I’m on Social Security and Medicare. The thing that happens is yes we got a three point whatever percent increase last year but my Medicare part B payment also went up by $60 a month more than my cola so I actually took a $60 a month cut. I literally made best decisions when i started working with an advisor
Totally agree. A good financial adviser is a game-changer. My portfolio is balanced for all market conditions, and it has returned 120% since early last year. My adviser and I are now working toward hitting a seven-figure goal, which could take another year.
My CFA Julianne Iwersen Niemann, a renowned figure in her line of work. I recommend researching her credentials further. She has many years of experience and is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
I hear you; it's tough when COLA increases barely keep up with rising costs, and with Medicare premiums possibly going up again, it could feel even tighter this year. Having an advisor on your side is a great call-they can help you navigate these changes and make the most of what you’re getting. Here’s hoping for some better adjustments soon!
My friend has a cancer in his throat, he will be starting radiation and chemo. He has the Bluecross/Bluechip Medicare Advantage Plan..He has A,B, D…Trying to figure out if they pay for Chemo/Radiation or both? If not what could the co-pays whatever amount that is? He feels like he always lost the fight with Medicare
You are always so clear and right to the point. You do such a great job on these videos. Thank you. I called your office today and I’m looking forward to our appointment.
I've found your videos are the best resource I've found on RUclips. This one about plan D is excellent and your comparison on Plan N and Plan G for 2024 were very helpful.
Question...i take no meds, forced on medicare part a and b to keep tricare for life (so much for free health care for retired military). I see wellcare at $0.00 / month is an option. Why would i chose any other that has premiums?
If you don't use any medications, you wouldn't choose any other plan other than the cheapest you can find. On the other hand, all you need is one drug and it can make the choice much, much more complicated.
I had to literally guffaw when I saw the new BCBS Part D cost for me in Texas next year - a 258% increase for the same plan. I started on Medicare mid-year, and that was the best one at the time. But no, I will not be staying with them, and yes, there are 2-3 very low cost/no-cost plans I will choose from. TY for covering this!
Is it still wise to sign up for a drug plan even if you’re not on any medications? If so, do you just select “ don’t show drug costs”? I understand there is a penalty if you need to sign up for a drug plan later
I was just looking at these plans yesterday as I'll be ready for Medicare in March of 2025. My expensive drug is humira which I take for psoriasis. The cost would be $2K for the first month and then zero for the rest of the year. For New Jersey, the AARP plan is about $82 per month, but Cigna is about $10 and change. I'm not sure why the large difference between monthly premiums.
I did this and was shocked by the drugs not covered by some of the plans. I wasn’t surprised that drugs like Nucala might not be covered but several of the plans didn’t cover generic drugs such as albuterol and rabeprazole.
One thing that I am still foggy on, is why are some of the part D drug plans so much more expensive than others? Do the more expensive plans cover more drugs? There must be some reasoning behind why one would choose an expensive plan instead of a cheap one.
Yes, they usually cover more. That's why I think it's always important to download the entire formulary document for each insurance company. If you've had any discussions with your doctor about changing anything, it's nice to have the formulary to search through. I also like to just get an idea of how many pages are in each company's formulary. Not really very scientific, but they all use pretty much the same format so a really low number of pages might mean not much drug coverage. Wellcare actually numbers their pages with roman numerals, instead of regular numbers so I had to use a Roman Numeral converter to figure out that XCIX = 99. I'm surprised they don't write the text in Latin. Anything to make it more complicated..
My friend takes 90mg. Methadone daily…What Will his cost be with Medicare Bluecross/Bluechip Advantage Plan?? We don’t understand any of it. And hospital stays! Does he pay the first 4-5 days THEN it’s covered??
Have your friend call the Medicare Bluecoss/Blueshield Advantage Plan Customer service number on their ID card. They will explain the Benefits for the Hospital stays and also the cost for the Prescription medication. Also can ask for: Nurse Support Program, is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team designed to connect with members during impactable moments.
One little "catch" you didn't address here is the "preexisting condition". When you check the cost on the actual providers website my monthly sub cost went from 93 dollars a month to over $500!
During this open enrollment period, can you do a video regarding difference between "basic" and "enhanced" Part D plans? It is my understanding (from another Medicare You Tuber) that "enhanced" plans will have less TROOP (true out-of-pocket) costs because the TROOP is based on the "standard benefit cost calculation" and with an "enhanced" Part D plan you will have lower ACTUAL out of pocket copays/coinsurance/and 0 deductibles and reach the $2000 cap without actually having incurred the full $2000 cap since it is based on "standard benefit cost". Confusing, isn't it? Need you to explain all the differences between the two different types of Part D plans.
