finally SSDI

[Mark N]

After 2.5 years I have my SSDI sorted out and the money in my hands [only for a short time as my LTD needs its back pay]. If the monthly money is in order next month then the long journey is over for now. I still need to decide on
part D of medicare, any hints on the best plan? I will also start working on getting my meds through VA as I would only be charged $7 per med. It will mean taking my meds away from my PCP and trusting the VA to not mess with my meds in the future. Maybe by the end of summer I will have everything in place and reduce the cost of health care making the budget easier on the family.

My main question - any words of wisdom about the Plan D company to go with or don't I need it with my VA benefit?

[Pharmacist.steve]

After 2.5 years I have my SSDI sorted out and the money in my hands [only for a short time as my LTD needs its back pay]. If the monthly money is in order next month then the long journey is over for now. I still need to decide on
part D of medicare, any hints on the best plan? I will also start working on getting my meds through VA as I would only be charged $7 per med. It will mean taking my meds away from my PCP and trusting the VA to not mess with my meds in the future. Maybe by the end of summer I will have everything in place and reduce the cost of health care making the budget easier on the family.

My main question - any words of wisdom about the Plan D company to go with or don't I need it with my VA benefit?

Mark...

I got this a couple of days ago
MemberHealth CCRx Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) was named number one in overall customer satisfaction by Wilson Health Information, one of the nation's leading independent consumer insights firms.
In the 2007 WilsonRx� Survey, CCRx was compared to the top plans evaluated across the 32 PDP markets in the continental United States. The results are based on responses from a national survey of 33,531 heads of households--the largest study of its kind. Of these participants, more than 11,500 were enrolled in Medicare and more than 4,500 were enrolled in Part D. MemberHealth CCRx Medicare Prescription Drug Plan is a collaboration of three companies: MemberHealth Inc., Computer Sciences Corporation and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). CCRx is one of the largest and most popular national providers of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

The survey targeted topic areas including:
Types of pharmacies participants used and why
How these pharmacies compared to their expectations overall
Actual versus preferred methods of filling prescriptions
Generics pricing
Time spent at the pharmacy
Satisfaction with counseling

www.communitycarerx.com is one of 9-10 national PDP's.. it is the only not-for-profit and it is partially owned by National Community Pharmacist Assoc and National Assoc of Chain Drug Stores.

They have the broadest formulary allowed by Medicare... and their focus is keeping the pharmacist in the community... not some voice on the phone ... at some mail order facility... that could care less if you get your meds on time.

This is the plan that I put my wife on...

[Jim59]

I recently got my Mom on Part D with Humana because their mail order Through Right Source is terrific and I can order and refill all of her 15 meds on-line since I'm quite some distance from her. For three months supplies of a generic cost $2.15 and name brands max out at $5.25 for three months. They have physician fax forms for getting a new Rx filled pronto and it's an 800 number for the doctor. I can refill Mom's 3 month supply after 2 months so I can keep her stocked up and sleep at night. I guess it really depends on your personal needs and preferences. My own insurance offers mail order and I love that and take full advantage of that. Good luck,
Jim

[Maggie]

I think there are big differences in each company's plans, as well as, the state you are in.

I have Humana also. My premium is $80.00 per month and generic preferred copay is $5.00 up to 65.00 for brands. This is for 90 days.

The BIG DRAWBACK is the gap, and the drugs they will not cover. They would not cover my Provigil,so, I had to quit taking it. ALSO, I just hit the gap and am not covered at all except for generic preferred. So, I just filled a blood pressure med for $289.00. I have to spend $1,200.00 before I get out of the gap. It took me a month to get them to authorize one of my medications.

For me Humana is the pitts and I do plan to change. Thanks for the Information on here I will do better, I hope.

[Mark N]

Steve, thanks for the good info along with the links to the studies.

Jim, thanks for the info and your experience with the plan.

Maggie, thanks for your perspective

I will be looking at all the personal experiences I can and still need to compare that to my VA benefit.

[GJZH]

I have a question about Medicare...Can I go with a different company for drug coverage or do I have to use the same company for Part C? What is Part D by the way? Sorry to be so dumb about all of this, but it is so confusing!

[Mark N]

Part D is the prescription med program. You can choose whichever plan fits your situation the best. I am trying to figure out the best plan for me now that I am eligible.

