Community Chat

[Tinkrbl44]

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@DowntonAbbey wrote:

Wht about Silver Script.  It has worked well for me if I get my meds at Sams..............yet they pay really nothing but they must have a deal because my meds are at a great price this year.  I had Humana and they just kept going sky high and not covering my meds and then I had First Health Part D and they stopped paying for my meds and it went so expensive.  I hate this time of year and this is one reason. I should know now about my monthly charge so I will check with them so thank you for bringing up this topic.  I wonder if there is a raise this year for SS and disability?

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@DowntonAbbey

Assuming you have one near you, check Walmart's prescription prices  ... and compare them to Sam's.    Years ago someone pointed out that Walmart is the world's largest retailer and therefore usually has the best negotiating power when it comes to pharmaceutical prices .....  previously I had found a way to get my prescriptions at wholesale, and was shocked that the Walmart prices were even lower!  lol

[Snoopp]

How do you find a certified Medicare specialist?

[goldensrbest]

How do you find a certified medicare speciallist ,in the area one lives in,when you google information,my gosh you get all kinds of stuff.

[Moonchilde]

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@Snoopp wrote:

How do you find a certified Medicare specialist?

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Here is one way:

http://www.seniorsresourceguide.com/directories/National/SHIP/

You migh also google "boomer benefits." They are based in TX but sell in most states. Medicare is all they do.

[Moonchilde]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

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@DowntonAbbey wrote:

Wht about Silver Script.  It has worked well for me if I get my meds at Sams..............yet they pay really nothing but they must have a deal because my meds are at a great price this year.  I had Humana and they just kept going sky high and not covering my meds and then I had First Health Part D and they stopped paying for my meds and it went so expensive.  I hate this time of year and this is one reason. I should know now about my monthly charge so I will check with them so thank you for bringing up this topic.  I wonder if there is a raise this year for SS and disability?

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@DowntonAbbey

Assuming you have one near you, check Walmart's prescription prices  ... and compare them to Sam's.    Years ago someone pointed out that Walmart is the world's largest retailer and therefore usually has the best negotiating power when it comes to pharmaceutical prices .....  previously I had found a way to get my prescriptions at wholesale, and was shocked that the Walmart prices were even lower!  lol

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I have the cheaper of two offerings of Silverscript. My premium is $5/mo more than Humana's (Walmart), but Silverscript charges no deductible and Humana's deductible is $360/yr. Of course, perhaps Walmart does other plans than Humana's - which is supposedly (?) the cheapest. My co-pays are a few dollars more than Walmart but more than compensated for because I don't have a deductible to meet.

Not that I'm recommending/pushing Silverscript per se (heaven knows I have my issues with CVS), but they are cheap and everywhere. If I had to go to a Walmart it would be a 20 min drive each way while CVS is 5-10 min.

[Sweet_Serenity]

CVS not located in my area of the Adirondacks, Wal-Mart is.

[Joytoall]

Medicaare Part D requirements do get confusing, but, the bottom line is to NEVER be without a Part D drug plan. Always have a Plan D, cause you can always change plans next enrollment period.

A little known fact is that if you DO NOT have/choose a Part D prescription drug plan, then medicare penalizes you with a monthly penalty, called Part D Late Enrollmant Penalty,  (LEP) and you are billed a monthly penalty fee forever, as long as you have Medicare.

Here is the explanatuion: .

The cost of the late enrollment penalty depends on how long you went without Part D or creditable prescription drug coverage.

Medicare calculates the penalty by multiplying 1% of the "national base beneficiary premium" ($34.10 in 2016) times the number of full, uncovered months you didn't have Part D or creditable coverage. The monthly premium is rounded to the nearest $.10 and added to your monthly Part D premium.

The national base beneficiary premium may increase each year, so your penalty amount may also increase each year.

I have a friend that is going thru this, and the penalty stared last year at $15 a month, this year the penalty went up to $33 a month! And, that's on top of your Medicare cost. Who knows what next years penalty fee will be!  And, that will be FOREVER,  unless you are low income. So, never, ever go without a Part D plan. Even if you go without a plan, then later get a plan, you are still billed the penalty.

[Moonchilde]

@Joytoall that could get to be a sizeable penalty in 10-15 years. Nasty!

[sandraskates]

@Joytoall Just want to say thank you for that simplified explanation. I've been on hubby's case to make sure he got some type of Part D coverage with his plan and he is covered.

This seems so convoluted and forced to me. Why should one have to pay a penalty for the rest of their life?!

[winamac1]

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@cherry wrote:

You never know when you might need scrips. If it were me I would keep that.

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I agree.

I'm not Medicare yet, but if I was..I'd get a part D plan.  That way, you may be able to sign up for Low Income Subsidy--extra help--from the Government for any meds you may need to take.  They will pay if you make below a certain level of money per year from social security or pensions.