e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service
        

Signing up for prescription drug plan is fast, simple, easy

April 6, 2004    News media contact:  Michael Wacht*   
407-897-1140    mwacht@flumc.org     Orlando  {0053}

An e-Review Commentary
By J.A. Buchholz**

When my boss asked me to sign up for the United Methodist Association's discount prescription drug plan administered by DestinationRx to show [e-Review] readers how simple it is, I wondered how simple it would really be.

As someone who is leery of just about everything except the on button on a computer, I didn't know what to expect when I decided to sign up for the DestinationRx discount prescription plan.

Sure, I had spoken with the president and chief financial officer for the United Methodist Association who repeatedly assured me it was straightforward and quick to sign up, but this is the girl who is not exactly computer savvy and has AOL as an Internet service provider because it's the least intimidating. I have nightmares of trying to sign up for things on-line and the site doesn't work right or they ask for information you don't exactly have at your fingertips, such as your mother's social security number. Who has committed that to memory?

I was relieved to discover all I had to do was go to the Florida Conference home page at http://www.flumc.org and click on the "Drug Benefit Now Available to All U.S. United Methodists" icon, which took me to a story from the United Methodist News Service with a highlighted area to enroll above the story. Once you click on that, the second page takes you directly to the United Methodist Association with an icon that allows you to apply online.

The next page is the sign-up page with 13 fields to be completed with basic information, such as name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, birthday and gender. There are no other forms.

That's it. I couldn't believe it. It really was simple and easy.

After submitting my information I received a message saying I should receive my card within seven to 10 days. Since I do have a prescription card with my health insurance plan, I'm not sure what kind of financial savings I will reap, but with a child on the way every little bit helps.

So, I encourage you to seek out [United Methodist] family and friends with little or no prescription drug plan coverage, since those will see the largest financial benefit of the program, to enroll in the program.

You have nothing to lose and could possibly gain a few extra dollars in your pocket. Who couldn't use that?

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This article relates to the Health and Wholeness.

*Wacht is director of Florida United Methodist Communications and managing editor
of e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service.
**Buchholz is a staff writer for e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service.