OCTOBER 30, 2015: Congress approved a budget deal that stops the Medicare Part B premium from going up to $159 in January 2016. It will only go up to $120 (from $104.90). Most people on Medicare will not get hit with…
Tag: medicare tucson
Working Past 65 and Medicare
Signing up for Part B can get complicated when a person works past 65. Jim had to make multiple trips to the Social Security office to prove he had employer coverage after he turned 65
Part B Premium Is Going Up in 2016
The Medicare Part B premium is going up in 2016 – way up. But this increase will not affect everyone on Medicare.
For 2016 the Part B premium is supposed to go up to $159.30 because of a complicated formula connected to what Medicare spends on Part B services.
Part D Preferred Pharmacies
I got a call from a client complaining about how her drug costs have gone way up, even though they are generics. Her co-pays should not change during the year, so I did some research by putting her prescription list into the Medicare.gov Plan Finder.
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.
Preventive Services and Medicare
I had a call yesterday from a client who got a bill from her gynecologist. She has a Plan F Medicare supplement and I have told her she should never get a bill – because Plan F fills every gap…
Observation Status Lies
A friend sent me an email recently about a senior who was told by a doctor that Medicare will not pay for “observation status” in the hospital. This new rule is supposedly part of the Affordable Care Act – but I knew this was not true.
Medicare Enrollment Special Situations
When it comes to Medicare enrollment special situations sometimes occur. The Social Security representative explained some of the different scenarios.
She Can’t Afford Her Insulin
I got a call yesterday from a woman who takes a lot of insulin to control her diabetes. She said she went to pick up her insulin at the pharmacy and was told her cost would be $340 – which is eight times what it has been.
Medicare and Same-Sex Marriage
UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurance company in the country – – and its “customer service” people are not aware of changes in Medicare rules that affect same-sex couples with employer coverage.
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?
Do I Need Medicare Part B?
Most people should sign up for Medicare Part B, but some don’t need to.
Enbrel Cost with Part D
I have been talking to two people using the drug Enbrel who were shocked and disappointed to learn how expensive Enbrel will be when they get on Medicare and sign up for Part D drug coverage. ENBREL is a prescription medicine…
High Drug Costs
Medicare is a good deal if you are healthy, but for the unlucky 10-15% who have serious problems, healthcare costs and drug costs can add up quickly. Frank is turning 65 in May and had planned to keep working, but…
The Story of Medicare
Written and produced by the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Story of Medicare: A Timeline serves as a visual timeline of Medicare’s history, including the debate that led to its creation in 1965 and subsequent changes.
Changes to Medicare
changes are coming to medicare
Is Social Security Income Taxed?
Is Social Security income taxed?
Medicare Advantage in Tucson
Who were the winners and losers from the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
Turning 65 and Medicare
How you enroll in Medicare depends on your current situation related to Social Security.
Who is enrolling in Medicare Advantage?
An article in Kaiser Health News says: The majority of people who signed up for Medicare Advantage plans in recent years were switching out of the traditional Medicare program, according to a recent study. The findings contradict the popular belief…
Medicare Advantage Network Chaos
As a broker, I think there is Medicare Advantage network chaos in Tucson. My head is spinning trying to remember which doctors are no longer with which plans. But my clients don’t seem very concerned about their Medicare Advantage plan being cancelled,…
Choosing a Part D Plan Is Confusing
For people who turn 65 in the last three months of the year, choosing a Part D plan is confusing. I am looking at Medicare.gov Part D plans and I must compare 2014 plan information with 2015.
Woman thinks she can’t afford Medicare
I was shopping on Sunday afternoon and met a woman who thinks she can’t afford Medicare. She told me she works full-time at the retail store so she can get the company health insurance. This woman is 70 years old and looks like she…
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:…