Help - I need a primer on Medicare drug plans

[Maurice]

Hi All! Long time no see!

I need some help with something - my elderly father's prescription drug plan is being phased out at the end of the year. I volunteered to research a suitable replacement.


I don't know much about this, I paid only a little attention to the details when Part D was being passed a few years back, and I've heard about the very unpopular (with Seniors anyway) 'donut hole'.

But I really don't know much about what is or isn't covered, and what one needs insurance for.


Can anyone point me to a good primer on the internet somewhere?

Also, does the recent health care legislation affect this?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Purron]

Lots of information from AARP here:

Health News - Fitness Tips, Health Care Debate, Alzheimer's, Medicare Issues & Healthy Living - AARP

 

[RonBoyd]

Can anyone point me to a good primer on the internet somewhere?

Lots of data here:

Medicare Rights Center - Home

Be sure to sign up for the "Dear Marci" newsletter at Medicare Rights Center - Dear Marci

 

[FIRE'd@51]

On Medicare.gov, there is a neat LP which compares all the Part D plans in his state and sorts them in terms of overall cost (premium, deductible, copays, etc) for the drugs he is taking. I would urge you to run his list of prescriptions through this program and then manually check more carefully the "optimal" ones it picks.

 

[Maurice]

Great info, thanks folks.

 

[RonBoyd]

This may be useful, also:

Walmart Joins Humana to Offer $14.50 National Medicare Drug Plan: Lowest in 50 States

 

[annie89]

this is really a informative and helpful forum and provide complete information about drugs ...thanks for sharing with us.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

In addition to the good advice given in previous posts, I do something to further my own cause. Both DW and I have Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drugs and we approach the donut hole every year. To keep away from reaching the donut hole, we avoid our drug plan whenever possible. We buy some drugs from the WalMart generic plan that offers them for $10 to $14 for 90 day supply. I buy Plavix from a mail order Canadian drug company where you can get the generic version which is still not available in the US. Still, most prescription drugs are ordered from our mail order drug plan. You have to play all the angles to avoid the donut hole where you start paying 100% of the cost of the drug.