If you’re a beneficiary of the federal Medicare health insurance program and you’re considering signing up for — or changing — your prescription drug plan, now’s the time.

The annual open enrollment period starts today — and runs through Dec. 31 — for Medicare Part D, which helps pay for prescription drug costs.

About 176,000 Rhode Islanders take part in Medicare, so this is an important issue for a lot of people, said Larry Grimaldi, chief of information and public relations for the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs.

It’s possible that your prescription drug expenses are already covered — maybe through a plan affiliated with an employer, a union, the military or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for instance.

If not, you may get help through a prescription drug plan offered by insurance companies under the Medicare banner.

You may choose from among 47 standalone plans, or 11 Medicare Advantage plans, that are offering coverage in the Rhode Island market for next year.

You can use the open enrollment period to enroll for the first time or to switch plans, Grimaldi said. If you sign up by Dec. 31, coverage will start Jan. 1, he said.

If you’re satisfied with the plan you have, you can stay put. However, even if you already have a plan, “This is a good time to review for cost, coverage and convenience,” Grimaldi said in an interview yesterday at his office in Cranston.

Here’s a summary:

•Standalone Plans: In general, these plans offer prescription drug coverage only; they do not offer general health insurance coverage.

If you’re in a standalone plan for this year, don’t assume that it will stay the same for next year, said Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, a national consumer service group based in New York.

“Most plans change their costs and benefits each year,” he said.

So consider using the enrollment period as an opportunity to shop around, he said. Keep in mind that terms and conditions of each plan vary.

For example, monthly premiums for standalone plans in the Rhode Island market will range from $19.40 to $111.30 for next year.

There’s also variation in the annual deductible, which is the amount you must pay, out of pocket, before insurance coverage kicks in. (Some plans have no deductible; others have a deductible as high as $295.)

Once you reach a certain spending threshold, there is no coverage; coverage resumes once you reach another, higher threshold.

The “in-between” section is sometimes called the coverage gap or doughnut hole. Many plans offer no coverage in the gap; other plans offer some coverage, but only for generic drugs.

Of all the standalone plans in which Rhode Islanders are enrolled for this year, the most popular plans are those offered by Humana and by UnitedHealthcare, according to figures from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

•Advantage Plans: Medicare Advantage plans aren’t pure prescription drug plans; they’re more like one-stop-shopping plans that offer health insurance and may include prescription drug coverage.

Terms and conditions vary by plan. For example, monthly premiums range from zero to $198.

For the plans with a prescription drug feature, some offer no coverage in the gap; some cover generics in the gap; some cover certain generic and brand drugs in the gap.

Of the Medicare Advantage plans in which Rhode Islanders are enrolled for this year, the most popular plans by far are those offered by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and by UnitedHealthcare, federal enrollment figures show.

•Getting Help: Choosing a stand-alone plan or a Medicare Advantage plan is complicated. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it yourself; there’s free assistance available.

To get help picking a plan that best suits your needs, and to find out how to reach a local counselor for free help in choosing a plan, contact The Point, the state-run resource for seniors and adults with disabilities. Call (401) 462-4444, or use this Web site:

www.ThePointRI.org

You may also call the Medicare program toll-free at (800) 633-4227, or use its Web site:

www.medicare.gov

The Medicare Rights Center also has information available about choosing a plan. Call toll-free at (800) 333-4114, or use its Web site:

www.medicarerights.org

TODAY’S TIP: The Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs will hold a seminar Dec. 8 for Medicare beneficiaries who need help picking a prescription drug plan for the new year.

The seminar, free and open to the public, will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick.

Beneficiaries will have a chance to review their existing plans, look at other plans and meet with a certified Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) counselor. Flu shots and health screenings will also be available.

The seminar is also sponsored by The Point and by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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