Prescription Drug Readiness

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by Marc Manor

If you take prescription drugs, it would be wise to take inventory of your medicine cabinet and make sure you have adequate supplies to get you through the worst-case scenario. Most insurance plans offer mail-order options with online refill requests and some pharmacies are helping with delivery as well. A 90-day supply can be requested on some prescriptions. If you take meds that have quantity limits you can request your insurance plan and pharmacy to waive those requirements during the crisis.

Doing things like cutting pills and skipping days may be harmful to your health and should be avoided if at all possible. People taking drugs for diabetes are especially at risk.

If your prescriptions are expensive, call us at 904-222-0698 and we can help direct you to discount prescription drug or government programs that may be able to help.

Here is an article from "EverydayHealth.com" that has more helpful information:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/infectious-diseases/coronavirus-and-prescription-medications-should-you-stock-up/

Marc Manor is a 30-year military veteran who is now dedicated to teaching his fellow Americans how to make the most of their Medicare and healthcare benefits. As an independent agent, Marc has access to a wide variety of carriers with an abundance of resources to find tailored solutions. There is no charge for a consultation so call 904-222-0698 or email: marc@marcmanor.com.

Prescription Drug Prices Are Enough to Make You Sick!

by Marc Manor

There are many divisive social and political hot button issues but one I think most people would agree on is the issue of the high cost of prescription drugs in America.  I believe Medicare is a great system but it falls woefully short when it comes to prescription drug coverage for higher cost drugs.  Private insurance companies follow a model provided by Medicare but that is simply not enough.  Sometimes I talk to people who take two or three high tier drugs and I can’t help but to feel somewhat angry about what they are having to deal with to maintain good health.  

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I know I’m not the first person to bring this up, but I am piling on because I think that we all need to keep the pressure up on the government and the pharmaceutical companies to protest just how insane these costs really are.  To illustrate just how ridiculous the price of prescription drugs can be, I created an example we will call “Joe”:

Avoiding the Medicare Penalty Box

by Marc Manor

Relative to most individual healthcare plans, many people find Medicare a significantly less expensive alternative with more coverage and lower deductibles.  After all, if you have been employed throughout your life, you have been paying into the Medicare system and have earned the Medicare Benefit!  If you have been employed for 10 years or more, it is likely your Medicare Part A will have no cost and your Medicare Part B will be only $135.50 per month* for most people (*Part B premiums are higher for higher income earners).   Medicare costs can be found here:  

https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/medicare-costs-at-a-glance#collapse-4809

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To take full advantage of the value of your Medicare benefits, it is best to avoid late enrollment penalties.  There are late enrollment penalties for Medicare Part B and Part D and with so many low-cost options available, there are few reasons that would justify putting yourself in the Medicare “Penalty Box.”  Sometimes people seem surprised and are frustrated by the penalties.  They claim they just aren’t fair.  I understand how someone must feel but Medicare justifies these penalties because they base their rates and calculate their risk based on eligible beneficiaries in the pool of enrollees.  But you won’t care about why they penalize you for being late. So, let’s talk about the penalties and some ways you can stay within the rules and avoid them!

Save $ with the right “Pharm” Team

By Marc Manor

Please forgive me, but as a lifelong sports fan, I always try to squeeze in a sports analogy or pun when I can. If you have seen the movie “Money Ball” and/or you are a baseball fan, you know the importance of a good “Farm” Team System. Major League Baseball teams find young talent and sign them to Minor League Farm Teams to develop them as opposed to signing high priced free agents to help their team win. This is good business for professional baseball and the same holds true for Medicare beneficiaries. In this blog I will explain how Medicare beneficiaries can save money by using the right “pharm” (pharmacy) system to put together a winning team in the medicine cabinet!

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Beneficiaries using Medicare Part D benefits have a vast landscape of plans they can choose from. Many Medicare Advantage Plans have Part D Prescription Drug coverage included. So how does one go about choosing the right plan? There are a number of factors, not least of which has to do with what pharmacy they use.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans frequently contract with certain pharmacies for discounted prices for their prescription drugs. This can make a big difference with how much a beneficiary pays for their drugs on a recurring basis. Usually there are three categories to consider:

Tiers of Sadness...Tiers of Joy: Strategies for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans

By Marc Manor

The plight of those Medicare beneficiaries that take one or more high cost prescription drugs can be challenging; and as with anything in the Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) world, the landscape can be foggy and difficult to sift through to find affordable solutions. Sometimes, it may be possible to save a few dollars if we take the time to research a few variables. Prescription drugs are categorized in “tiers” that relate to the coverage level according to the benefit schedule of each PDP. As a rule, the higher the tier, the more expensive the drugs will be for the consumer (and the plan). I say “as a rule,” because there are some exceptions to the rule if one digs deep enough and searches through several variables.

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Generic vs. Name Brand Drugs