How many people are enrolled in each Medicare Advantage plan in Pima County, AZ?
Which plans are growing and which plans are losing members?
Medicare Advantage in Pima County, AZ
Tag: tucson medicare help
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…
Part D Plan Preferred Pharmacies
Part D plan preferred pharmacies make using the Medicare.gov Plan Finder difficult and confusing. That’s because Medicare.gov only allows me to put in two pharmacies as I’m searching for drug plans for my clients. I think I am a know-it-all when…
Carotid Artery Screening
Would you like to get a carotid artery screening, but don’t want to pay $150 or more? Tucson Medical Center (TMC) offers various vascular screenings for $25, but this month (SEPTEMBER), they will do the tests for $10 each. I’m…
Medicare Advantage Problem
My neighbor called me recently about her Medicare Advantage problem. Renee has a pacemaker to keep her heart beating properly – but she nearly had a heart attack when her Medicare Advantage plan told her she was not eligible to…
Medicare Coverage Mistake
Thousands of people make a serious Medicare coverage mistake because they don’t know the rules. They think they don’t need to sign up for Part B of Medicare (and pay a premium) because they have COBRA, or a retiree plan,…
How To Pay Your Medicare Premium
You can pay your Medicare premium in several ways. This info on how to pay your Medicare premium is from the Medicare.gov website: If you get Social Security, Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits, or Civil Service benefits, your Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) premium will…
Medicare Advantage Auto Enrollment
If you are turning 65 and transferring from an individual health plan to Medicare, BEWARE! You might find yourself the victim of Medicare Advantage auto enrollment. I just read an article in Kaiser Health News that says: With Medicare’s specific…
Home Health Services Covered by Medicare
Home health services covered by Medicare have limitations and rules. I just learned something new from the Medicare Rights Center. Home health services covered by Medicare: Original Medicare will cover certain home health care services through the home health benefit…
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…
Hearing Aids and Medicare
Congress barred Medicare coverage of hearing aids 50 years ago because “people thought hearing loss was just a normal part of aging,” said Dr. Cassel, one of the authors of a recent JAMA editorial on hearing health policies. “They didn’t…
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 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.
Medicare and HSA
How can a health savings account be used with Medicare? A client asked me this question recently. She is self-employed. She is turning 65 in July, and she has $10,000 in a health savings account (HSA). Irene enrolled in a…
Medicare Billing Mistakes
I have spent the last week in freezing Connecticut helping my 87-year old friend figure out her medical bills. I wrote about Julie in December when I discovered her retiree Medicare supplement plan had been changed to a Medicare Advantage…
Generic Drug Prices Going Up
Dr David Belk writes an interesting blog, TrueCostofHealthcare.org. He has recently written about generic drug prices going up over the past year. He writes: Nearly half of the generic listings surveyed (607 in total) went up in price- many way…