If you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and have limited income you may be able to get assistance with your health care costs through a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) If eligible, you will receive help paying the Medicare Part B premium, (currently $164.90) and automatically get Extra Help, the federal program that […]
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, from October 15th through December 7th, is when Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in or change their Medicare Advantage (Part C) or Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plan to take effect January 1. Some Important Tips to Consider if you are now enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) Plan: Yes, […]
Well, just as we are finishing up the annual federal and carrier Medicare Advantage and Part D certifications for 2023, the US House and Senate passed a bill (H.R. 5376 titled Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) which includes some important changes to the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Some of these changes take effect […]
One in every three Medicare beneficiaries has diabetes, and over 3.3 million Medicare beneficiaries use one or more of the common forms of insulin. On January 26, Benita Lee from GoodRx Health published a detailed analysis comparing the costs of 28 brand and generic insulins. GoodRx research shows shows that the average retail price for […]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action this week that should make it easier to get a lower cost near-copy of a brand-name insulin, Lantus, at the pharmacy. Semglee has been approved as both biosimilar to, and interchangeable as a substitute for Lantus, a widely used long-acting insulin. Biosimilar drugs are not […]
During the first quarter of the new year I often receive this question: “Dan, I went to refill my prescription and was quoted almost double what I paid in December.” Here’s why. Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans reset each year on January 1 and benefit levels start again at the first of four phases. […]
This year’s Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7) was a busy time and we are grateful for the scores of individuals and couples who permitted our team of agent advisors to help with their 2021 Part C Medicare Advantage or Part D Prescription drug plan selection. (The December 7 deadline did not […]
Are you going to be eligible for Medicare in the near future? Have you been enrolled in Medicare for awhile and want to better understand what it offers? Do you have a family member you help with Medicare issues? If you answered yes, then “Medicare 101” is for you. This no sales-pitch educational webinar, led […]
“… a huge thanks for cluing us in to the EPIC ..program.” “…we now estimate yearly savings to be $7,000+/-” “…we’d never heard of this program until one of your newsletter emails..” When Mary became eligible for Medicare I helped her enroll in the Medicare Supplement Plan G she selected as secondary to Original Medicare. […]
This month I received this wonderful thank you note from Nancy. She had recently relocated and needed to find new doctors along with a Medicare Advantage plan covering those doctors and her medications. Nancy was concerned that she would have to remain on her current plan and wait until the Annual Open Enrollment Period in […]