Medicare Prescrpition

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blueblood

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Mar 16, 2005
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I am curious to know if any one with a company supplied prescription benefit plan has calculated the Medicare plan cost and what decision  you reached as to whether to drop company and enroll in Medicare Rx and whether cost was the controlling factor or other factors ?
 
I haven't yet but will be contacting supplemental insurance carrier about this and other items.  As I see it now the current insurance should be the winner.  We have delivered prescriptions delivered for a max 30 bucks 90 day supply.
 
Before you sign up for any medicare plan and you have private insurance whether it be union or Employer etc.. check with the latter. Some plans will drop you if you sign up for this. As for us our union plan is better so far. Your current plan is obligated by law to let you know which plan is better. I rather find out these things myself and take care of it before someone else makes a mess of my life! If you go to the medicare.gov site you can get information on this and compare it for yourself. If after the cut off date to join medicare drug plan passes and your current plan changes for the worse, you will not be penalized and can join medicare plan. Dont take my word for it look into it yourself. Go to www.medicare.gov or call them 1-800-633-4227 and ask for the new Medicare and You 2006 booklet.
 
Careful.  My retirement plan negotiates perscription coverage as a part of its health plans.  Those plans get the pass thru on the Part D (prescription) benefits.  If I were to try to set up with another Part D plan, I would 86 my health coverage.
 
Good overview article in Newsweek, 10/26. Says that even if you are a sharp person, the options will make your eyes cross.

You should get a letter from your company insurer by Nov. 15 saying if their plan meets Medicare.
 
Carl Lundquist said:
Careful.? ?My retirement plan negotiates perscription coverage as a part of its health plans.? Those plans get the pass thru on the Part D (prescription) benefits.? If I were to try to set up with another Part D plan, I would 86 my health coverage.

Our retirement health/drug plan is offeriing three options. 1) Keep both with them- 2) keep health-go D for drugs-3) drop all company coverage and actually a fourth keep company plan and sign up for D (duplicate coverage and not recommended)

I can't see any way for a company to tell you which is best despite the requirement to do so. There are so many options and permutations combined with "sleep well" considerations that no rote calculation can possibly give a definite answer. ? ?

The Medicare booklet has 34 approved plans for my state - South Carolina

My employer uses Medco Health and they have an approved Medicare plan called YOURxPLAN but because of Medicare requirements it is not a duplicate of my existing plan.

I have done the calculations using this plan and is reason I made staatement above concerning rote calculation.
 
I have just contacted my company insurance provider regarding the Medicare Prescription questioned and was informed that I will be receiving a letter from my company recommending it would be of no benefit to me to sign up for the Medicare Prescription plan since I am already covered.  I should receive the letter today in our forwarded mail package.
 
Ron said:
I have just contacted my company insurance provider regarding the Medicare Prescription questioned and was informed that I will be receiving a letter from my company recommending it would be of no benefit to me to sign up for the Medicare Prescription plan since I am already covered.? I should receive the letter today in our forwarded mail package.

That's an interesting statement. Being all ready covered is not really the issue unless your exisitng coverage is "free". In my case, I have a monthly plan cost to my employer for both health and drug. Breaking out drugs and comparing to Medicare makes a huge difference in cost. In my case, its a tossup but in my wife's case Medicare is significantly less costly - approaching $2000/year.
 
Though I am not yet eligable for Medicare, I am a retired State Employee

I got my letter a couple of weeks ago, it very strongly suggested NOT participating in Medicare Part D

Also known as Bush's Rip off the elderly drug plan in my not very humble opinion.

I can tell you how to get a good, decent, national health plan

Step 1: Grass roots movement to amend the constitution to require congress provide such a plan and that CONGRESS participate in it to the exclusion of all other plans (Non-congress criters and their families would be able to buy additional insurance if they wished but if you or your spouse or the parent upon whom you are dependant is a congress critter you would be stuck with the plan)

Step 2: Get it passed

Step 3: Sit back and watch, Holding breath is just fine cause we will have that plan within the week, 2 at most

 
John In Detroit said:
Though I am not yet eligable for Medicare, I am a retired State Employee

I got my letter a couple of weeks ago, it very strongly suggested NOT participating in Medicare Part D

Also known as Bush's Rip off the elderly drug plan in my not very humble opinion.

I can tell you how to get a good, decent, national health plan

Step 1: Grass roots movement to amend the constitution to require congress provide such a plan and that CONGRESS participate in it to the exclusion of all other plans (Non-congress criters and their families would be able to buy additional insurance if they wished but if you or your spouse or the parent upon whom you are dependant is a congress critter you would be stuck with the plan)

Step 2: Get it passed

Step 3: Sit back and watch, Holding breath is just fine cause we will have that plan within the week, 2 at most

I disagree on any kind of rip-off. The plan compares very favorably with my company provided drug plan offered by Medco. It trades off lower monthly payments , in my case ~$32/month vs ~$250/month for a so-called gap where one has to pay 100% of cost from $2250 to $5100. Therefore, if I don't use the medicine above $2250 I save  ~ $2000 and if I do it's a virtual breakeven - then catstrophic cuts in and I save a bundle over my exisating plan. Very generous of the working taxpayers who I doubt can afford it.
 
Or you can move to the Rio Grande Valley and buy all medicine across the river. Cost is usually about 1/10 stateside cost and there's no insurance premium.

My two medications (Lisinopril and Synthroid) cost me 1)$12 for 100 days and 2)$18 for 100 days. Ripoff is the only reason it costs more than that in the U.S. We buy a year at a time with no prescription required.

Today's purchases
Cipro (broad-spectrum antibiotic) $21 for 100 500mg tablets.
Theraflu $3 for 12 capsules
Ibuprofen 800mg $6.60 for 100

Other perks of RGV living
Giant avocados (not those walnut-sized Haas ones) $2 per kilo
Bananas 4#/$1
B-i-g Navel Oranges 12/$1
Rio Red Grapefruit 10/$1

Eat your hearts out!

 
valleygeocacher said:
Or you can move to the Rio Grande Valley and buy all medicine across the river. Cost is usually about 1/10 stateside cost and there's no insurance premium.

My two medications (Lisinopril and Synthroid) cost me 1)$12 for 100 days and 2)$18 for 100 days. Ripoff is the only reason it costs more than that in the U.S. We buy a year at a time with no prescription required.

Today's purchases
Cipro (broad-spectrum antibiotic) $21 for 100 500mg tablets.
Theraflu $3 for 12 capsules
Ibuprofen 800mg $6.60 for 100

Other perks of RGV living
Giant avocados (not those walnut-sized Haas ones) $2 per kilo
Bananas 4#/$1
B-i-g Navel Oranges 12/$1
Rio Red Grapefruit 10/$1

Eat your hearts out!
  both the Cipro and Ibuprofen would be $4 for 90 day supply under my  Medicare D plan
 

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