by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Oct 3, 2014 | Medicare Drug Plans
October 15th is just under two weeks ago, and while that date might not mean much to those not enrolled in Medicare, it marks the beginnings of open enrollment for Medicare’s Part D pharmacy benefits. That means that if you are looking for a new Medicare plan, you have until December 7th to do so. Even if you don’t think you need a new plan, you should check out what’s available, for a variety of reasons:
- Your plan may be discontinued, in which case, if you do not act, you might be transferred to a plan that is worse for you. There are 14% fewer plans in 2015 than there were in 2014.
- New plans exist, and they might be better than your current plan.
- Your prescription needs have changed. If you started taking a new medication in 2014 and it wasn’t covered by your current plan, or required you to spend more out-of-pocket than you expected, it might be time to switch to a plan that covers any new meds.
Our sister site, MedicareDrugPlans.com, can help you find a new plan. It compares premiums, deductibles, and even lets you know if drugs are covered during the coverage gap. More importantly, you can read reviews from enrollees who have actually signed up for these plans! Knowing the costs and coverage can only go so far, as these reviews tell us:
Alabama, Tennessee – Cigna-HealthSpring Rx –Reg12
“I have been trying to sign up for this plan but have a very hard time getting answers. Many of the telephone reps answer questions with “I don’t think so or I’m not sure” which is not helpful. They also require you to sign a statement that says “Humana has the right to change the program at any time if they notify the customer.” I have been told that this is just a formality but it makes me nervous.”
New York – First Health Part D Value Plus
“I used this plan in 2013 and it was pretty good…most prescriptions cost me 0. But some prescriptions were not covered and I had to scramble to find the drugs elsewhere. Their cost per month was good, but now it is going up, and I will be switching to a cheaper monthly cost plan.”
Once you read reviews and compare plans on MedicareDrugPlans, head over to the government’s site, www.Medicare.gov, at which you can type in the drugs you take and find out which plans offer the best coverage for you. Using Medicare.gov and ratings from MedicareDrugPlans.com will help you make a fully informed decision. And don’t forget to leave a review on MedicareDrugPlans, so your fellow enrollees can learn from your experiences. Good luck finding the plan that is best for you, and don’t forget to enroll by December 7th!
Tagged with: Medicare Drug Plans, Medicare Part D, medicaredrugplans.com
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Mar 12, 2014 | Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Medicare Drug Plans
Last week, we reported on proposed changes to Medicare Part D that could have made it harder for millions of seniors to obtain prescribed medicine. One congressman from Pennslvania, Tim Murphy, went so far to say that suicide rates would increase as a result of the proposed changes, referring to a change that would have allowed insurers to reduce coverage for antipsychotics, immunosuppressants, and antidepressants. Other proposed changes included allowing the government to intervene in contracts between insurers and pharmacies, limiting the number of drug plans available, and also expanding access to community pharmacies.
Outcry from both sides of the aisle, as well as patient and consumer rights advocates, has resulted in the Obama administration reversing course on the changes. “We will engage in further stakeholder input before advancing some or all of the changes in these areas in future years,” wrote Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
We are glad specifically that coverage for critical medication will remain strong and that the number of drug plans will not be limited in certain areas. We know that the intention of reducing drug plans was to help make it easier to choose a plan. On the other hand, we support expanding access to community pharmacies and hope for further action on that front.
Fortunately, there are online resources that can help with this. Not all Medicare drug plans are created equal. PharmacyChecker.com runs MedicareDrugPlans.com, which you can use to compare plans and read or write reviews on those plans available in your area.
Tagged with: Marilyn Tavenner, Medicare Part D, medicaredrugplans.com, Tim Murphy
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Mar 6, 2014 | Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Medicare Drug Plans
Future Changes to Medicare Part D may curtail access to affordable medication for millions of seniors enrolled in Part D prescription drug plans, according to Kaiser Health News and USA Today.
The Obama administration wants to remove three drug classes, immunosuppressants, antipsychotics, and antidepressants, from the list of specially protected drugs. What this means is that insurers would no longer be required to cover the majority of these drugs in those classes. What that means is that more patients will struggle to afford – and even skip – medications due to high out-of-pocket costs at U.S. pharmacies.
An alliance of Democrats, Republicans, drug companies, and patient advocates oppose the proposal. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-PA, who is also a psychologist, fears the worst: “If you restrict access to these drugs you restrict the treatment of mental illness,” he said. “You raise suicide rates.” Murphy’s sharp statement suggests just how important drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries is. Over half of seniors aged 65 or older take at least five prescription drugs, and a carefully organized prescription plan may have disastrous side-effects if a drug is switched for another. Such substitution would likely occur for many patients if drugs are removed from special protection. (more…)
Tagged with: Medicare Part D, Tim Murphy
