Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, unbiased, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
Medicare Open Enrollment
The annual Medicare Open Enrollment season is coming to a close December 7th. If you have not already, review your Part D or Medicare Advantage Plan to make any changes by that deadline.
If you need assistance call or email Arlington's VICAP Team to schedule an appointment. One of our Certified Medicare Specialists will gladly assist.
703-228-1725
Medicarehelp@arlingtonva.us
Visit Arlington County's VICAP Website
Find a Local SHIP Counselor
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World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for every community and individual to honor the more than 32 million people who have died worldwide from AIDS-related illness. December 1 is a day for voices to unite by sharing experiences, remembering those lost, and standing together in the fight against HIV.
Anyone at any age can be infected with HIV. A growing number of older people are living with HIV/AIDS. One reason is because improved treatments are helping people with the disease live longer. Nearly half of people living with HIV in the United States are age 50 and older. (Read More)
Medicare beneficiaries can receive HIV screenings under Part B once a year if they are:
- Between the ages of 15–65.
- Younger than 15 or older than 65 and at an increased risk for HIV.
Medicare Part B covers FDA-approved Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) using antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV in individuals at increased risk. Note that Part D covers PrEP for individuals who have HIV and take PrEP to treat their HIV.
Click Here for additional resources.
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Vaccines during flu and cold season
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), flu and cold season typically peaks between December and February. This flu season, it's important to get your vaccine to help lower your risk of serious illness. Medicare covers the flu vaccine at no cost to you.
This year people 65 and older can get a trivalent flu shot that protects against 3 different flu viruses and lowers the risk of hospital visits and death. Older adults are also at higher risk of getting sick from respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The COVID-19 vaccine and RSV shot are also covered by Medicare and can be offered through your provider or a local pharmacy. Click here to learn more about how your vaccines are covered under Medicare.
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5 ways to get help with prescription costs
Open Enrollment is a great opportunity for you to switch your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan if that makes sense for you, however, what if the cost of your prescription is still too high when you switch plans? Below are tips to help you save costs on your prescriptions.
- Apply for Extra Help.
Medicare and Social Security have a program called Extra Help—a way for people with limited income and resources to get help with Medicare Part D costs. If you qualify for Extra Help, you would pay no more than:
- $4.90 for each generic covered drug in 2025
- $12.15 for each brand-name covered drug in 2025
- Consider switching to generics or other lower-cost drugs.
There may be generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs that would work just as well as the ones you're taking now. Speak to your doctor to find out if this is an option for you. You might also be able to lower your prescription drug costs by using mail-order pharmacies.
- Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Patient Assistant Program.
Some pharmaceutical companies offer programs to help pay for medications for people enrolled in Medicare's Part D Prescription Drug Plan. Find out whether there’s a Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Patient Assistant Program that can lower prescription costs for the drugs you take. Each company has different eligibility requirements. Contact the company to find out if you’re eligible and start getting help.
- State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs.
Many states and the U.S. Virgin Islands offer help paying for prescriptions, drug plan premiums and/or other drug costs. Find out if your state has a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program that you can benefit from.
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AARP's "Fraud Wars" Episode 1: Judith Boivin Had $600,000 Stolen in an FBI Imposter Scam
Virginia SMP | October 31, 2025
By the time the scammers posing as law enforcement called Judith Boivin’s cellphone, they had researched their target well. They knew she’d worked as a registered nurse and a clinical social worker before becoming a licensed therapist. They knew she had worked in Belize to help children with HIV and had lived for three years in Mexico while she helped a priest establish a mission. (Read More)
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Dear VICAP Team,
I was recently prescribed a new prescription that is covered under my Part D plan, but it had a very high copay. What can I do about this?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
If you are taking a prescription that is covered under your Part D plan but has a high-cost copay, it could mean that your prescription is on a high tier. Part D plans use tiers to categorize prescription drugs. Higher tier prescriptions have higher cost sharing amounts and are more expensive. Part D plans set their own tiers that may change each year.
If you find that your prescription copay is not affordable, you can ask for a tiering exception through a Part D appeal process. A tiering exception can help you request lower cost-sharing. In order to request an exception, you or your doctor have to show your plan that the drugs on lower tiers used to treat your condition, are ineffective or dangerous for you. You can use the guidance offered below to request a tiering exception:
- If your copay is high at the pharmacy, check with your plan and pharmacist to learn why. If it is on a higher tier than other prescriptions on your plans formulary that are used to treat your condition, then you can ask for a tier exception.
- Ask your plan about the process for requesting a tier exception.
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A letter of support from your provider explaining why similar prescriptions on your plan's formulary are ineffective or harmful to you, can support your request.
- If your plan approves your request, your prescription will be covered at a cost-sharing amount that applies to the lower tier, typically until the end of the current calendar year. If your request is denied, you should receive a letter titled Notice of Denial of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. The decision can be appealed.
Remember to review your Part D plan benefits each year. If you find that your prescription is covered at a high cost, you can review other Part D plans and consider switching during the Fall Open Enrollment to a plan that covers your prescription at a lower cost to you.
 Interested in joining our team? Click here to complete an online volunteer application or contact the Arlington County VICAP team by phone or email:
703-228-1725
MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0064, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy
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