Wellness

[Havarti]

I am on medicare and have a medical supplemental plan with one company plus my Part D prescription plan is the Humana Walmart plan because it was the lowest option available in my area for Rx.  It was about $20/mo in 2018, $25.60/mo in 2019 and I just received notice that it will be $52.80/mo in 2020 (they are changing the word Walmart to Premier - PDP).  That is more than 100% increase in one year!  No explanation for more than doubling the price and no noticeable increase in benefits.  

Part D is required by law and yet my only prescription on Good Rx (without insurance) is $10 for 90 days.  So, if this is still the lowest plan for 2020 (I don't know yet because rates are just starting to be released) I would have to pay $600/yr to the insurance company plus the cost of the medicine verses using Good Rx and just paying $40/year for the medicine to the pharmacy for a 1 year supply.  Now that the government requires participation in a Rx plan - they can charge anything and we are required by law to buy one of them.  This is so wrong!  

I know a plan takes people at low levels of usage to help balance out high levels of usages so rates can be more affordable for all.  But a 25% increase in 2019 followed by more than 100% increase in 2020 is outrageous, unaffordable and a scary peek into the future.  Have any of you experienced increases like this?

[CelticCrafter]

@Havarti  Check to see if WellCare is available in your state.  They were the least expensive for us, almost 1/3 the price less of whatever company AARP was hawking for 2019.

[I am still oxox]

That cost is in additional to the cost of the drugs, wow this crazy.

Reading this makes me so glad we will be able to keep the insurance we have as our secondary plan. Dh will be retiring in April and he works for the Federal Gov't our plan for the both of us is about 400 per month, including our drug plan.

Reading this confirms that we do not want to go out on the open market of another plan

[geezerette]

When did Part D become mandatory?

[Havarti]

@CelticCrafter 

Thank you so much!  I have never heard of them but just looked them up and they ARE in my area and their posted part D rate for 2020 is $20.70/mo.  You just saved me soooooo much money and worry.  Thank you for taking time to repsond and for solving my problem so quickly.  Your help is greatly appreciated!

[deeva]

When did Medicare part D become required by law? Is that something in your state? Because it isn’t required in my state.

[mom2four0418]

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@geezerette wrote:

When did Part D become mandatory

It's not

.

[millieshops]

It's mandatory for me in that the company I use for part B requires I maintain a Part D.   Meds used to be included in that policy, but I think I had the cost added more than 10 years ago.

Haven't seen next year's premium yet.   

[Helen852]

Part D may not be mandatory, however, if you do not have a prescription drug coverage plan and sign up for it later you have to pay a fine based on the amount of time you did not have the coverage.  My mother didn't sign up for Part D at age 65, she didn't take any drugs at the time and when she was prescribed something she shopped it around or never filled it.  

Forward to age 85 for Mom, now has to take several medications. Thank goodness for GoodRx.  We looked into what the monthly penalty would have been for the 30 years and it would have been an addition $70/month in addition to her medicare part a and the medicare supplemental plan she chose.  Because she didn't get the presciptions filled for her cholesteral, she has had several strokes; and she had glaucoma 20 years ago and never got the eye drops so now her eyesight has failed as well.  We get all the scripts she needs now but with a Part D there would be no out of pocket. 

Don't think of now, think of what you might encounter in the future.  

[Kachina624]

@Havarti.  Perhaps you should be writing letters to your congressional representatives rather than posting here.  We can't do a thing about it; they can.