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Bummer on the costs. I was able to get off bp medication by changing my diet. No more meat products of any kind and also no oil. I feel better mentally, too. I also suffer from depression. Getting more active is helping, too.
Do you have a pet and/or can you get one? My dog can be a pain, but she needs to be walked and if I wasn't having to walk her, I'd probably just sit on my butt at the computer all day.
In case you're interested, the diet I'm doing is the one suggested by Dr. John McDougall. He has seminars where he helps people lower their blood pressure and cholesterol, etc., with diet. But, all of his info is on his website drmcdougall.com, for free, and he has free live webinars every Monday. It's just basically a whole food, plant based diet that is mainly starch-based. So, you get to eat good carbs like whole grain bread, corn tortillas, beans, rice, potatoes, as well as veggies and fruit and nuts, etc.
Anyway, it's helped me both physically and mentally. My numbers have all come down significantly. It's amazing how much better I feel. I think depression will always haunt me, but there are some things you can do to minimize it. I am not taking my cholesterol, bp or anti-depressant drugs anymore and I'm better than I was when I was on them.
I know first-hand how hard it is to make any changes. But, you might want to look into it when you feel up to it.
Those costs are chump change compared to what those of us having to fend for ourselves in the employer and private insurance markets have to deal with. Count your blessings.
you got that right .since i have been on medicare and off private insurance i love it and i love these rates i pay even with the out of pockets . it is a fabulous deal compared to life pre medicare when you have to pay full fare.
if anyone thinks these rates we pay for medicare and part d are high , it is because it is an income problem not a "health insurance is to expensive " problem .
Nomoresnow, I normally do eat pretty healthy but thanks for the info. I'll check into that. I do have a cat, one of the reasons I chose this complex because I could have a pet. She's delightful & was in the shelter for 5 months before I rescued her so she's as grateful for me as I am for her.
Mathjack, It was the rise in prices, not so much the prices themselves. Since I've been on Medicare, the copays have generally been under $10. But yes, I do live on social security & a small pension so do have to watch my spending.
Serious, I've always chosen to work with companies that had good health care coverage so copays were small. Since premiums came out directly from my paycheck, they were factored in my budget & I didn't really feel the loss.
the real world has been insane with healthcare costs . i was paying 6k a year with a 4500 deductible .
that was me alone and had i not gone on medicare they were granted a 22% for 2018 . 7320 and 5k deductible for my silver plan .
the insurer said they could not survive with the 22% increase they were granted so care connect pulled out of the insurance business all together . my insurer before them , health republic , the 2nd largest writer of exchange plans in ny went bankrupt
Meo: Look into a Medicare Advantage Plan. Not sure what they offer in your county but for me, it's the only way I can afford health insurance ! I have AARP United Health Care for $47 a month. My co pay for primary care doc (a NP right now) is $10. But RXs are very cheap. Got an antibiotic yesterday for $2.36 (Z Pac). BP rx is also very cheap. I use the grocery store (Frys) for RX. Never CVS. Too high. Be sure all your drugs are generics.
I hope this helps. Yes, the sun is good but not a cure-all. Also, you still are in moving stress. This takes time to get over and feel like you belong. Be kind to yourself. I have been here 11 months and still feel like it's a foreign country. And I only moved 100 miles north !!!
I put it off because a) I was dealing with the whole moving thing & b) I procrastinate
Finally, after having two high counts on blood pressure, I knew I needed to see someone because I ran out of bp medication a few months ago. Also dealing with depression which I'd hoped to get away from in moving to a warm, sunny climate. It helped some, but not enough.
It was good but...first they'd set me up with a nurse practitioner & my new card, with the new part b insurance had a different name on it. Thankfully I'd arrived early, but it took almost an hour to get that straightened out so I wouldn't end up paying $60 for private pay. I just wanted my bp & depression medication.
The NP was/is wonderful. We totally hit it off & she was super.
