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DesertFlower

(11,649 posts)
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:03 PM Mar 2014

this is the first year that i have medicare part D.

i pay $12.60 a month to humana. yesterday i picked up a RX for eye drops my opthamologist prescribed. i paid $185.86. i asked if the insurance picked up part of it. she said "about $40.00" which means the actual cost was $225. i'm pissed. i'm also finding that most of my prescriptions are costing more than the plan i had through IBM which was discontinued.

for those of you who think medicare is great -- it's not -- it doesn't cover everything and the supplemental policies can be very expensive.

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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this is the first year that i have medicare part D. (Original Post) DesertFlower Mar 2014 OP
Medicare IS great for many things. elleng Mar 2014 #1
after so many years of having great DesertFlower Mar 2014 #2
I understand, and sympathize. elleng Mar 2014 #5
Different plans pay differently. madamesilverspurs Mar 2014 #3
My Part D is $42 a month. DURHAM D Mar 2014 #4
Medicare by LBJ is good in spite of all the holes shot into it by the Republicans. Cleita Mar 2014 #6
Each Medicare Part D plan is different, and the amount of research you have to put in to figure out enough Mar 2014 #7
My Medicare Advantage plan calls for a $15 co-pay for a thirty day supply doc03 Mar 2014 #8
Go to www.medicare.gov... IphengeniaBlumgarten Mar 2014 #9
thanks. i'll check it out. DesertFlower Mar 2014 #11
It may be something you need to work with your Doctor and Insurance company on. Sometimes okaawhatever Mar 2014 #12
One other thing. You may want to check prices at the local Costco. I find that they're almost half okaawhatever Mar 2014 #13
With my plan D I get a lot of pres. free and pay a couple dollars for all the others. Auntie Bush Mar 2014 #10
What plan do you have? SoCalDem Mar 2014 #15
I have my plan D from Bankers Life and Casuality Auntie Bush Mar 2014 #17
Thanks.. please PM me the info.. This sounds like something we would like SoCalDem Mar 2014 #18
I sent you a long PM with addresses, phone numbers and web address...did you get it? Auntie Bush Mar 2014 #20
Got it.. Thanks n/t SoCalDem Mar 2014 #21
I think all the plans have around $320 per year deductible. You will pay a copay anyway. LiberalArkie Mar 2014 #14
I've never had a deductible. hedda_foil Mar 2014 #16
Feel free to pay the full $225. WinkyDink Mar 2014 #19
The amount you have to pay may be different for different pharmacies on Humana's list. winter is coming Mar 2014 #22

elleng

(130,956 posts)
1. Medicare IS great for many things.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:07 PM
Mar 2014

It covered virtually 100% of my husband's last hospital/surgery bills.

(I have a good supplemental which covers my prescriptions, and sorry that others don't have similar RX coverage.)

DesertFlower

(11,649 posts)
2. after so many years of having great
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:13 PM
Mar 2014

coverage through IBM i guess i'm shocked -- even though their deductibles and out of pocket expenses went up almost every year.

they covered my husband at no cost. i paid under $100 a month for mine and that included a great prescription plan.

they discontinued the plan they had for retirees in 2013, but they did give me $1,187 HRA -- so it pays my premiums with a few bucks left over for other things -- like dental cleanings.

elleng

(130,956 posts)
5. I understand, and sympathize.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:22 PM
Mar 2014

I/we had great coverage too, through Fed govt, as employees. Now I'm a retired annuitant, + continue to have good coverage via Medicare, + Feds as 'supplemental,' for which I pay monthly (and more than for me alone, to include daughter for 'self+family.)

madamesilverspurs

(15,805 posts)
3. Different plans pay differently.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:15 PM
Mar 2014

My Med D prescriptions never cost more than $6.50. When I had the shingles, the first two meds alone retailed for $310 and $300 - my cost was $11. Some of my regular meds are issued in 3-month supply, cost is same as for 1 month.

In truth, my economic circumstances warrant that I am in the category to receive 'extra help'; but I have many friends whose circumstances are much better than mine and their Med D prices aren't much different from what I pay, and a couple of them reported the same kind of problems with Humana.

Here's hoping you're able to shop and find a better deal when that window comes around again.

DURHAM D

(32,610 posts)
4. My Part D is $42 a month.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:21 PM
Mar 2014

Last year I had one prescription that cost $475. My part was $75. All other meds were covered 100%. Depends on which plan you pick.

Cleita

(75,480 posts)
6. Medicare by LBJ is good in spite of all the holes shot into it by the Republicans.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:22 PM
Mar 2014

Bush's Medicare part D is a wrapped gift to big pharma. I pay a lot more than you in premiums for part D but they do pick up the whole tab when I need drugs. I think part D needs to be fixed once we a real socially progressive congress.

enough

(13,259 posts)
7. Each Medicare Part D plan is different, and the amount of research you have to put in to figure out
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:25 PM
Mar 2014

what will work for you is ridiculous. But I do think you can find a better plan than what you are describing. You may pay somewhat more per month, but if you have expensive prescriptions, you will be able to find a plan that will give you a much better deal than this.

doc03

(35,344 posts)
8. My Medicare Advantage plan calls for a $15 co-pay for a thirty day supply
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:54 PM
Mar 2014

but all my prescriptions are cheaper with my K Mart prescription savings club card. So the insurance covers nothing.

