Medicare choices
May 1st 2019, 4:13 pm
#61
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2019
Location: Northern Nevada
Posts: 520
Re: Medicare choices
Yesterday we went to see the SHIP Medicare advisor at the Senior Center. SHIP is a federal Medicare advice service, so available in all states.
This was actually a worthwhile visit. We were furnished with 3 large printed volumes written by CMS. The old dear who volunteers here is pretty clued-up.
So, despite advice given here at BE, I have now sold the precious federal gift of Medicare to a private insurance company, aka. Medicare Advantage. The killer for me is the cost of Rx drugs. I can't stomach going into CVS every month and paying $125 for a bottle of pills. Now, originally I thought the Advantage plan was cheaper due to subsidising the Rx costs from other parts of the plan. But looking closer, I see that plans do not agree on the "Tier". For example in this case:
Original Medicare Part 'D' cheapest plan: Drug is Tier 3 Preferred Brand.
Aetna Advantage Plan: Drug is Tier 4 Non-Preferred.
My Advantage Plan: Drug is Tier 2 Generic.
How can this be? The lady at the Senior Center confirmed that not only do plans differ on their drug tiering, they can change drug tiers over time. So we have to review the plan each year and be prepared to switch plans if necessary. Surprise? I expect new revelations every day.
I have gained some useful insights here at BE. It is no use asking local friends what to do about Medicare, I just get a blank look and they say "Go see an Agent, it won't cost you anything".
For anyone looking at the Medicare options beyond parts A and B, here is the way to go using federal (non-commercial) sources:
1. Sign up at medicare.gov. This makes step 2 easier, as the plan finder frequently times out and you have to enter the same personal info from the beginning.
https://www.mymedicare.gov/registration.aspx
2. Go to medicare.gov plan finder:
https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan...ions/home.aspx
Follow the prompts for a list of plans. For the Advantage plans, select a plan, and then select the tab "Drug Costs and Coverage". Scroll down to see a month-by-month breakdown of the drug cost for the remainder of the year, including the dreaded "Donut Hole" months.
3. If you go the Medigap route - this is the preferred route if you can afford it, see earlier comments - the medicare.gov site is less useful. Go see an Agent, it won't cost you anything. I received Agent Medigap quotes that were better than online quotes.
This was actually a worthwhile visit. We were furnished with 3 large printed volumes written by CMS. The old dear who volunteers here is pretty clued-up.
So, despite advice given here at BE, I have now sold the precious federal gift of Medicare to a private insurance company, aka. Medicare Advantage. The killer for me is the cost of Rx drugs. I can't stomach going into CVS every month and paying $125 for a bottle of pills. Now, originally I thought the Advantage plan was cheaper due to subsidising the Rx costs from other parts of the plan. But looking closer, I see that plans do not agree on the "Tier". For example in this case:
Original Medicare Part 'D' cheapest plan: Drug is Tier 3 Preferred Brand.
Aetna Advantage Plan: Drug is Tier 4 Non-Preferred.
My Advantage Plan: Drug is Tier 2 Generic.
How can this be? The lady at the Senior Center confirmed that not only do plans differ on their drug tiering, they can change drug tiers over time. So we have to review the plan each year and be prepared to switch plans if necessary. Surprise? I expect new revelations every day.
I have gained some useful insights here at BE. It is no use asking local friends what to do about Medicare, I just get a blank look and they say "Go see an Agent, it won't cost you anything".
For anyone looking at the Medicare options beyond parts A and B, here is the way to go using federal (non-commercial) sources:
1. Sign up at medicare.gov. This makes step 2 easier, as the plan finder frequently times out and you have to enter the same personal info from the beginning.
https://www.mymedicare.gov/registration.aspx
2. Go to medicare.gov plan finder:
https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan...ions/home.aspx
Follow the prompts for a list of plans. For the Advantage plans, select a plan, and then select the tab "Drug Costs and Coverage". Scroll down to see a month-by-month breakdown of the drug cost for the remainder of the year, including the dreaded "Donut Hole" months.
3. If you go the Medigap route - this is the preferred route if you can afford it, see earlier comments - the medicare.gov site is less useful. Go see an Agent, it won't cost you anything. I received Agent Medigap quotes that were better than online quotes.
May 7th 2019, 3:29 pm
#62
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2019
Location: Northern Nevada
Posts: 520
Re: Medicare choices
Our Medicare cards arrived in the mail with part B starting 1st of this month, so we are now mostly covered. In the meantime we have been trying to avoid hospitalization by avoiding recklessly dangerous activities such as driving in the US or using pedestrian crossings.
Using pedestrian crossings here is particularly hazardous. The traffic light sequence at crossings is designed in such a way as to maximize pedestrian injury. Users are regularly maimed and killed on the Ped Xings. People place flower arrangements on the sidewalks to mark the passing of another foolish crossing user. What more can you do?
Using pedestrian crossings here is particularly hazardous. The traffic light sequence at crossings is designed in such a way as to maximize pedestrian injury. Users are regularly maimed and killed on the Ped Xings. People place flower arrangements on the sidewalks to mark the passing of another foolish crossing user. What more can you do?
