People with income below certain limits can get help with their drug costs, their Part B premium, and even their co-pays for medical care.
Call me for help getting enrolled in the Medicare Savings Program.
2024: Help with Medicare Costs
Tag: medicare help tucson
Medicare Advantage in Pima County, AZ
How many people are enrolled in each Medicare Advantage plan in Pima County, AZ?
Which plans are growing and which plans are losing members?
Part D Problems
Can you change your Part D plan at this time of year? It depends on a number of factors – and if you have a Medicare Advantage plan vs a stand-alone part D plan.
Can I have Medicare and an HSA ?
There are rules against having Medicare and an HSA (Health Savings Account). I have recently gotten calls from two people who have Health Savings Accounts through their employers. They plan to keep working and they want to keep their employer…
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment is back
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is back – but it’s kind of a secret. The Medicare Advantage OEP is for people already enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans and it allows them to drop their plan to return to…
Tucson Medicare Advantage Enrollment
Who were the winners and losers in Tucson Medicare Advantage enrollment from 2016 to 2017? FOR 2019 NUMBERS CLICK HERE: Each year at this time, I look at Medicare Advantage enrollment data provided on the CMS website (Centers for Medicare…
Medicare Coverage for Home Infusion
Medicare coverage for home infusion services is a problem for really sick people. Why is there no Medicare coverage for home infusion? I was checking on this because a young woman called me and asked if I could find her…
Confused by Medicare Alphabet Soup?
Are you confused by the Medicare alphabet soup? Many people are confused by all the letters that apply to parts of Medicare as well as Medicare supplements.
Senior Health Insurance Program Funding Cut
It looks like a nationwide senior health insurance program could be killed by budget cuts in Washington. Kaiser Health News headline reads: Panel Kills Medicare Program That Offers Help On Enrollment, Billing Issues. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or “SHIP,” is…
Help with Medicare Costs in 2016
Who qualifies for help with Medicare costs? People in Arizona can use an online application at www.healthearizonaplus.gov QMB income & resource limits in 2016: Individual monthly income limit* $1,010 Married couple monthly income limit* $1,355 Individual resource limit $7,280…
See your claims at mymedicare.gov
If you use your Medicare card when you see your doctor (you are not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan), you can set up an account on mymedicare.gov. This account will allow you to see what Medicare has paid for…
Medicare Advantage Dis-Enrollment Mistake
Don’t make this Medicare Advantage Dis-Enrollment Mistake.
Medicare costs for 2016
Medicare Part B premium in 2016: Most people on Medicare will not see an increase in their Part B premium. But… people who are new to Medicare in 2016, or who are not collecting Social Security, will pay a higher…
Lidocaine Patch Not Covered by Part D
Medicare seems to be cracking down on drugs that are prescribed for “off label” usage. I got an email from a client who has been using the Lidocaine Patch for years. Now she’s being told her Part D will no longer pay for the patch.
Medicare Enrollment Special Situations
When it comes to Medicare enrollment special situations sometimes occur. The Social Security representative explained some of the different scenarios.
Turning 65 and Medicare
No federal agency provides notification about Medicare eligibility to individuals not yet collecting Social Security benefits.
Medicare and Insulin
Novolin N and R can be bought at Walmart for $24.88 without insurance. With a Medicare Part D plan, the cost is $110. Why?
Tucson Medicare Advantage Changes
Big changes are coming to Tucson Medicare Advantage plans in 2015. People enrolled in Tucson Medicare Advantage plans will be getting the news very soon.
Medicare Advantage in Tucson
46 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage in Tucson, AZ. Tucson has a competitive market with 7 companies offering a total of 17 Advantage plans in 2014.
How To Get Help with Part D drug costs
People who have limited income can get help with Part D drug costs – but finding the application on the Social Security web site is not easy. There used to be a link for “Extra Help” right on the home page for…
Medicare Phone Numbers for Complaints and Appeals
How do you appeal to Medicare if you have been denied coverage for a medical service? How do you lodge a complaint about a provider? The United Hospital Fund provides a list of numbers for each state on their website:…
Long Wait at Social Security
Since 2011, Social Security has lost nearly 11,000 employees, and weekly field office hours have been reduced from 35 to 27. I read about this in LifeHealthPro, a magazine for the insurance industry. The article summarizes a report on Social Security:…
Applying for Medicare: Did you change your name?
Have you changed your name after a divorce or for some other reason? That could cause some complications when you go to sign up for Medicare. Wendy is turning 65 in September and went online to sign up for Medicare. She…
Medicare and AHCCCS Clerical Error
I wrote recently about a client who was thrilled to receive notice from AHCCCS that she qualifies for additional help for her medical costs. I told her something must have changed at AHCCCS because her income is about $60 too…
Part D: High Risk Drugs You Should Not Use
A client emailed me last week complaining about her Medicare Advantage plan. She said her doctor gave her a prescription for Zolpidem, a sleeping pill, and her Medicare Advantage plan said they won’t pay for it.
Medicare is Big Business for Insurance Companies
Humana and UnitedHealthcare are the biggest players in the Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement business – and business has been quite good for them.