Today is October 22, 2019 and the Medicare Plan Finder is STILL a disaster. But don’t worry. I have a solution to finding a 2020 Part D plan. Details to follow, but first a review.

Perhaps not so amazing, but you will have to look hard to find any NEWS about the Plan Finder problems. It seems someone has done a good job of covering their tracks.

Here are a few excerpts and links.

In the current or Legacy Plan Finder, some users find it difficult to view preferred pharmacies, those that offer preferred retail cost sharing. That won’t be a problem with the new Plan Finder. It doesn’t include preferred pharmacies. - Forbes

The problem is that there’s no way to get a real estimate of one’s total year’s costs, including monthly premiums and drug costs. Thus, I’ve had to print out seven highly-compressed pages of more than 30 possible drug plans, then separately total the yearly cost for the premiums for each of the plans, and then add each of those totals to the new website’s estimates of my yearly drug costs for each of them! - Considerable

Lyrica-It has a generic. As of 10/17, its showing as not covered on the drug plans.

Mail Order is still wrong

CVS is consistently winning for least expensive pharmacy

2019 Humana Walmart people MUST move. 2020 Humana Walmart now priced @ $60

Any of the Humulin and Novolin should be done at Walmart through Good RX.

Combo drugs are backwards from the old plan finder list to the new plan finder.

Example: Dyazide

Pre 2020, it looks like this: triamterene/hydrochlorathiazide

2020: Hydrochlorothiazide / Triamterene.

Cosopt is covered under Medicare and is available in generic, in a bottle.

Cosopt PF is NOT covered under Medicare and doesn't even appear as an option at the plan finder. Use Good RX

If you are struggling with finding a drug on the plan finder, go to GoodRX. There is a box on the left "Medicare". Click on it and find out what the deal is. Its generally accurate.

Now back to Plan Finder . . .

I was visiting a client the other night and looked up Shingrix on the Plan Finder. The retail cost at Walmart showed up as something like $25,000 or some such. 

They have fixed that. Now it's around $1500.

I talked to a lady that ran here 2020 drugs only to discover they would cost her over $1,000,000 in copay’s

I clicked on Plan details for the Cigna HealthSpring Secure-essential plan and it listed the Co-pay for Lantus as $2.00 a month, and Metformin had a $750.00 dollar copay a month. 

Comment - Metformin is free at Publix

In Closing . . .

I am still available to answer questions and take referrals for Medicare supplement plans (Medigap).

In the last month I have processed applications for over a 20 clients and referrals. Existing clients will save an average of $36 per month vs. their current premium.

How may I help you?

‘Til next time . . .