Double-Digit Hikes for Some Medicare Drug Plans- Monthly premiums to rise.

[dixiegrrrrl]

Gee, who coulda guessed?

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=11710794

edited size of headline

[napi21]

1. I don't understand what's going on. Yesterday I read that many

Advantage Plan premiums were going "DOWN a little for 2011 (which is the exact opposite of what we were told would happen), and now today I read Part D prices are going up. Does ANYONE have any idea what the hell is going on?

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Advantage is supposed to go DOWN 1 %. ONE percent.

I read that.

[appleannie1]

2. Hub and I have the preferred plan now so we will see a decrease. The drugs we take are not covered

in the saver plan and we had no choice but to pay for the higher rate. So the new rate for us will be lower.

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. If it's only "Some Medicare Drug Plans", can't the affected shop around?

:shrug:

[postulater]

4. If you have an Advantage plan and see a chiropractor

you'd better check your coverage.

Some plans have no chiropractic coverage unless you purchase a rider. Then the plan covers 100% after your copay.

Your copay might be $35 or $40. The chiropractor's fee is fixed by Medicare at about $35.

That means you pay the entire visit, not one cent from your Advantage plan.

And yet you paid your added premium for the rider, for no possibility of any benefit....ever.

What a scam by the insurance company!

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Our recent hospital bill showed same problem.

Mr. d was in hospital for 4 days, he has Medicare Part A.
part B, which he does not have, covers doctor while in hospital, covers outpatient.
Part B costs 102.00 a month, plus has deductibles and co-pays.


total dr, bill for the hospital:
800.00.
total outpatient follow up bill:
100.00 ( included x-rays and blood tests)

( we are blessed to live in a cheap area).

We had set aside the 102.00 a month into a savings account x 3 years.
So we paid the bills out of that.
( 102 a month times 3 years = 3,672)

Still waiting for hospital part of the bill,
the Part A has something like a 1600.00 deductible.
I don't know the co-pay part, have to look that up.

[mdmc]

7. ..