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Mon 21 Apr, 2008 08:48 pm
First of all, let me apologize for swearing like a sailor, but that has become a wonderful vent for me during the last several years. I didn't used to be such a foul mouthed old hag.
Now I'm enrolled in Medicare.
Online, I entered the prescriptions I'm on, including does and number per day. The next time I tried to get into the drug formulary to find out how much each will cost, there was a window at the top of the page saying that my drug ID and birthdate were invalid. WTF?
Moving right along to the "live chat helpline," I described the problem and was told to refresh the page. Damn slacker. Of course it didn't work! He knew that I would have to click again on the "Live Chat Line" in order to try another bright idea.
The next " live chat helper" said that I shouldn't be on MYMedicare.gov, but to go to Medicare.gov. I knew she was putting me off, the little "W"itch with a "B."
On to the actual phone number, getting a recorded message saying that my wait would be 15 minutes. Naturally there would be a wait, goddamit.
The nice girl who finally answered said that she couldn't do anything for me but that she would be happy to transfer me. ****, what else is new?
The nice young (certainly not over 18) man who answered told me to look further down the page using the little wheel. I, laughing by this time, asked if he wanted me to scroll down. He said yes. I was picturing his pink, well-scrubbed little ears, while trying to stop laughing. Snot-nosed kid.
He told me that I must have made a mistake. I said that my birthdate has been the same for a little over 65 years. And I told him that the drug ID number was the same everywhere I looked as it was listed on a couple of different sites. He said that there must have been a mistake when I entered it, that it was very easy to miss one little number. The f*cking little assh*le!!
Am I too old to join the Navy? I can pass the swearing test 100%.
I told Dys that there were times I wished I were as rich as the Rockefellers so that I didn't have to give a **** about costs and plans. Dys, still too young for Medicare, sais yes, he could understand that. I was thinking, but not saying, "Just you wait, buster!"
Thanks for letting me vent. I'm not sure how many of my swear words will be blocked, but if you only see appropriate, nice words, you'll know that a2k has cleaned me up. Dammitalltohell.
I'm still in the process of getting signed up. But I will curse them for bastards if that helps any.
Edgar, coming from you, it will always help.
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You youngster...
I have already filed for Medicare. They are just waiting to hear from me if I want to sign on to Plan B, which I think I will. I am not on any medications, so, the drug question will not be a big factor, as yet.
Edgar, Dys likes for me to stay on my medications.....
Diane
Good advice from Phoenix. When I signed up with Presbyterian Senior Care after moving to Albuquerque, they helped me get set up in Medicare. I never dealt with Medicare directly on line, by phone or face to face.
BBB
edgarblythe wrote:I have already filed for Medicare. They are just waiting to hear from me if I want to sign on to Plan B, which I think I will. I am not on any medications, so, the drug question will not be a big factor, as yet.
Edgar - you probably already already know this but you need to go ahead and sign up for part D too. If you don't you will pay a 1% premium penalty for each month you delayed enrollment in Part D. If you wait until after your window to sign up (three months before your birth month and 3 months after) You have to wait until open enrollment and then they will penalize you accordingly.
There are many Senior Care plans that have no premium if you are in fairly good health. It varies state to state. But they combine Part A, B and D and are fairly good as long as your health is good. If the status of your health changes (hopefully not) then you can always change to another during open enrollment that will better suit your medical needs.
I sold Senior Plans as a contractor for Blue Cross and Blue Shield the last couple of years. Did not do it this year. Too many kids to tend to at home!
A lot of people aren't aware of the penalty that comes with not taking out Part D up front. Just thought I would give you a heads up.
klik
Insight here ................ about 2 hours well spent
Phoenix, I think I am as short as you are after yesterday afternoon. My heart kept sinking each time there was a stupid slaker giving me no information--no useful information.
Mismi, where do you live. Could we get to know each other better? Could I borrow your brain once in awhile? Where were you when I needed you? Leave the kids and set up a business for againg a2kers. Whaddyasay?
