I have joined in a coversation about Part D with some other old farts and a couple of young punks (but very smart young punks — I was strugling to learn how to pick my nose at their age, and they’re health policy whizzes!) at TPMCafe. The section is called Drug Bill Debacle
Also don’t miss this cracker from a surgeon, Me and my HSA in which she shows why it’s great for her, but terrible for America!
Categories: Uncategorized
Lots of confusion and falsehoods about part D on this post. Although not perfect (nor Mandatory) part D is a huge benefit to millions of our seniors. I work with them every day! Sounds as if some of the afore mentioned people might qualify for social security subsidy http://www.socialsecurity.gov this program helps seniors with copays and premiums.In my experience it seems to be a well kept secret. Lots of state agencies have part D assistance as well. Call your local SHIP office. KNOWLedge is power
AFTER NOV,15 YOU MAY CHANGE TO OTHER INSURANCES,BUT BE CAREFUL, WHAT THEY GAVE US LAST YEAR IS BEING TAKEN AWAY THIS YEAR.RVERYONE WILL BE PAYING A PREMIUM THIS YEAR EVEN THE VERY POOR. WATCH CLOSELY WHAT YOU SIG UP FOR.
Medicare part D is sick. My mother has cancer and is being pressured by the Moffit Cancer Center to go on Medicare Part D. Some crazy rube from the Moffit Pharmacy even called her anonymously and said “the Moffit pharmacy is no longer going to give you free meds” and then hung up because my mother refused to go on Medicare Part D.
Why did she refuse? Because she is on limited income, is on numerous patient assistance programs for glaucoma meds, thyroid meds (just to name a few) and would LOSE these benefits if she signed up for Medicare part D. She had a blood clot in her leg which could be fatal and rather than assist her in getting her meds, the psychos who work there preferred to accost an old lady with cancer via phone to get on Medicare part D.
Today my mother had a recurrence of a blood clot and again was coaxed into joining part D. I cannot believe the way she is being treated by these people who supposedly “care about people with cancer”.
Moffit (the pharmacy anyway) cares about PROFIT! Enough to anonymously harrass a woman in her 70s struggling w/ cancer.
AND MEDICARE PART D IS A SCAM MAKING THE GOVERNMENT AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES RICH.
D IS FOR DISGUSTING! And Moffit is for Profit!
The Medicare Part D Farce – Buyer beware, Medicare has left it up to the insurance providers to determine what is and is not covered. Better yet, they can change thier formulary any time it gets too expensive for them. (with a supposed 60 day notice) The formulary listed on the Medicare website means NOTHING.
It gets better than that though. Got an appeal to file? It goes right back to your provider, not Medicare. Yes, the same wonderful people that keep denying your claim will decide your appeal. Self serving? You bet!
WHAT A JOKE- Write your Congressman and Senators. These providers need to follow the Medicare formualry to the letter.
Humana was very very disappointing. When I signed my Dad up back in May 06 – after careful research, Humana seemed like best choice. Wall St Journal says they are the 2nd largest in the Med D system. Right Source, Humana’s in house pharmacy worked OK by providing Dad with the 15 prescriptions he needs. Then in Nov 06 they fell apart. As son, I am health advocate and emergency contact for H and it was their job to contact me if there were problems or changes or re-enrollment issues ahead.
Suddenly he was dropped, right in the middle of Christmas. H’s phone operators and supervisors
were useless – classic deny and defer. MOST OBVIOUS ABUSE OF OUR TRUST: BAIT AND SWITCH: H presented Med D as a 1 year enrollment May 06 to May 07.
But program ended after 7 months. NEVER GOT OUT OF THE DONUT HOLE! Right around the time Dad’s drug expenses were about to leave the donut hole, just when Humana was about to take on 95% cost of Dad’s meds and when I’d actually reap the benefits of having paid into their plan- BOOM we were terminated!
Humana recently required all mail order prescriptions to transfer to RightSource which they own. They automatically transfered mine from Walgreens Mail Service. The first script filled was switched from generic at $17.50 at Walgreens to over $100 non generic at RightSource. I called twice to complain and they said pharmacy would call back within 48 hours. Its now been over two weeks. Customer service sucks.
Beware Humana. Regardless of their monthly rates and estimated costs you can get ripped off.
Just received Humana’s 2007 pricing for Part D insurance. A substantial increase in monthly premium with no apparent value added. So far, during 2006, I have had 3 prescriptions filled. Humana covered one generic 100%,however it was a very inexpensive transaction. One, they required a $30.00 co-pay from me and one emergency pain prescription for an injury Humana refused without a “pre-approval” requiring 7-10 days!
Neither my wife nor I are convinced that we are not being taken advantage of.
I agree. I signed my 84 year old mother up online with AARP, and called them to make sure they would cover her
BRAND NAME DRUGS. So, we signed up and I have a copy of the CONTRACT. AFter two prescriptions covered they wanted to switch the 84 year old. Her doctor even talked to them, and signed their paperwork saying she had been on this MEDICINE for years. As it turns out AARP contracts it out to Walgreens who then can pawn out the CHEAPER DRUGS on the elderly so they can make money. SO FAR IT’S JUST CAUSED TROUBLE AND THEY DON’T CARE IF TRYING NEW DRUGS WILL MAKE A PERSON SICK.
THEN WE ARE LOCKED IN TO THIS PLAN FOR A YEAR.
NOT HAPPY WITH AARP, OR WALGREENS Darlene
It makes a very sad statement that our government and Medicare find it more important to provide men with erectile dysfunction equipment for free, than to provide life saving drugs for the elderly.
The new Medicare Part D is a joke and has only given the Drug Companies an excuse to cut off the patient assistance programs they had been offering to indigent elderly patients. My Mom requires 17 or more different medications each month to stay alive.. Not one of the Part D insurance policies covers all or even most of them. Some medications require her doctor to get prior approval before prescribing. Now insurance companies will have an improper impact on what her doctor should prescribe for her condition.
She will now have to pay co pays as high as $30 per mo. per prescription when she had been receiving many of the most expensive ones free from the pharmaceutical companies. The end result is she will now be even less able to afford her everyday necessities than before and still will not qualify for assistance through Medicare or the state.
This farce is the disgrace of our governments so called “Help for the Elderly”. Don’t take my word for it, go to http://www.medicare.gov and go through the process of trying to find the right Part D plan using 10 or more medications. Be sure to include some medications like Norvasc, Advair, and Singulair
If we were going to provide prescription coverage for Medicare recipients then all of the policies should cover all medications with graduating co pays and reasonable monthly premiums.
Unicare looks like it has pretty good part d coverage,but apparently they don’t want to sell it. No matter where I search, their sites don’t even mention they offer it. As if the system isn’t whacky and frustating enough, they’re doing their best to make it worse. I’ll probably go with AARP just because I can find them.
Medicare part d is a scam to kill the elderly poor..
Hey lead punk a) how do you have time to be trolling this site any more with your workload, and b) surely it’s better than being an old fart! (I promise you it is!)
Young punks? That’s it, you’re off the site.