Medicare Part D: Are you being ripped off?
“Imagine what it would be like if a grocery store never displayed the price of anything. And the price you’re charged might be totally different from the price the next customer is charged for the same...
View ArticleLipitor has gone generic. Or has it?
I recently wrote about the generic replacement for Lipitor and the large pricing discrepancy among Part D plans for Atorvastatin. One Part D plan charges an $8 co-pay for Atorvastatin while most other...
View ArticleLipitor generic available. Is your Part D plan saving you money?
Have you moved from Lipitor to its generic, Atorvastatin? Until June, many Part D plans (and employer plans) did not allow people to get the generic. Since June 1, things have changed and the price for...
View ArticlePart D and Lipitor: the cost for Medicare and seniors
When I wrote about Lipitor generic costs recently, I got some interesting emails. One was from Marian in Phoenix who questioned why she couldn’t get the generic through her Part D plan. Another was...
View ArticleMedicare Advantage: Annual Election Period is near
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or Part D, please pay attention. The Annual Election Period (also called the Open Enrollment Period) begins on October 15th and ends on December 7th....
View ArticleMedicare Part D: Should you pick a plan with a deductible?
Should you choose a Part D plan with a deductible? Most clients’ eyes glaze over as I explain how the deductible works. And I’ve gotten calls from clients who forgot about the deductible in their Part...
View ArticleWhy is Part D so complicated?
Yesterday I met with a client who is turning 65 in June. He is a doctor, and this doctor was amazed by how complicated Medicare Part D drug coverage is. As I explained how Part D drug coverage works,...
View ArticleMedicare Advantage Changes Coming for 2014
Changes are coming to Medicare Advantage plans. I’ve been attending meetings for independent brokers who represent Medicare Advantage plans in Southern Arizona and my head is spinning with news of...
View ArticleMedicare Advantage Star Ratings: Who cares?
Seniors do not care about the Medicare Advantage and Part D star ratings. This is the finding of focus group research carried out by the Kaiser Family Foundation last fall. AIS Health has a good...
View ArticlePart D: High Risk Drugs You Should Not Use
A client emailed me last week complaining about her Medicare Advantage plan. She said her doctor gave her a prescription for Zolpidem, a sleeping pill, and her Medicare Advantage plan said they won't...
View ArticleMedicare Advantage Star Ratings: Who cares?
Seniors do not care about the Medicare Advantage and Part D star ratings. This is the finding of focus group research carried out by the Kaiser Family Foundation last fall. AIS Health has a good...
View ArticlePart D: High Risk Drugs You Should Not Use
A client emailed me last week complaining about her Medicare Advantage plan. She said her doctor gave her a prescription for Zolpidem, a sleeping pill, and her Medicare Advantage plan said they won't...
View Article
