Did anyone see either 60 mins. or Dateline where they had people being thrown off insurance? One lady was having chemo for ovca. Another person had to pay a steep co-insurance from Medicare to get treatment. One of my friends was watching this with me and since I am approaching 64, will be on Medicare next year we were talking about this. My friend was saying unless you get a plan that will pay for the chemo, if I take straight Medicare I will have to come up with the 20% co-pay......and we all know how much chemo costs!!!!!! Who can afford that???!!!
Anyone out there who is on straight Medicare and receiving chemo? Does Medicare pay for it? Or does anyone have Medicare and a drug plan where they are paying for it? Also, is your oncologist covered under medicare and the CT or PET scan.
This is all starting to make me nervous and scared about insuracne.
Decisions, decisons, decisions!
Thanks,
Marillyn
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Medicare and OVCA
- By Cookie519
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 10:07 am · 11 replies
- In Financial and insurance issues
- Shared with the public
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11 replies
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- By Patricia123
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 4:24 pm
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I am on medicare and they have been great. I have medicare and medigap insurance thru employer, retired last year.
So far my bills have been about 200 grand or more and I have paid 1500 bucks,,pretty good I would say.
They pay and docs cannot bill you prior to all bills being put thru insurance.
I am very very pleased with medicare,,I have the traditional medicare, not the HMO medicare.
- By momanderson920
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 4:56 pm
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The key is to get a Medicap policy (Medicare supplement policy) when you first sign up. I believe you have to do it when you first begin receiving it or they can deny you for pre existing conditions. It is well worth the money spent. My father in law is paying an enormous amount of money for a rehab because he was foolish not to get a medicare supplement when he could. I don't think they are very expensive....Plan F is the best I think. Check your state senior services agency out and often they have people who can counsel you on the plans and how to apply. Don't postpone it though or you might not be able to get it since you have cancer.
- By momanderson920
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 5:01 pm
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You also need to get a Medicare prescription plan if you are on alot of expensive medications, I would advise getting that as well. The pharmacies are good at advising you on that as well as an agent who sells the plans. Pharmacies though are probably best since they deal with it all day. Walgreen I think has a good counseling program. There is also a formula calculator on the Medicare website I think. I helped my stepdad with it when my mom died and they came off her BCBS insurance. There are special enrollment periods so check all that out so you don't miss the time to enroll. I know it is very complex but there are people out there who can help....state senior agencies are one good place to start. Do a google search of your state's name and Senior Services and it should bring it up. I work for my husband and often help seniors. Here in Virginia, we have Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia and there is also Department of Aging in various states and I think federally. I hope you can get some help and best wishes!
- By momanderson920
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 5:06 pm
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Marillyn, sorry for going on and on...I see you are from Florida. I think Florida is one of the best states for help with things like this since it has a large retirement population. My father in law and his wife live near Ft. Lauderdale and we have found there to be alot of helpful organizations with senior issues. Hope you can get some help....do it before you go on Medicare officially. There is a one time enrollment period I think and with cancer, you don't want to miss that.
- By momanderson920
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 5:07 pm
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Here is the site for Florida:
http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us/index.php
- By momanderson920
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 5:09 pm
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Here's the specific one for Medicare/Medigap, etc.
http://www.floridashine.org/medicare.html
- By plk
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 10:38 pm
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My husband is over 65, I am not yet. We decided to keep the BCBS fed plan, along with the medicare BCBS plan. It pays well for everything, once the deductables are met. This new medical plan that the President is talking about is what scares me. My meds run 3,700.00 a month, add chemo to that and no way I can pay that, insurance pays all but 87.00 of it. Even with a very good income.
- By zircons
- Posted April 9, 2009 at 11:04 pm
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I was diagnosed when I was 67 and had Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of MA. They paid for all the surgery and chemo. I have a prescription plan for which I did not have enough coverage (I had been healthy and was not on any meds when I signed up). I would advise you to get a prescription plan that pays for almost all drugs which you have to take so that you do not have nausea and whatever else you might have to take. Obviously, they all have "donut" holes where you have to pay the total cost until you reach the plateau.
- By Cookie519
- Posted April 11, 2009 at 10:12 am
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Thank you all for such good information!
I will start checking this out now before my 65th birthday next year.
Have a great weekend,
Marilyn
- By Patricia123
- Posted April 11, 2009 at 4:55 pm
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THe new health plans are scaring me too because there will be a commission in the gov that will decide on "cost effectiveness" of all treatments and prevent, by law, docs from using them. Sounds great but I wonder how long they will allow us to have treatment for recurrence that extends life maybe six months,,some gov bureaucrat will say it isn't worth it.
THat scares me,,that rationing is on the horizon. We have to be alert and active or we will find ourselves like some of our British and Canadian friends,,unable to get things we need.
- By Cookie519
- Posted April 12, 2009 at 10:35 am
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Obama's mom had ovca. You would think he would be more liberal with healthcare.
We have to oraganize!! Otherwise we will not get the care we all need. Check out Ovations for the Cure and the Dana Farber Institute. They are working to find a cure.
Have a great weekend!
Marilyn
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