9. Go to www.medicare.gov...
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 10:57 PM
Mar 2014

Under medicare drug plans tab, is a pull-down menu. One of those choices lets you compare different plans that are available to you. If you will take the time to enter in all your prescriptions and dosages, it will compute the actual annual cost to you, considering drug cost, copay, premiums and deductible, for all plans in your locale.

The Humana plan as I recall is a good option for people that take very few medications. Even though it has a high deductible it turned out to be a good choice for a friend of mine who has few prescriptions, but most people would want better (and more expensive) coverage.

DesertFlower

(11,649 posts)
11. thanks. i'll check it out.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 11:22 PM
Mar 2014

i don't take that many drugs -- so i thought the humana plan seemed okay. i guess it's just this eye drop he prescribed for me. it doesn't have a generic.

when i enrolled in humana a spoke to a representative. we went over all the drugs i was taking. they fall into tiers and that determines the price. i still don't understand how the deductibles work -- some fall into deductibles -- 0thers don't.

fortunately these eye drops are for short term use -- they are a steroid.

okaawhatever

(9,462 posts)
12. It may be something you need to work with your Doctor and Insurance company on. Sometimes
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 11:29 PM
Mar 2014

a physician has to write a prescription a certain way, or show that you've tried other meds first before the insurance company is willing to pay. After the internet, I'd pick up the phone and call the insurance company help line and figure out what you can do to get the prescription covered. If not, you'll know how to avoid it next year. Good luck.

okaawhatever

(9,462 posts)
13. One other thing. You may want to check prices at the local Costco. I find that they're almost half
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 11:31 PM
Mar 2014

what the other pharmacies are and you don't need a membership. Just tell them you're there for a prescription.

Auntie Bush

(17,528 posts)
10. With my plan D I get a lot of pres. free and pay a couple dollars for all the others.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 11:09 PM
Mar 2014

I love it. I used to pay $99 for Ambien...Now I get it for $9.00. I got it for $3:00 for years but it just went up.

SoCalDem

(103,856 posts)
15. What plan do you have?
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 12:42 AM
Mar 2014

I turn 65 in April & my husband retires in June, so we are BOTH in the market.. It's all so damned confusing..and a mistake made in choosing can cost a LOT of money..

Oh, to be a Canadian


Auntie Bush

(17,528 posts)
17. I have my plan D from Bankers Life and Casuality
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 12:28 PM
Mar 2014

It's deducted from my SS so I don't remember the exact price...but it's around $100.00 a month. I have no deductible and pay very little for prescriptions. They are a nation wide insurance company dealing mainly for seniors....however I don't know if they deal as far as California. Let me know if you want their address and I'll PM it to you. I also get my supplemental Plan B from them and get plan J so I have very little or no medical expenses.

SoCalDem

(103,856 posts)
18. Thanks.. please PM me the info.. This sounds like something we would like
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 12:41 PM
Mar 2014

I would rather "waste" money on the front, than to have a nasty surprise later on and have to wait months to change to another one.

Auntie Bush

(17,528 posts)
20. I sent you a long PM with addresses, phone numbers and web address...did you get it?
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 05:22 PM
Mar 2014

I checked my PM's and I don't see it listed.

LiberalArkie

(15,716 posts)
14. I think all the plans have around $320 per year deductible. You will pay a copay anyway.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 11:45 PM
Mar 2014

But if you reach your deductible I think you will pay less. I never meet my deductible. And yes my Express Scripts from when I worked was a lot less.

hedda_foil

(16,375 posts)
16. I've never had a deductible.
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 01:39 AM
Mar 2014

The first year I was eligible I went into the donut hole. It cost me a bloody fortune. I got extra help from the state (Illinois),which helped.a lot, until the state budget mess eliminated the program halfway through the year. Last year, I researched the hell out of it and found a plan that covered every single one of my scrips, with four out of five costing me nothing at all and the fifth costing $18. The premium was $72 a month, but it cost me so little in co-pays that I spent literally a couple of thousand dollars less than I had the first year. I'm keeping the plan until they decide to drop it or raise costs considerably. But this year, the premium is a little lower, while the pharmacopeia is even better for me. Of course, all my meds are generics, which helps.

winter is coming

(11,785 posts)
22. The amount you have to pay may be different for different pharmacies on Humana's list.
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 07:02 PM
Mar 2014

I dug this up last night at Humana's website, while trying to help my mom: “If a retail pharmacy agrees to accept the mail-order reimbursement rate for an extended supply of medications, you should have no out-of-pocket payment differences. If a retail pharmacy doesn't agree to accept the mail-order reimbursement rate but has accepted an alternative retail/mail-order pharmacy rate for an extended supply of medications, you will have to pay for any difference in charge.”

A way to find drug coverage info is to go to the Humana website and click the link for “Pharmacy Services”. That takes you to https://www.humana.com/individual-and-family/pharmacy/. Then choose the Medicare pull-down menu (scroll over the word “Medicare” and the letters turn purple and a bunch of sub-options come up), and Pharmacy Services (leftmost column; under “Products and Services”), which takes you to https://www.humana.com/medicare/pharmacy/, then “Rx tools”, then “Search drug lists”. That puts you at https://www.humana.com/medicare/pharmacy/tools/medicare-drug-list/. “Drug List Search” will take you to http://apps.humana.com/UnsecuredDrugListSearch/Search.aspx. You then have to enter your Humana Plan ID or Formulary number, which should be on your Humana card. There's also a Drug Pricing Tool, which will give you an estimate of how much they charge for a drug at different pharmacies on your plan.

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