medicare & supplemental insurance tips

[Ufrustrated2]

due to SSD related to MS, i have medicare Part A & Part B.

now i'm researching for something good/affordable (med & pharm) to supplement this.

its a maze on the internet for filling in this gap as most of you probably know.

anyways, looking for suggestions from folks with MS and their supplemental insurance.

[SarahL2491]

I signed up for the AARP $41 plan with NO deductible up front and my neurontin, inderal, prilosec, baclofen and other other drug only have a $5 each payment per month..........last year I was paying about $85 for those 4....and my provigil will only be about $85 I think.

I think it is worth it........there are cheaper plans as Dennis says.......but they will help you work thru it, which is how I wound up with my broker who helped me find the Medigap N which totally paid the 100% of my Tysabri (along with medicare)

[Sailorsong]

yes you sign up at medicare.gov They include tools to help you look for the plan that best fits your needs. Namely you can enter all of your current RX info to find out what each plan will cost for co-pays, and what your total costs for medications would be. Using this tool I found out that 9 of my VA Rx were a lot less if I get them through Medicare part D.

As I said I opted for a plan with no deductible to use in case I have to get an RX without going to the VA. I do know there is a plan AARP(I think) that the co-pay can be as low as $1.   But there is a deductible each year you have to pay first.

Dennis

[meg321]

How much do you save on drugs when on Plan D, is it worth it?

thanks, meg

[Ufrustrated2]

hey Dennis,

appreciate your post.

its good to know one can get Part D too even if one has VA coverage. I didn't know that.

let me ask a question, do i just go to medicare website to sign up for Plan D if i want to enroll?

hope all is well as can be for you

[Ufrustrated2]

i PM'd

[Ufrustrated2]

for many things the VA is really good & Rx's are one of them. without which, i certainly wouldn't be able to get the DMD and other symptom meds.

i was auto enrolled in Part B too. acutally i'm glad, like you, having to read and decipher too much too soon is way taxing on the brain. kinda why i posted here as reading on the web about medicare supp plans was just and exercise in frustration for me.

thanks

[Sailorsong]

As for the Part D fine stuff it is that they will increase the amount you have to pay if and when you eventually get it based on how long you didn't get it. But that is only if you didn't have some other drug coverage plan that qualifies as being basically the same as part D.

I do have part D coverage even though I get most of my drugs from the VA. The medications I do get outside of the VA are cheaper than getting them through the VA ($3 for Part D vs $8 for VA) Plus the 90 day scripts are even cheaper.  The part D plan I selected has no deductible  so I know what it will cost me up front for my RX but there are also plans that cost less monthly with a deductible.

Dennis

[SarahL2491]

I had to pick up Medigap N to pay for my Tysabri "overflow" or the 20% that medicare doesn't pay for and truly wish I had known it existed when I had my kidney stones.  I am still paying off those bills a year later.....

I went thru an insurance broker, at no charge, online, who helped me figure out what I needed and when.  Anyone wanting his name, PM me.

[meg321]

I don't think you can beat the VA, my hubby has it and with all of my medical bills I am really happy he goes to the VA...he only pays $8.00 for each monthly prescription.
I am glad I do not have a lot to figure out, with what I do have to read I get confused, the brain is just not that good now..  I have good insurance from hubby's IBM retirement.  I normally just keep what I had last year after reading the changes for the upcoming year.

When I went on medicare I was just automatically signed up for Plans A & B I believe.  If anyone has plan D for the pharmacy I would like to hear how good it really is.

hugs, meg

[Ufrustrated2]

if thats the case maybe they signed me up for Part D.  i thought Part B could be fined if not opted for?

i couldn't afford Rx at non-VA pharmacies anyways even with Part D -- i think.

thanks for your replys

[Ufrustrated2]

hey meg,

thaks for your reply. part B was like automatically added when my medicare started due to SSD. a veteran friend of mine told me about it. sure enough, A & B are listed on my card.

to me its all a abit confusing trying to get the best balance of protection with cost. as you well know.

a few members from my MS support groups mentioned a couple of supplement programs they are on. one's a bit costly (duh!) and one not so bad but have to use in network docs. just so happens my civilian neuro is in the network, thank goodness.

appreciate the help. thank you

[Ufrustrated2]

sorry folks, it slipped my mind to get back here and check on replies.

part D isn't of great concern for me due to my disability rating as a veteran i can and do get med's from there.

mutual of omaha and a few others have "supplemental medicare gap" insurance i'm looking at. they tell me zero monthly payment, something about the gov chips in if you're on medicare/ssd.

each is has its own versions too i'm learning. i didn't realize that.

thx

[SarahL2491]

It was my understanding that you could now be fined if you did not have part d

[meg321]

I only have parts A & B not D, which is for drugs.  I have never figured out how helpful it really is so I just don't go there.

meg

[SarahL2491]

Medicare part d is drug coverage but don't look for miracles !