[GJZH]

I just received information stating that I can pick up the Medicare in September. I find this all very confusing...so I am hoping that you all that have been through the process will bear with us that are just starting...I called the woman at BS this week and I think she must have thought I was slow or dim witted...She kept telling me I must purchase "C" now or I can never purchase it...I guess I knew that, but I thought she meant something else...Blue Shield has so many different programs that they offer under Medigap and I thought she meant that letter C...I now understand what she means " I think" anyway...but it took some time and thinking...The Topamax and pain meds interfere with my thinking. I am going to get this stuff out and go through it all this weekend...Make notes and really concentrate on it...I have registered at Medicare like they have asked...I was able to do that!:D

I think the BS Medigap is best for me since I need docs that are out of network and out of state....They seem to offer that to me...but I am also looking at an Etna program too...It is very confusing ....I need to purchase a D program also for drugs...

Can I purchase a different D program...For example...Can I purchase Medigap from BS and then get the prescription plan from a different company like the Cignature RX of must I purchase both Part C and D from the same company?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions....

Mark I apologize for jumping on your thread here and if you so desire I will certainly start my own with my own concerns and questions...

[Mark N]

No problem jumping in, any info you get just helps me with the process to and you ask some questions I don't think about asking. The end result is I get a better response to my question with you adding your questions.

[debhun]

Mark I am so happy for you. I know it is a long time coming. Maybe now you can get thing going the way you like.
I don't know any thing on part D. But it looks like a few here helped you out a lot.
Glad you got your money

Deb

[Pharmacist.steve]

Medicare "C" or Medicare Advantage is more like a HMO or a small PPO. Right now the Feds are giving these providers a financial incentive to provide more services than available under standard Medicare ... they tried the same thing in the 80's and then froze any increases -to cover the increased cost of providing care - most of the companies pulled out of the program.. leaving Medicare folks back in regular Medicare.

You get Medicare Part A at no charge.. Part B.. if you don't sign up within 6 months of being eligible.. there is a premium penalty - about 10%/yr- that you don't sign up

Part D also has a premium penalty if you don't sign up when eligible - 1%/month - but there is a open enrollment period Nov 15-Dec 31 each year... so if you don't like the plan you are on ... you can always change.

If you have "creditable" insurance coverage thru a spouse - as good or better than Medicare .. you don't have to sign up for B or D until when coverage is no longer available and no premium penalty is involved.

If you are on Medicare disability... most supplements are either unavailable or only offer Plan "A" - bare minimum ... at a HIGH PRICE..

[Mark N]

Steve thanks for the additional info. It is looking more and more like I need to go through the VA or stay with my wife's plan. I thought this would be my best bet but it was good to get some personal experience info to help with the decision.

[BrokenBladder]

Mark I'm so happy for you that this is finally working out.
About your question on medicareD, well I did lots of research and discovered that I was better off to stay on my husbands policy. If you want me to PM you all the reasons I say that I will be happy to.

[Mark N]

Lisa, send me the PM if you will please. I think I will stay with my wife's until I switch over to VA.

[cindybear]

I would stay with whatever you have..It is preety bad, If you have expensive drugs,,Only one expensive drug will have you paying that god awful GAP..Which Iam at now..3 thousand dollars...Then it will be cheap,,,but then the year will be up and time to start paying all over again...As soon as my huuby gets his company back..He is getting me off this part d and getting me back on his drug ins,,,I thought it would be beter than his drug company was..It is terrible compared to that,,,It ;s not greener on the other side...STAY !!! Hugs, Cindy

[Mark N]

Cindy, Thanks for giving me your experience.

[suede]

Congrats Mark!!!
I know this has to be a big relief for you, it sure was for me when my SSD finally went through after 4 years of fighting..

As for the medicare and part D, I struggled with this for months and felt like I was only going in circles and finding everything so confusing..
Here is one thing I did find out and don't know if it will be helpful to anyone or not but it was a big relief to me.
I am on my DH's insurance plan through his job, I was very concerned about what I had hear about penalties and such if I didn't go ahead and start my plans ASAP.
As long as my DH's plan is as good or better then what medicare or plan D has to offer there is no penalty and if I should lose this ins. I will be able to sign up for the programs right away.

Linda

[Peter B]

Hi Mark,
The long wait is over, thankfully. I am very happy with AARP's medicare part D. No premium. Cheaper drugs.
Good luck in your search. The choices are truly mind boggling.
Anyway, Congrats.

Pain free days,
Pete

[Mark N]

Linda, thanks for the advice about not losing the ability to sign up later.

Peter, thanks for the experience with AARP as I have wondered about their plan.

[suede]

Mark,
I have to say that during my research I found that AARP was one of the better programs as Pete has said.
Linda