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Special coverage: Medicare

Readers respond

By Times Staff
Published April 25, 2006

The St. Petersburg Times asked readers to share their stories of navigating the choices with Medicare Part D. Here is a sampling of their responses:

My 86-year-old father has had a terrible time trying to get medicine under the part "D."

He also has seen other people not able to get medicines because they are not covered for certain medicines and cannot afford to pay out of pocket.

He and my mom have been on the phone for over three hours with "customer service" people who try to help, but cannot help, so they transfer them to another "customer service" person who cannot answer the questions.

It seems that no one knows what to do and the poor people who need the medicines have to go without. It is a BIG MESS!

M. Louise Vallee, Port Richey

I thought I understood it. My first benefits statement was a shock.

Contributing to the "cap" of $2,250 is my monthly premium ($26.68 a month); my deductible ($0); my monthly co-pay ($28 for one drug); and my plan's monthly cost for that drug ($230.36). I hit the "doughnut hole" after 8½ months with ONE drug (Femara, for breast cancer). To spend the necessary $3,600 to qualify for catastrophic coverage, my plan's costs are removed from the equation - so that sum begins not with the $2,250 already co-spent, but the $464.78 only I have spent. All plans are equally inequitable. If you need even ONE expensive drug, you cannot afford any others.

Dorothy Swanson, Spring Hill

I avoided all the Medicare D complications, do not have to pay a deductible, and can use most any pharmacy. How? I joined the AARP plan - simple, easy, no hassle and only $26.68 each month, Medicare approved.

Eva Dansereau, St. Petersburg.

I'm 72, retired 15 years from Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati and a snowbird. What is the PENALTY for if people aren't signed up by May 15??? And why?

United Health Care Medicare Complete informed me to not do anything - our plan was fine, okay. But others not as fortunate as me to work there are totally and completely confused, as I would be . . .

Faith Garner, Palm Harbor (and Cincinnati)

The experience for signing up to Part D was a snap. We already were signed up to AARP health care to work with our Medicare. They had served us well, so we went with AARP Part D. It works for us ! It is also low-priced.

Ned and Helen Fillhart, Largo

Our experience with Part D is more frustration than complication. The only way to make an economical decision is to know exactly what the medications cost, which is practically impossible.

In comparing prices of meds we found that knowing the retail price is not necessarily the best way to go. For example, when we compared the cost of four meds at Walgreens (which is the supplier of choice for our insurance company) we found that the retail price was considerably higher for three of them than at Target . . .

An educated comparison could be made only if we were informed of the price the insurance company actually pays, not the retail price to the uninformed public.

Mrs. Henry Maynard, St. Petersburg

I have no idea why some people are having a problem with Medicare Part D. My experience with the new plan has been positive. I researched through November the many choices out there, felt comfortable with Blue Cross and called. I received a packet in the mail, filled out the forms and mailed it back. Three weeks later my card arrived.

My five prescriptions I fill each month cost me less than the cost of one before the plan went into effect.

The negative reporting in the media is the reason people are having so many problems. If you read something often enough, you start to believe it. I read articles that constantly tell how confusing and difficult this plan is to understand. It is not.

Lois Scheff, St. Petersburg

I signed up for prescription drug coverage in mid November after being told the plan was best for my needs and my medicine was in their formulary. I found out later it was in Tier 3, so it would cost $54 plus a premium of $30.

I can buy my prescription with no (insurance) coverage for $33, so I canceled my enrollment in December. The insurance company has assured me five times that I am covered as of Jan. 1, but it failed to notify Medicare, so they have taken money for premiums.

I have spent hours on the phone and will probably spend more, trying to get my money back. I think Medicare Part D is a farce.

Mrs. A.B. Stonecipher, Seminole

I looked for a company that covered the so-called "gap." The agent for Humana helped, and if he didn't have the answer, he found it for me. It is still more expensive than the discount cards I had. I sent for information from six companies but they only covered generics in the gap. Humana covered name brands, so I went with them.

Patricia Yohe, Valrico

[Last modified April 25, 2006, 15:51:37]