6 replies to this topic

[Dom]

I have medicare part D, and I pay about $6,500 a year for both premium and co-pay on all my medication (I take more than just imatinib, but imatinib is the lion's share).  

 

I'm looking at Medicare advantage plans, because they provide more coverage for other things, especially home care (which will come sooner or later).  I'm surprised that, looking at AARP, the plans will cost $12,000 a year, more than twice what I pay on regular Part D.

 

Does anyone have Medicare advantage?  

[Buzzm1]

Dom, a 2018 Medicare Advantage plan will cost you anywhere from $90 to, $150/mo.; your drug cost will be dependent on their drug plan.  As you know, in 2017, excluding Kaiser, Express Scripts through Walmart offered the best price on generic Imatinib.

 

Info on the 2018  Medicare Advantage plans will be available in November.

 

While In the Donut Hole, Consumers pay:

2018: 35% for brand-names and 44% for generics

For 2018, the Medicare Donut Hole will be $3,750 to $5,000.

 

For generics, that means $5,000 out of pocket before reaching the 5% catastrophic phase.

 

For most Social Security recipients, the yet-to-be-determined 2018 Social Security COLA increase will be offset by Medicare and Medicare supplemental increases. New Medicare recipients are paying $134/mo for Part B. I'm currently paying $111/mo. and I expect a $23/mo. cost increase.

 

A rough guess would be a 1.7% 2018 SS COLA

 

CPI-W http://bit.ly/2rx0moj

2016 Q3 235.057

2016 Q4 235.446

2017 Q1 237.329

2017 Q2 238.618

2017 Q3

2917 Q3 is the average of July 238.617 August, and September http://bit.ly/2tPkeTb

[chriskuo]

Dom,

 

What is your apples to apples comparison?

 

With original Medicare, you buy a Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D separately.  With Medicare Advantage, things are rolled into 1 plan.  In general, the cost of Medicare Advantage should not be significantly more expensive than the cost of a supplement plus Part D.

 

With Medicare Advantage, there are usually added benefits to attract subscribers and the plan sponsor gets funding sweeteners from the Federal government.

 

My former employer switched our retiree plan this year from Medicare Supplement + Part D to Medicare Advantage because it is cheaper for the employer (self-insured) because of the Federal incentives. 

[Gail's]

Does anyone know if medicare or the supplemental plan recognizes parity for oral cancer drugs? I'm being quoted horrible drug costs as I approach starting medicare. As a resident of Oregon, my current insurance doesn't charge anything for sprycel now. If Medicare or the supplemental plan doesn't recognize the parity laws, why not? I read today that now 21 states have oral cancer med parity laws so this could affect a lot of us boomers.

[Buzzm1]

Parity is in regard to state regulated programs; Medicare is a federal program.  

[chriskuo]

And as we know all too well, Medicare is not allowed to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers.

[Gail's]

Work is being done on parity at the federal level, but note medicare will require even more changes to have parity for oral cancer mess.
https://www.celgene....slation-needed/