What wasn't/isn't super is that this new insurance costs me $58 per month & my co-pay for prescriptions is almost nonexistent. Ended up costing me $59 & change for 3 prescriptions.
Yup, the clinic visit itself was only $5 co- pay, so if you aren't sick is great.
I received an increase of $122 with the col in January. I guess, by best estimates, with the change in insurance costs & co-pays, I see a minus, not a plus.
Makes me sad that our government feels this is okay.
It may have been part d. I don't know. Whichever one we have to get.
Not sure I understand what you're saying.
Your insurance lapsed and you didn't have a doctor and ran out of medication for a few months so you signed up for new insurance and it's more expensive?
Can't judge the money part since you didn't say what you would have paid if it didn't lapse.
How many MONTHS those 3 new prescriptions are for. Is that $59.00 for medication PER MONTH?
Was the $9.00 before PER MONTH, too? For the same meds?
What was your monthly total for medical before compared to now and why did it change?
It's hard to receive advise if you're not sure of the facts. The whole Medicare thing is confusing.
Part D? The amount you pay can change each year. If you have to pay a higher amount for your Part D premium and you disagree (for example, if your income goes down), use the form to contact Social Security. If you have questions about your Medicare prescription drug coverage, contact your plan.
Beneficiaries with low incomes and modest assets are eligible for assistance with Part D plan premiums and cost sharing.
As far as "the government" goes, they probably want people to take some personal responsibility and feel that since Part D for prescription drugs didn't exist before 2006, that it's a pretty good thing. There are some penalties, too, for lapses, not signing up, and gaps.
It's not exactly the government controlling your Part D premiums. It's state based. The base is $34 but as high as >$100 in some states.
I hope this helps. Yes, the sun is good but not a cure-all. Also, you still are in moving stress. This takes time to get over and feel like you belong. Be kind to yourself. I have been here 11 months and still feel like it's a foreign country. And I only moved 100 miles north !!!
Yes, a good reminder. When all of one's energy is devoted to research and deciding and then moving, I think there is an upswing for having finished all that. I expect to wake up one day early on in my move to Colorado and think, what in the world have I done! no matter what I set up or do. I am so used to my rut in eastern MA. Retirement has been the least of it (all of the two weeks I've been retired). I will need reminding that the whole thing is a process, especially moving and adjusting.
I tried the Vitamin D and it really upset my stomach. Hopefully we will be done with this gloomy weather by next week.
I checked my own Vitamin D on the Vitamin D Council website kit. But it's advisable to go through a Dr because all deficiencies or problems interact.
Then I took Garden of Life brand, capsule. All of their supplements are natural raw from foods and without alot of additives.
Try a different one if you're low. Everyone's side effects are different.
Besides eating foods fortified with Vit D there are foods that naturally contain it, too.
Once you're low, the sun won't fix it. And it takes specific higher doses for a longer period of time depending on your status. Hence, the Doctor input.
I just saw you said you're not 65 yet on another thread so now I'm really confused.
So ignore my previous post.
If you had regular old health insurance and it lapsed, you're usually going to pay MORE when you get around for getting it again. Just like all other types of insurance.
Many chain pharmacies, including Walmart, have a list of low cost generics that are available for less than $10. You can look up the lists online. If your drugs are available as generics, and they are on Walmart's list, you can get them for as little as $4 for a 30 day supply. You can also use www.GoodRX.com to find the lowest price for your specific drug in your area. The differences in price from one pharmacy to another is SHOCKING for some drugs. I had a colonoscopy prep kit prescribed by my doc, I filled it at a local pharmacy that was closest to my house for convenience sake...SHOCK $50! And that was what my insurance didn't cover. Later I had to get the exact same product for DH and got it at Walmart...less than $10. Using GoodRX.com, here's an example in my area...Lipitor - at Costco cash price = $14 (you don't have to be a member to use the pharmacy) and at Walgreens cash price = $148.
Some insurance will also let you order maintenance prescriptions through mail order for a 90 day supply, that way you only pay one co-pay for 3 months instead of 3.
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