Just an FYI, if you were to have selected the generic drug Vigabatrin instead of Sabril, you may have gotten much lower costs. When I did that, I got a yearly cost for that drug of around $1,900 for all of the plans.
Thanks. I was trying to make a point that $2,000 max is not the whole truth. Insurance companies will not cover many drugs to stay under the $2,000 limit
@@medicare365 Got it. I went ahead and entered my prescriptions like you said and was able to see that they were all covered. So thanks for the video, I found it very useful!
Do you have an email to get in touch with you or just a phone number? My husband and I will be signing up for Medicare in April (2025) and we are really confused. Thanks for any information.
Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D) generally do not cover Tezspire. However, Medicare beneficiaries with severe asthma can still have access to Tezspire administration at their allergists' offices. Just a google search...
My Part D with WellCare was $1.60/mo in 2024. In 2025, Wellcare is saying ZERO/month. I'm on a cheap lifelong generic drug. Zero a month??? No copays either. Can it be true????
@@medicare365 Ofev is a prescription medication used to treat lung fibrosis. Ofev is typically a Tier 5 drug, which means it's among the more expensive drugs covered by Medicare.
Keto diet works better than all drugs, likely including Sabril, for epilepsy. But given the price of Sabril, I can see why doctors don't talk about Keto.
Will 2025 Medicare Drug plans be better than before?
I’m on Social Security and Medicare. The thing that happens is yes we got a three point whatever percent increase last year but my Medicare part B payment also went up by $60 a month more than my cola so I actually took a $60 a month cut. I literally made best decisions when i started working with an advisor
Totally agree. A good financial adviser is a game-changer. My portfolio is balanced for all market conditions, and it has returned 120% since early last year. My adviser and I are now working toward hitting a seven-figure goal, which could take another year.
That sounds interesting! Could you share the details of your adviser? I'm urgently in need of one.
My CFA Julianne Iwersen Niemann, a renowned figure in her line of work. I recommend researching her credentials further. She has many years of experience and is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
I just looked her up, and her credentials are impressive! I've already reached out and scheduled a call for some guidance. Thank you!
I hear you; it's tough when COLA increases barely keep up with rising costs, and with Medicare premiums possibly going up again, it could feel even tighter this year. Having an advisor on your side is a great call-they can help you navigate these changes and make the most of what you’re getting. Here’s hoping for some better adjustments soon!
My friend has a cancer in his throat, he will be starting radiation and chemo. He has the Bluecross/Bluechip Medicare Advantage Plan..He has A,B, D…Trying to figure out if they pay for Chemo/Radiation or both? If not what could the co-pays whatever amount that is? He feels like he always lost the fight with Medicare
You are always so clear and right to the point. You do such a great job on these videos. Thank you. I called your office today and I’m looking forward to our appointment.
I've found your videos are the best resource I've found on RUclips. This one about plan D is excellent and your comparison on Plan N and Plan G for 2024 were very helpful.
Thank you. Thats one of the nicest comments I’ve gotten in a long time
Good afternoon brian, thank you so much for explaining everything your the best of the best 💪
Thanks Liz
Question...i take no meds, forced on medicare part a and b to keep tricare for life (so much for free health care for retired military). I see wellcare at $0.00 / month is an option. Why would i chose any other that has premiums?
If you don't use any medications, you wouldn't choose any other plan other than the cheapest you can find. On the other hand, all you need is one drug and it can make the choice much, much more complicated.
@Part_121 thx, opted for $0.00 premium
I’m in Orlando, the heavy rain comes and goes, the hurricane is approaching … 🌀
I hope you are in a safe place now!!!!
Appreciate it
Great explanation. Thank you so much.
You are welcome
With simple drugs this is easy but you do not answer the question, how do you get coverage for a "Sabrill" type drug?
@@bill-ne8kr or humira
@@bill-ne8kr Also a tier 4
I had to literally guffaw when I saw the new BCBS Part D cost for me in Texas next year - a 258% increase for the same plan. I started on Medicare mid-year, and that was the best one at the time. But no, I will not be staying with them, and yes, there are 2-3 very low cost/no-cost plans I will choose from. TY for covering this!
BCBS cancelled all of us here in east Tennessee!
Is it still wise to sign up for a drug plan even if you’re not on any medications? If so, do you just select “ don’t show drug costs”? I understand there is a penalty if you need to sign up for a drug plan later
I was just looking at these plans yesterday as I'll be ready for Medicare in March of 2025. My expensive drug is humira which I take for psoriasis. The cost would be $2K for the first month and then zero for the rest of the year. For New Jersey, the AARP plan is about $82 per month, but Cigna is about $10 and change. I'm not sure why the large difference between monthly premiums.
