Personal experience and observation so far...Medicare doesn't pay for drugs, UNLESS you are admitted to the hospital as a regular admit status. We all know today that you have to be REALLY sick or have an operation to be in the hospital for more than a day or two. Drugs after that are up to you to pay. If you are on an 'observation admit' it is termed "outpatient status but you are in the hospital"…and Medicare doesn't pay for outpatient drugs.
The Medicare Part D suppliers have already announced they are raising their rates as of Jan 1 (evidently, in anticipation of a new health care bill being passed)
The premiums will be raised from $81 to $92.50/month.
Where no deductible existed before, there will now be a $100 deductible.
There are low copays for many meds that are generic. WalMart has many of these drugs at $4 already, with no copays. That is the price they charge, insurance or not.
However, there are NO deals if the medicine is still under a brand name. I have been given a new one that retails for $269/per month for 30 pills. I had been paying a $50 copay for this per month as late as Oct 30, 2009. In Nov this same med my current copay is $121.50/month. Nearly a 150% rise in copay cost. Retail price remains the same at $289/month.
I just fell into the donut hole. Beware of the donut hole.
After you have paid $2490 in copays for the year and the insurance the rest, then the individual must pay enough more copays to total $4970 per year….then the Part D kicks back in under catastrophic…. The individual pays the lower copays and the insurance pays the balance.
Talking to the insurance c/s gal, she had NO idea that seniors "pay" for Medicare….nor really didn't know that most people (except Government people) have paid premiums per month out of their pay checks from about 1965 forward.
She didn't know there was a cost for Part B of Medicare. She thought that was "free"
She didn't realize the premium cost for a Supplement was so high each month.
And now, the cost of the Part D is rising.
All of this BEFORE the "Dems new plan"…..
An extended family member Senior who is a widow, said last night that the costs she pays each month for the above insurances is around $600 or so a month PLUS whatever she pays in copays for the meds and or service. She is on a fixed income as most of us Seniors are. She thinks the Obamacare type bill will lower her costs.
I tried hard not to laugh, or cry, as the case is, and will be…. |
