I'm shopping medicare plans for my 77yo mom. She is currently on a "managed andemnity??" from UHC that my dad had from his work before he passed away in 2014. I live a state away from my mom so getting details from her about what this UHC insurance covers is like pulling teeth. She doesn't want to change due to sentimental reasons and acts all confused when I ask for the papers they sent her. BUT they are charging $350/month on top of her $130 deduction from her SSI check. Many folks around her have plans with Humana and others and are paying the $130SSI deduction + < $30/month for their insurance.
I figure if I save her the $4200/year, I would have to pick a pretty bad insurance to make her OOP expensed go up by that much with a different insurance. She does't see the doctors much but is on expensive medicine. Even some of the generics are expensive (100/month).
Yes I am using the pharmacy that is best for that insurance. Outrageous that pharmacies have difference prices for medicine but that is a different topic.
I found a plan called Aetna Medicare Freedom Plan on Medicare.gov that has the lowest prices for my moms long list of prescription drugs. Thing is, it has a $0 monthly premium.
Brings up two questions.
1) How can the premiums be free and Aetna still make money?
I learned long ago that when large dollars are moving around and no-one is asking for a fee....you better look through the details.. you are betting bent. (Yes Merrill Lynch I'm looking at you...)
2) Has anyone been on this plan or evaluated it to find any glaring coverage holes compared to similar plans? From the terms I see it looks fine to me. About equal across the typical players in the New Orleans area.
Not looking for a detailed analysis just stories of people using it and any negative surprises that were not clearly spelled out in the summary pages.
thanks
I figure if I save her the $4200/year, I would have to pick a pretty bad insurance to make her OOP expensed go up by that much with a different insurance. She does't see the doctors much but is on expensive medicine. Even some of the generics are expensive (100/month).
I found a plan called Aetna Medicare Freedom Plan on Medicare.gov that has the lowest prices for my moms long list of prescription drugs. Thing is, it has a $0 monthly premium.
Brings up two questions.
1) How can the premiums be free and Aetna still make money?
I learned long ago that when large dollars are moving around and no-one is asking for a fee....you better look through the details.. you are betting bent. (Yes Merrill Lynch I'm looking at you...)
2) Has anyone been on this plan or evaluated it to find any glaring coverage holes compared to similar plans? From the terms I see it looks fine to me. About equal across the typical players in the New Orleans area.
Not looking for a detailed analysis just stories of people using it and any negative surprises that were not clearly spelled out in the summary pages.
thanks