable coverage, your premium will always be at least 19% higher than what many other people pay.

If you, your spouse or dependents are currently Medicare eligible, you need to make a decision.
The terms of this Plan will not change if you choose to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan. This Plan will continue to reimburse all qualified premiums and expenses, including prescription drug costs not payable under the Medicare prescription drug plan, subject to the terms of the Plan and limited to your available account balance. When making your decision whether to enroll, you should compare your current coverage, including which drugs are covered, with the coverage offered by the Medicare prescription drug plans in your area.

Information resources
More detailed information about Medicare plans that offer prescription drug coverage is contained in the Medicare & You handbook from Medicare available online at www.medicare.gov. You may also be contacted directly by Medicare-approved prescription drug plans. Obtain additional information by (1) visiting www.medicare.gov for personalized help; (2) calling your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (see your copy of the Medicare & You 2006 handbook for telephone numbers); or (3) calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

For people with limited income and resources, extra help paying for a Medicare prescription drug plan is available. Find out more by visiting the Social Security Administration online at www.socialsecurity.gov, or by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

NOTE: You might receive this notice at other times in the future such as before the next period you can enroll in Medicare prescription drug coverage and when necessitated by coverage changes. You may also request a copy at anytime from the TPA.