Anyone who changed their Part D dug plan or their Medicare Advantage plan for 2014 needs to pay attention to a few things.
Author: Denise
Denise Early is an independent insurance broker in Tucson, Arizona. She is interested in policy and the politics of Medicare. She enjoys telling the stories of people she meets and sees herself as an advocate for her clients. She served in the Peace Corps and has a Masters degree in International Management.
Working Past 65 and Medicare Part B
In the last few months, I’ve helped four or five people who continued working after they turned 65. Some had kept their employer health insurance while others had enrolled in Medicare. They all had questions, and the answers depended on…
Obamacare: The Importance of Silver Plans
If a person’s income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level, she gets help with her co-pays, deductible, and maximum out-of-pocket – in addition to her premium subsidy.
Good News Bad News
There sure are highs and lows when it comes to Obamacare news. GOOD NEWS I heard from a self-employed person in Benson that he got signed up through healthcare.gov for a Health Net Silver plan for $61 per month (after…
Obamacare: Who qualifies for AHCCCS/Medicaid?
Medicaid in Arizona is knows as AHCCCS (pronounced “access”). That stands for the “Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System”. Arizona is expanding AHCCCS enrollments under Obamacare by raising income limits to 133% of the federal poverty level. That’s $15,282 per…
Help with Medicare and Drug Costs
FROM CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services): Making ends meet should not mean going without your medications. If you have limited income and resources, Medicare’s “Extra Help” program sets it up so this year you might pay no more…
Woman can’t afford her prescriptions.
Just a few days to go until the end of the Medicare Open Enrollment period and I have a few observations and questions. Why are Part D plans allowed to change drastically from one year to the next? I’ve written…
Part D: Will your premium increase in 2014?
One Part D plan is increasing its premium from $25.90 in 2013 to $53 in 2014. That is outrageous! The plan is First Health Part D Value, and it has been a good deal in 2013 because it has no…
Cochise County Medicare Advantage Plans Canceled for 2014
Humana is cancelling its $0 premium HMO Medicare Advantage plan in Cochise County for 2014. People enrolled in this plan should have received a letter to inform them of the plan cancellation and tell them their options for coverage. Health…
Ted Cruz and Obamacare
I must give Republicans credit for the consistency of their anti-Obamacare messaging. One after another, Republicans say the same lines over and over, and so-called “journalists” never challenge the validity of their statements. Ted Cruz was on “Meet the Press”…
People writing about health insurance who don’t understand it
The problem with journalists writing about health insurance is that they don’t really know much about the topic. So here is my response, as an insurance broker, to the statement above.
Arizona premiums and subsidies: How low?
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Arizona health insurance premiums will be lower than expected and considerably lower than in other parts of the country. This is good news for 600,000 people in our state who…
Veterans and Obamacare
Veterans who are enrolled in any part of the VA Health Care System do not need to get health insurance through Obamacare, according to an the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Obamacare and Medicare: Confusion
I received an interesting press release this morning that seems worth sharing. New research finds many seniors wrongly think public health insurance exchanges are replacing Medicare plans. ST. LOUIS, September 17, 2013 – As the nation approaches open enrollment for new public…
New Medicare Advantage Plans in 2014
Is Obmacare killing Medicare Advantage? Does Medicare Advantage have a future? Despite politicians’ predictions of gloom and doom for Medicare Advantage, Arizona will have several new plans in 2014. I was going to list the new companies coming to Pima…
Medicare Advantage Changes Coming for 2014
Changes are coming to Medicare Advantage plans. I’ve been attending meetings for independent brokers who represent Medicare Advantage plans in Southern Arizona and my head is spinning with news of changes big and small. I need to contact my clients…
Brand Drugs Going Generic in 2014
Folks on Medicare who take brand drugs may get some relief in 2014, when some big names go generic. I don’t know exactly when these drugs will be available in generic form, but anyone who takes these drugs needs to…
Annual Notice of Change coming soon. Pay attention!
Everyone enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D plan will be receiving, by the end of September, a package of information called the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). The ANOC is full of details you don’t care…
Turning 65 this fall? Hold off on enrolling in Part D.
I’ve been talking to a number of people who are turning 65 in November and December. Most of them want to get a Medicare supplement and then a stand-alone Part D plan. But I’m not sure what Part D plan…
Obamacare and Medicare
The word is starting to get out about Obamacare and the requirement that everyone sign up for health insurance through their state marketplace. I’ve gotten calls and email from clients who are on Medicare and are wondering if they need…
More Doctors are Participating in Medicare
The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a report on “Access to Physicians’ Services for Medicare Beneficiaries”, which shows that physician participation in Medicare is growing. Among the key points: The percentage of all office-based physicians who report…
Do you see the doctor or the Physician’s Assistant?
Are there enough primary care doctors in Tucson? Do you see the doctor or the Physician’s Assistant? In Arizona, Nurse Practitioners are not required to work under a physician. Medicare may soon be encouraging the use of Nurse Practitioners (NP)…
Another Delay for Obamacare
An article in the New York Times today reports on another delay for Obamacare that affects group health plans. The change delays, for some group plans, the the limit on out-of-pocket costs until 2015. The Obamacare rule is that in 2014…
Are Tucson doctors accepting new Medicare patients?
My primary care doctor is not accepting new patients, whether they are on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or any health insurance. But he is kind of old and his Physician Assistant takes new patients – but I don’t know how much…
Who gets help with Medicare premium and drug costs?
Low-income Medicare beneficiaries get help with their Medicare Part B premium and their prescription drug costs
Should you enroll in Medicare Part D?
If you are turning 65 and enrolling in Medicare, you still have some decisions to make. Will you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan? Or will you stay with Original Medicare and get a Medicare supplement to fill the gaps…