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Wed 16 Dec, 2009 12:27 am
I've been trying to set up a new Part D Prescription Drug Plan. Today, I think I succeeded. It was not easy.
Login is not difficult. Finding the section to review and choose plans takes a bit of time, till you get used to it, but don't worry. You will have the chance to become very experienced in this feat of navigation. And, what do you do when you get there? Why, you retreive your list of prescription drugs. Why do you do that? I don't know why. You have identified yourself to the system, the system has your information, so why does it need to be retreived? This is akin to A2K requiring a separate login with separate username and password to access your profile. A2K doesn't do that; it doesn't need to.
So, you locate the list of plans in your area that cover your own drugs. Browse the list, and select the three that seem most attractive to get a detailed comparison. Then what? Well, about this time, the timeout message pops up. This is common to secure financial sites if you haven't shown recent activity. This site does it whether you've been active or not. Is it a problem? Yes, it is. You have two options. One is "cancel" which you use if you do not want to log out, the other logs you out immediately. You pick "cancel", because you haven't gotten your comparison. What happens? Do you continue? No, you don't. You remain logged in. Unfortunately, you are no longer set up to compare your three plans. In fact, you are right back at the beginning of the maze. It asks if you would like to retreive your list of prescription drugs - again. So you dig out that username and password - again, and. . . . Anyway, you work your way through the maze again, but somewhat quicker, having learned a bit from your earlier experience. My fourth attempt yesterday was actually pretty quick. Not quick enough, but close.
Today, one attempt got my comparisons, I made a selection, and up jumped the devil! Stubbornly, I found the enrollment screen and was able to bypass the rest of the bushwa. Got a printout of the plan details, entered the login details and am pretty sure I got enrolled.
Unwisely, they solicited comments and suggestions. I gave them the above experience and added an offer to bet that the equivalent website in Albania would work better. I though that was pretty restrained. If I were given to hyperbole, I would have bet a dollar to a box of donuts they had better websites in Somalia.
Thanks for listening.
@roger,
Quote:Unwisely, they solicited comments and suggestions.
I hope you showed the good manners and restraint typical of an A2K member ??
@Ionus,
Absolutely! I never give a putrifying, pus ridden slimebag less respect than that to which they are entitled. I do not expect they were able to follow the precise suggestions. Difficult for a normally constructed human being, but for them it's a maybe.
@roger,
roger wrote:
Absolutely! I never give a putrifying, pus ridden slimebag less respect than that to which they are entitled. I do not expect they were able to follow the precise suggestions. Difficult for a normally constructed human being, but for them it's a maybe.
My finely honed assessment skills suggest to me that the Rat is a touch vexed.
@dlowan,
I can only wish that the wabbit had the opportunity to explore the same convolutions. Notice that I don't say she should have to.
Honestly, lots of sites have time out provisions, especially if they are secure financial sites. On the ones that do, you click the proper button and your time is extended. On this one, you go back to the square marked GO. There were no such problems six months ago, so I suppose this is the improved version, "improved" having a special mean in software, of course.
@roger,
I cant wait. Is there some governmenta fiat against olders to make whatever "assistance " as indecipherable as possible so that oldsters, already getting slow in the head, wont be able to follow along?
Am I close? When I hit that magic age Im gonna make sure the fuckin govmint learns some new words
I am really enjoying this thread. You guys will start a revolution soon if you dont calm down.
I began my experience with MyMedicare.gov 8 days ago, so far I have made zero progress.
@dyslexia,
No problem, Bob. I think you've got something like two months from your birthday to get it beaten into submission. If you have made internet contact, though, it is best you don't lose the passwords. For the drug plans, it is enormous.
By the way, you won't have to declare any preexisting conditions in you sign up for one of the Medigap plans during your first eligilibility period.
Watch out for the drug plans, though. The AARP plan that covers my only continuing prescription costs something like $32.00 per month. The benefit is that I can fill a prescription for $70.00 instead of $95.00 at Sam's Club. Had I picked this, I would be guaranteed to lose not over $10.00 per month. Instead, I went with an Aetna plan. Premium is $29.00, no deductable, and the drug price is $34.00. You gotta watch the details. At some point, you will need to enter all prescriptions into your drug list so each plan will be able to give you your actual costs per drug, and full costs per year. They don't do that in Somalia. They probably do in Albania.
@farmerman,
I think it's economic stimulus, farmerman. We will soon have a whole social services field devoted to working your way through this particular minefield.
@roger,
I've not gottten a password and therein lies the rub.
@dyslexia,
I went to read and try and help you out here, pops.
near as I can tell, the password costs extra.
@dyslexia,
The starting point is your Medicare card. The red, white, and blue thing. The number you want is your Social Security number followed by a letter. The second entry will be the date given on the card. If you haven't gotten that card yet, go down to the nearest Social Security office and sit on somebody's lap till they cough up something useful.
That should get you logged onto mymedicare.gov. If I remember correctly from seven months ago, when you try to investigate the drug plans, they will give you a number. A very long number. It is actually called a Password Date. The number you use after that will be your date of birth. If you still run into problems, I may or may not be able to help by phone, but willing to try. Since I am on dialup, if you get a busy signal send me a pm and I'll clear the phone line.
I'm kind of glad I started this thread.
I think SS has figured out that people our age are not terribly persistant. Then they run into a couple of people like Roberta and Phoenix, and they stay on their toes for a couple of weeks.
@roger,
I had luck on my recent medicare/medicaid/what's it all mean, Alfie question(s) before my surgery when just calling them by phone. It's an 800 number or 866, one of those.
@roger,
@dyslexia,
Quote:The starting point is your Medicare card. The red, white, and blue thing. The number you want is your Social Security number followed by a letter. The second entry will be the date given on the card. If you haven't gotten that card yet, go down to the nearest Social Security office and sit on somebody's lap till they cough up something useful.
Yeah that's exactly my problem, I've never received the card that has my number on it.
@dyslexia,
It's way overdue. Get down and talk to them in the early morning. Do not leave till they tell you when you are going to get it. If you haven't already applied for Social Security, be sure you have good photo ID, birth certificate, and DD 214.
Just maybe, you can contact them online. That does have the disadvantage of letting them reply when it happens to suit them. They will first have to have a meeting over coffee and donuts to decide who is going to send out the form letter this time. Remember, if they were real go getters, they wouldn't be sitting around filling G-4 positions. Best to be there in person.
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