Mark your calendar. October 15th to December 7th is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP.) During this time Medicare beneficiaries can change Medicare Advantage ( Part C) or Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plans with ease. Plan or coverage changes go into effect January 1. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Plan C or Plan D it […]
CMS reports the average 2018 monthly premium for a basic Part D prescription drug plan will be reduced by $1.20 to $33.50. In addition to the monthly premium other Part D variables Medicare beneficiaries should compare are: Plan Formulary – not all plans are alike. Check and confirm your medication is included in the list […]
My thoughts on some of the six excellent questions Elizabeth Rosenthal, author of “An American Sickness,” suggests you should ask at every doctor’s appointment to make sure your medical bills are what you expect. Question #1. How much will this cost? Your provider’s office staff will know the fee a procedure, or series of procedures are billed […]
Reasons Why New Yorkers Switch Their Medigap Policies: You’re paying for benefits you don’t need. You need more benefits than you needed before. Your current Medigap policy has the right benefits, but you want to change your insurance company. Your current Medigap policy has the right benefits, but you want to find a policy that’s […]
Sometimes face to face time with our doctor seems rushed. So to get the most out of this short time, and perhaps even a healthier outcome, I have summarized below several tips that doctors recommend from an article I read in the Wall Street Journal titled Get The Most Out Of A Trip To The […]
On January 1, 2006, the US federal government introduced a program to subsidize the costs of prescription drugs and prescription drug insurance premiums for Medicare beneficiaries. You must enroll in a Part C (Medicare Advantage with Drug) or Part D (Stand Alone Prescription Drug) plan to participate in this federal-government-subsidized drug program. Here’s a summary on how […]
…. it’s great to hear results. Just before Thanksgiving I met with a recently widowed woman who was reeling from her loss and struggling to make sense of her health plan costs and dramatically reduced monthly income. When she disclosed her assets and monthly income, I explained to her some programs she was likely eligible for and provided assistance with the enrollment […]
The Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program is a New York State Program that provides seniors with co-payment assistance for Medicare Part D prescription drugs. Members must be enrolled in a Medicare Part D drug plan. including any Medicare Advantage plan with Part D prescription drug coverage Provides secondary coverage for Medicare Part D […]
Most Medicare beneficiaries pay $0 for the Part A hospitalization benefits if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes while they worked. For Part B medical insurance, most people pay the standard $104.90 monthly premium. For New York State residents meeting certain conditions, a Medicare Savings Program may help pay […]