Community Chat

[gertrudecloset]

I shop around every year when Medicare Open Enrollment begins.  I have traditional Medicare (no Advantage Plans) and a Part D Plan for the meds I take.

If at any time, my part D Plan goes up an exhorbitant amount of money, I drop them like a hot cake.  I don't know why people don't use the tools available to them to shop around.  I can understand if some prefer to stick with the devil they know, but I have no loyalty to any insurance company.

I get online on the Medicare gov site and plug in my meds, check the tiers each Part D plan has them in and to see if any of the stuff I have been known to take (not on a regular basis) is a Tier 3 or higher.  I purchase my plans accordingly. 

I shop for my Prescription Drug Plans for the best prices and pharmacies that participate with my plan.  Out of Network mess gets on my nerves.  They won't stop you from going to any other pharmacy, but they are insurance plans and have "agreements" for preferred in network pharmacies. 

Be your own advocate and make sure what you are getting saves you money every single year.  Every year!   No loyalty.  They are not loyal to us.

[pieman]

Wasn't speaking about Medicare, was pointing out what United Health Care always does.

Have a good day.

[gertrudecloset]

It behooves one to SHOP AROUND when you have choices......

[gertrudecloset]

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@deeva wrote:

My Part D is going up $5. 

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@deevaHow do you know this when Open Enrollment hasn't begun.  You're lucky if your plan will tell you what the new amount is.  None of them have ever given me a head's up and I had to wait until Open Enrollment to find out they've gone up.  When they do go up, guess what I do?  I move on to the next affordable one!

[gertrudecloset]

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@catmama wrote:

Had sticker shock with my Part D for 2023.  The monthly premium is going from $20 to $58!!!  My husband's dropped from $11.80 to $11.20.  Needless to say I am shopping around for cheaper coverage.  I have two prespections, one for cholesterol and one for GERD.  

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How do you know your plan is going up for your Part D Plan when open enrollment hasn't begun?  The prices aren't out yet.  That won't begin until October @catmama 

[gertrudecloset]

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@geezerette wrote:

My Part D premium is going up by about what the Part B is going down.  And the deductible is going up almost $100, along with copays for generic drugs.

I'm not looking forward to seeing what the supplemental will do.

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@geezeretteHow do you know what your med plan will cost when open enrollment hasn't occured yet?  I thought you usually find out what they're up to during the time we can switch plans.  I stay on top of that.  Any exhorbitant hikes and I'm out.  I shop around.....then try to decide on the best one for me that is the least expensive.

[MaverDaver]

Don't spend that $5.20 in one place! In the meantime food prices have increased 14% over what they were last year this time. So to calculate - the increase in SS for 2022 was 5.9% and it looks like 2023 will be spprox 8.5% which leaves us almost back on the hole before 2023 even begins!! 

[geezerette]

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@gertrudecloset wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

My Part D premium is going up by about what the Part B is going down.  And the deductible is going up almost $100, along with copays for generic drugs.

I'm not looking forward to seeing what the supplemental will do.

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@geezeretteHow do you know what your med plan will cost when open enrollment hasn't occured yet?  I thought you usually find out what they're up to during the time we can switch plans.  I stay on top of that.  Any exhorbitant hikes and I'm out.  I shop around.....then try to decide on the best one for me that is the least expensive.

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@gertrudecloset 

I was speaking only of the drug plan, which stated the 2023 premiums in the Medicare booklet I just received.  I also got the premium and coverage information from the drug plan itself.

My options for plan coverage is limited given where I live.  For me, the cheapest isn't always the best option.

[gertrudecloset]

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@MaverDaver wrote:

Don't spend that $5.20 in one place! In the meantime food prices have increased 14% over what they were last year this time. So to calculate - the increase in SS for 2022 was 5.9% and it looks like 2023 will be spprox 8.5% which leaves us almost back on the hole before 2023 even begins!! 

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It sure has.  Every time I buy something It's gone up in price.  @MaverDaver those prices don't come back down either.

[gertrudecloset]

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@geezerette wrote:

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@gertrudecloset wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

My Part D premium is going up by about what the Part B is going down.  And the deductible is going up almost $100, along with copays for generic drugs.

I'm not looking forward to seeing what the supplemental will do.

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@geezeretteHow do you know what your med plan will cost when open enrollment hasn't occured yet?  I thought you usually find out what they're up to during the time we can switch plans.  I stay on top of that.  Any exhorbitant hikes and I'm out.  I shop around.....then try to decide on the best one for me that is the least expensive.

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@gertrudecloset 

I was speaking only of the drug plan, which stated the 2023 premiums in the Medicare booklet I just received.  I also got the premium and coverage information from the drug plan itself.

My options for plan coverage is limited given where I live.  For me, the cheapest isn't always the best option.

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@geezeretteGot it!  Thanks for clarifying for me.

If you have a Part D plan that Medicare.gov booklet can't tell you what the costs will be of your plan.  You'd have to wait to see what this when the open the market for shopping.  If you got a booklet from your actual Part D plan then that's different.  I think I asked not to get those, because what good is it going to do me if I drop them during open enrollment?  LOL.  I do drop them as needed.  I won't just lay down and accept a 50% increase, I'll go elsewhere.  But all of this is so painstaking and tedious.  I do it anyway though!