BBB, I waiter so long that I had already signed up and picked plans for Medicare. When I chose a supplemental plan, I thought everything was done. Right, I was done for. As you suggested, this morning, I'll call the insurance agent and ask her to take care of it.
Also, one of the medications is terribly expensive. Dys went to pick it up for me and paid the full price--almost gave him anohter stroke. I finally realized that I had to use up the decuctible. That one medication did it.
Gelisgesti, Sicko is a movie I"ve wanted to see since it came out. Watched the first couple of minutes, but I have an appointment and need to get going, but I will watch wehn I get back.
Where did I put those antidepressants?
I am in Alabama Diane. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Advantage Plan here is quite popular. I will say I am not as up to date now that I have taken off a year because of all the changes that are made year to year. I thought about setting up a business out of my home at one point but I think I am going to wait until my 4 year old is in school full-time. I had all kinds of issues last year and it was difficult.
Why would I want to leave my sweet angelic children for a bunch of crotchety old folks who complain about where their premiums are going all the time anyway? :wink: Actually I rarely got those questions or complaints while advising customers about their options with BCBS AL. Most of them were so happy for any information that they were quite pleasant. I did take the information on what plan they already had, compared it to what Blue Cross was offering and help them to determine which was a better choice for them.
I will help if I can Diane. I don't have any connection with Medicare but I can get answers for you if I can't answer them - not necessarily about your formularies...you are stuck with Medicare or your Supplement or Advantage plan there. Sorry about that.
Mismi, you are very sweet to offer your help. I'm hoping that when I get through to my supplement agent, I will find out what I need to know.
I did come to the realization that the deductible probably hadn't kicked in before getting the last prescription, but I also think my supplemental insurance was suppoed to take up the slack.
Sicko makes me grateful to have anything. I remember when Dys had a stroke in 2003. He had no insurance and, believe me, if you don't have any inurance, you are treated like a second class citizen.
Good luck on starting your business. You are smart to wait until kids are in school full time. Mothering is a full time job in itself. Please keep us posted when you do start up. Maybe start a thread about the experience. I'm sure lots of people would be interested.
Good Luck to you Diane...- you can pm me anytime you have a question - I may very well be able to help or at least point you in the right direction. Thank you for your well wishes. It would be great if I could make it work. I will let you know.
mismi wrote:edgarblythe wrote:I have already filed for Medicare. They are just waiting to hear from me if I want to sign on to Plan B, which I think I will. I am not on any medications, so, the drug question will not be a big factor, as yet.
Edgar - you probably already already know this but you need to go ahead and sign up for part D too. If you don't you will pay a 1% premium penalty for each month you delayed enrollment in Part D. If you wait until after your window to sign up (three months before your birth month and 3 months after) You have to wait until open enrollment and then they will penalize you accordingly.
There are many Senior Care plans that have no premium if you are in fairly good health. It varies state to state. But they combine Part A, B and D and are fairly good as long as your health is good. If the status of your health changes (hopefully not) then you can always change to another during open enrollment that will better suit your medical needs.
I sold Senior Plans as a contractor for Blue Cross and Blue Shield the last couple of years. Did not do it this year. Too many kids to tend to at home!
A lot of people aren't aware of the penalty that comes with not taking out Part D up front. Just thought I would give you a heads up.
I plan to sign one of the free plans D. Thanks for the encouragement.
Phoenix, you can get Medicare Advantage plans that have drug coverage included and that do not require additional premiums. Many insurance companies offer them. You just pay your Medicare B premium to the insurance company.
The doughnut hole is not an issue unless you are on a lot of medication. So if you are in fairly good health signing up for one of those Advantage plans would keep you from being penalized for taking out Part D at a later date if you suddenly need it. As I said earlier, this does vary from state to state. If your medical needs changed during the year then the next open enrollment you could change to one that better suits your needs.
That really sounds very complicated (at least for someone like me who only knows the European health insurance systems).
Do seniors get easily what to do when?
Mismi, you are a living doll. I think I'll wait about a year and check back with you and Diane for a quick refresher course.
One thing that you will learn quickly is that when it comes to the government, vis a vis medicare, most of the workers are:
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