Headaches

I spent a great part of Sunday on the internet tracking down information on Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance and Medicare drug plan insurance. It’s a great way to give yourself a headache. I quit late afternoon when an insurance site I was looking at served a popup box saying if I was under the age of 64 (the online form had asked for my birthday), I needed to call an 800 number to get more information on what the monthly premium would be.

Of course, the 800 number wasn’t manned on Sundays. I called Monday and the representative I talked with said the premium for December for a plan c policy would be $419. That, I’m sure, was because I had to answer some health questions which included whether or not I am on dialysis. The representative told me that he could greatly reduce the premium the first of the year because of open enrollment (Nov. 15 to Dec.31). You don’t have to answer any health questions during open enrollment.

The cost would be $172 a month. The supplemental does not include a prescription plan. That will be another $30 a month plus the cost of prescriptions. Then, of course, the “doughnut hole” goes along with the prescription plans. As I understand it, I will fall in the doughnut hole when my out-of-pocket and the insurance company’s costs for drugs reaches $2950. After that I am obligated to pay 100% until the costs total $4350 then the catastrophic rates apply ($2.40 per generic or 5% of the cost, whichever is greater).

One of the kickers is that you’re still expected to pay the premiums when the insurance kicks out. Why do I suspicion that the doughnut hole legislation was proposed by a Republican Congress?

What I have to try to remember is that there is Medicare to help with the enormous costs of dialysis. Kind of like I have to remind myself that even though dialysis is a bitch and screws with my life, at least I have a life because of dialysis.