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What are you finding in your Part D plans? Any changes? For the worse? Or the better (fat chance)? What do you plan to do?
My plan (AARP) is dropping one of my more expensive drugs from its formulary. And there aren't any other plans that have this drug in their formularies that will save me more than a few dollars over buying the drug and paying for it out of pocket. I will save the most (about $1000/year) if I buy this drug from a reputable on-line pharmacy in Canada. So I am thinking about doing that.
Like I said previously - I will probably be joining you north of the border for the one drug being dropped from my formulary. No reason to shop there for the rest (which are all cheap/low co-pay). Robyn
Estradiol is on the AARP/UHC formulary for next year. Not only is it a "Tier 3" drug ($23/month co-pay - no big deal) - but you need prior approval from the insurance company to get a prescription filled. If my doctor and I think a particular drug is appropriate for me - I am not sure why an insurance company should be a "gatekeeper".
BTW - I always mention the cost of all but the cheapest drugs to my doctors Because - even if I can afford the drugs - some people can't. I don't think doctors know nearly enough about the cost of health care. Robyn
I think that is how it is spelled. It is what my Dr. is also taking. I have silverscripts Cvs. Part D. I only pay $4.61 copay forr a 90 day supply. I was also taking premerin. I had no trouble switching --it is working very well. My doctor did have to send a second document to get it approved, but now no problems with refills.
What are you finding in your Part D plans? Any changes? For the worse? Or the better (fat chance)? What do you plan to do?
This was my first experience with Part D.
I use several common inexpensive drugs, which are Tier2 with this Part D.
It appears, that it is cheaper to buy them from the local Sams Club. That is what I am doing now.
I can drop Part D for good, but they have a "catch": for each month you are not using Part D, you will pay a penalty later! Why does Medicare use this catch??
Anyhow, I am keeping Part D out of fear of future fines now...
How do other Medicare users deal with this issue: do some of them drop Part D?
This was my first experience with Part D.
I use several common inexpensive drugs, which are Tier2 with this Part D.
It appears, that it is cheaper to buy them from the local Sams Club. That is what I am doing now.
I can drop Part D for good, but they have a "catch": for each month you are not using Part D, you will pay a penalty later! Why does Medicare use this catch??
Anyhow, I am keeping Part D out of fear of future fines now...
How do other Medicare users deal with this issue: do some of them drop Part D?
We have the cheapest plan from AARP - which costs $27/month. It pretty much saves us $27/month (or more).
What drugs are you taking? We used to find that Costco was cheaper than using our Part D plan on some "common inexpensive" drugs. But now they're cheaper at Target (which is a "preferred pharmacy" under our Part D plan). Pays to check every once in a while (at least annually). Robyn
E.g. Tamsulosin, Omeprazole. I buy them direct from Sams Club without using Part D.
I have heard some people drop Part D for good, as it does not help!
E.g. Tamsulosin, Omeprazole. I buy them direct from Sams Club without using Part D.
I have heard some people drop Part D for good, as it does not help!
The 2 drugs you mentioned are Tier 2 generics under my (AARP UHC) Part D plan. And - once you meet the deductible - you'd pay a $2 co-pay for a 30 day supply of either at a "preferred" pharmacy (there are many local ones where I live - I use Target). That seems pretty reasonable to me. Robyn
The 2 drugs you mentioned are Tier 2 generics under my (AARP UHC) Part D plan. And - once you meet the deductible - you'd pay a $2 co-pay for a 30 day supply of either at a "preferred" pharmacy (there are many local ones where I live - I use Target). That seems pretty reasonable to me. Robyn
I enrolled in an AARP/UHC Medicare Advantage plan for 2016 that includes Part D coverage. I take Estrace cream (estradiol) for the same reasons you mentioned back in November, and looking at the 2016 formulary for UHC, it looks like both Premarin and Estrace are Tier 3 drugs. Is this a regional change, that UHC will not cover Premarin for you but is covered here in Vermont?
Estrace/Premarin are not just drugs to make intercourse more tolerable. In my case, I was getting UTI's every few weeks. The dry vaginal tissue provides a conduit for bacteria to migrate from your rectum to your bladder. I have not had another UTI in over a year (knock on wood) so there is definitely a medical reason for prescribing these drugs.
The 2 drugs you mentioned are Tier 2 generics under my (AARP UHC) Part D plan. And - once you meet the deductible - you'd pay a $2 co-pay for a 30 day supply of either at a "preferred" pharmacy (there are many local ones where I live - I use Target). That seems pretty reasonable to me. Robyn
Yes, that sounds good.
What is your deductible, please?
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I am now taking Estrace
. Robyn