@@christopherbuckley94 does Cigna cover humira?
@@lexseec6124 according to medicare.gov it does. When you pick a plan, you input all of your medications.
I did this and was shocked by the drugs not covered by some of the plans. I wasn’t surprised that drugs like Nucala might not be covered but several of the plans didn’t cover generic drugs such as albuterol and rabeprazole.
Crazy right?
Some of them do not cover levothyroxine for thyroid.
Do you pay the deductible a little each drug you get or all up front ?
It depends.
One thing that I am still foggy on, is why are some of the part D drug plans so much more expensive than others? Do the more expensive plans cover more drugs? There must be some reasoning behind why one would choose an expensive plan instead of a cheap one.
Yes. Covers more
Yes, they usually cover more. That's why I think it's always important to download the entire formulary document for each insurance company. If you've had any discussions with your doctor about changing anything, it's nice to have the formulary to search through. I also like to just get an idea of how many pages are in each company's formulary. Not really very scientific, but they all use pretty much the same format so a really low number of pages might mean not much drug coverage. Wellcare actually numbers their pages with roman numerals, instead of regular numbers so I had to use a Roman Numeral converter to figure out that XCIX = 99. I'm surprised they don't write the text in Latin. Anything to make it more complicated..
My friend takes 90mg. Methadone daily…What Will his cost be with Medicare Bluecross/Bluechip Advantage Plan?? We don’t understand any of it. And hospital stays! Does he pay the first 4-5 days THEN it’s covered??
Have your friend call the Medicare Bluecoss/Blueshield Advantage Plan Customer service number on their ID card. They will explain the Benefits for the Hospital stays and also the cost for the Prescription medication. Also can ask for: Nurse Support Program, is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team designed to connect with members during impactable moments.
Thanks, stay safe
Appreciate you ❤
Thanks
Will the zero cost Wellcare Value Script plans be available again in Florida ?
Yes. It should be available
One little "catch" you didn't address here is the "preexisting condition". When you check the cost on the actual providers website my monthly sub cost went from 93 dollars a month to over $500!
During this open enrollment period, can you do a video regarding difference between "basic" and "enhanced" Part D plans? It is my understanding (from another Medicare You Tuber) that "enhanced" plans will have less TROOP (true out-of-pocket) costs because the TROOP is based on the "standard benefit cost calculation" and with an "enhanced" Part D plan you will have lower ACTUAL out of pocket copays/coinsurance/and 0 deductibles and reach the $2000 cap without actually having incurred the full $2000 cap since it is based on "standard benefit cost". Confusing, isn't it? Need you to explain all the differences between the two different types of Part D plans.
Helene devastated our mountains in NC
That was nuts
@@medicare365 l
People said the same thing because nothing ever hit like that they stayed. It’s devastating
Take care. We send our best.
Hope your home is safe.
Just an FYI, if you were to have selected the generic drug Vigabatrin instead of Sabril, you may have gotten much lower costs. When I did that, I got a yearly cost for that drug of around $1,900 for all of the plans.
Thanks. I was trying to make a point that $2,000 max is not the whole truth. Insurance companies will not cover many drugs to stay under the $2,000 limit
@@medicare365 Got it. I went ahead and entered my prescriptions like you said and was able to see that they were all covered. So thanks for the video, I found it very useful!
Stay safe!
Stay safe
Thank you 🙏
Looks like my 2025 PDP monthly premium will be $0.00! It's $0.50 this year.
I have the same plan. I'm thinking of splurging on a Starbucks with the yearly savings!
Latte anyone?
Do you have an email to get in touch with you or just a phone number? My husband and I will be signing up for Medicare in April (2025) and we are really confused. Thanks for any information.
Please call in and we will set up an appointment for you.
They don’t even show one of my drug. Tezspire.
Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D) generally do not cover Tezspire. However, Medicare beneficiaries with severe asthma can still have access to Tezspire administration at their allergists' offices. Just a google search...
My Part D with WellCare was $1.60/mo in 2024. In 2025, Wellcare is saying ZERO/month. I'm on a cheap lifelong generic drug. Zero a month??? No copays either. Can it be true????
Ofev is very expensive
What is Ofev?
@@medicare365 Ofev is a prescription medication used to treat lung fibrosis.
Ofev is typically a Tier 5 drug, which means it's among the more expensive drugs covered by Medicare.
Eloquis
It’s Eliquis, and try Well care
Keto diet works better than all drugs, likely including Sabril, for epilepsy. But given the price of Sabril, I can see why doctors don't talk about Keto.
Will the doughnut hole be dropped in 2025?
So they say