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Showing posts with the label Part D

What happens when a Medicare Advantage plan leaves?

Suzie and I have been working with Health and Medicare Plans for years. What happens when my medicare advantage plan leaves ? It comes up frequently during the initial enrollment period. The quick answer is we go through the different options and select a different one at that time. We have seen Molina & Premera paid plans leave our Chelan County. Lifewise leave and come back, Moda leaves the state, Soundpath Health Medicare Advantage wave goodbye to North Central Washington. We have been taking care of the entire Washington state for over eleven years. It is tough when a plan that you are comfortable with cannot continue in your area. Not every county in Washington state has Medicare Advantage plans. The insurance company has to identify that there is enough people who qualify, obtain contracts with providers in the area, and have enough profits that can be made in the area to continue to operate. Every year, some Medicare Advantage plans may leave the Medicare program by Dec....

What about Medicare in North Central Washington?

 Suzie Health Solutions has been assisting people in Wenatchee and surrounding counties going on ten years. We make it easy as possible because this is a life changing moment. Suzie takes her time during enrollment and answers questions through the year making her high in demand. She does take appointments and people have set them as far out as five years. We do not charge fees .  To enroll in Medicare, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who is 65 years or older, or have a qualifying disability or end-stage renal disease. Yes, if you have a Permanent Resident Card (I-5551) then you can qualify for Medicare! To quote or set appointment here. We do assist people in office for an initial enrollment or receive forms to activate Medicare B from a delayed start. You can enroll in Medicare online, by phone, or in person at your local Social Security office. You will need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, and other personal information. Once you h...

Medicare Part D 2021

 When Suzie is not talking about Medicare Advantage plans . She recieves questions about Medicare Part D . Here are the stages that you may not know. The Deductible Stage : While some plans have a zero dollar deductible, the most an annual deductible will be is $445. You are responsible for 100% of your prescription drug costs until your deductible is met. The Initial Coveage : You pay a copay or coinsurance. Your Part D plan pays the rest for prescription drugs included in your plan's formulary.  The Coverage Gap : After you and your plan have together spent $4130 on prescription drugs then you enter the coverage gap or donut hole. You now pay 25% of the cost of your prescription drugs.  Catastrophic Coverage : When you have reached $6550 after your total out of pocket expenses on prescription drugs plus any discounts, you are back to small co-pays or coinsurance until the end of the year. Plan Year Resets : Everything resets January 1st and you return to the deductible...

Covid 19 ( Corona Virus) and Medicare

We run Suzie Health Solutions in Wenatchee, WA. In addition to running the Full Service Enrollment Center for the Washington Healthplanfinder . We help people navigate through Medicare without charging fees and assist in filling in any coverage gaps.  So far Centers for  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) has not opened a special enrollment with FEMA under the declared  Emergency . But there are some special benefits going on for Medicare enrollees because of the Emergency Waver .  As a result of the Covid- 19 outbreak, have you lost your group health insurance offered through your or your spouse's job? Are you age 65 or older? If so, you, or someone you know in the same situation, should enroll in Medicare coverage right away as you most likely qualify for a Special Enrollment Period . If you already signed up for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) while you were actively working, you’ll need to complete the following two forms and...

Local Medicare Help

Suzie & Matt McColm Suzie McColm has been our local go-to gal for Medicare for years.  She has been providing free help navigating Medicare and its various parts for four enrollments. By being a pharmacy technician for Wenatchee’s ShopKo, and Safeway and the Safeway in East Wenatchee for nearly 20 years, she developed relationships with local pharmacies and how different prescription plans worked on the ground level. She was able to witness first hand customers surprised that their prescription plans had changed the first of the year. Since pharmacies direct bill they often see the insurance problems first. Suzie figured if she could solve the problems on the front end then there would be fewer headaches for her customers. The world would be better with a few less surprises. When a person is qualified for Medicare, it is a big change in their life. They have either been disabled for an extended period of time or are getting ready to turn 65. Suzie has assisted people wit...