A Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS) Application consists of both a Valid Initial Online Application and a Valid Initial Retiree List. To submit a timely RDS Application for a given Plan Year, a Plan Sponsor must submit a Valid Initial Online Application AND a Valid Initial Retiree List prior to the expiration of the Application Deadline. A Plan Sponsor Application that fails to meet these requirements is not timely and the Plan Sponsor receives a notification that the Application has been denied.
Please note that a Plan Sponsor may choose to submit a Valid Initial Retiree List to CMS' RDS Center using one of the following methods:
- RDS Secure Website to RDS Center
- Vendor Mainframe to the RDS Center Mainframe
- CMS' Coordination of Benefits (COB) contractor using Voluntary Data Sharing Agreement (VDSA) or Mandatory Insurer Reporting (MIR)
- Plan Sponsor Mainframe to the RDS Center Mainframe
Regardless of how a Plan Sponsor elects to submit a Valid Initial Retiree List to CMS' RDS Center, a Valid Initial Online Application AND a Valid Initial Retiree List must be submitted by the Application Deadline to constitute a timely RDS Application.
The following table provides Application Deadlines for those Plan Sponsors with an Application that specifies a Plan Year that starts on the first day of the month.
NOTE: After the Authorized Representative signs the Plan Sponsor Agreement in the RDS Secure Website, a page displays that confirms the Plan Sponsor Agreement has been signed and the Valid Initial Online Application has been submitted. CMS' RDS Center strongly recommends that you print that page for your records.
If your Plan Year starts on a date other than the first day of the month, you may contact CMS' RDS Center to confirm your Application Deadline date.
| Plan Year Start Date | Application Deadline | Application Deadline When a 30-day Extension Has Been Granted |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2020 | July 2, 2020 | August 3, 2020 |
| November 1, 2020 | August 3, 2020 | September 2, 2020 |
| December 1, 2020 | September 1, 2020 | October 1, 2020 |
| January 1, 2021 | October 2, 2020 | November 2, 2020 |
| February 1, 2021 | November 2, 2020 | December 2, 2020 |
| March 1, 2021 | November 30, 2020 | December 30, 2020 |
| April 1, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | February 1, 2021 |
| May 1, 2021 | February 1, 2021 | March 3, 2021 |
| June 1, 2021 | March 2, 2021 | April 1, 2021 |
| July 1, 2021 | April 1, 2021 | May 3, 2021 |
| August 1, 2021 | May 3, 2021 | June 2, 2021 |
| September 1, 2021 | June 2, 2021 | July 2, 2021 |
| October 1, 2021 | July 2, 2021 | August 2, 2021 |
| November 1, 2021 | August 2, 2021 | September 1, 2021 |
| December 1, 2021 | September 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 |