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Medicare Part D plan finder 2019

What is Medicare Part D?  Medicare Part D provides you with prescription drug coverage.  The Medicare Part D plan finder 2019 will help you choose the drug plan that will best suit your prescription needs as well as your budget.  This can be very important coverage to have and can save you thousands of dollars each year on the cost of prescription drugs.  Before you go to the website to check on the best plans for you, you will need a list of medications that you currently take along with the doses. Once you have that information in front of you, you are ready to get started.

Recorded Webinar on how to use the Medicare.gov drug plan finder tool

Click here to go to the Medicare plan finder 2019

When you get to the website you will enter your zip code and click on find plans.

1. On this screen you will see 3 questions:

   1. How do you get your Medicare coverage? There are 4 options to choose from.  If you are unsure, just pick the one that says I don’t know.
   2. Do you get help from Medicare or your state to pay Prescription drug costs? There are 6 choices for this question. Again, if you are unsure, choose I don’t know.
   3. Would you like to add drugs? There are 3 options for this question. If you have a list of medications, choose yes then click on the continue to plan results tab.

     2.  The next screen will ask you for the name of the medication.

A.  Type in the name of the medication, click on find my drug.

B.  When you see the correct drug, click on add drug.

C.  The following screen will prompt you to choose a dosage and quantity as well as the frequency and pharmacy type. Answer each question accordingly and continue to the next drug until you have entered all your medications.

D.  Once you have a complete list of your medications, click on my drug list is complete.

     3.  When you get to the Next screen,  you will choose which pharmacies you like to use. You can choose only 1 or 2, no more.  Then you click on the continue to plan            results tab.

     4.  The next screen you will ask you what type of plan you are looking for.

A.  Prescription drug plans (with original Medicare).

B.  Medicare Health Plans with drug coverage.

C. Medicare health plans without drug coverage.

   5. After you click on the appropriate choice, click continue to plan results.

On the next screen, you will see which plans are available and the costs associated with those plans.   You are able to choose up to 3 plans to compare.  Once you have selected the plans you want to compare, you will click on compare plans.   The next screen will show the plans side by side so you can compare them by cost and coverage to find the one that best suits your needs.

Once you use the Medicare Part D plan finder 2019, you will see what a great tool this really is.

If you need help choosing a plan or signing up for Medicare, please contact us.  You can reach us either by phone at (203)796-5403 or by email at [email protected]

For more information about the products that we can offer you, go to our website – click here.

Medicare what’s covered app

This post will explain to consumers the new Medicare what’s covered app.

If you have questions about your medical coverage, find a quick answer by using the Medicare what’s covered app.  If you want to avoid surprise medical expenses, this is a great tool for you.  The “What’s covered” app gives you accurate cost and coverage information on your mobile device.  You can easily check coverage from your doctor’s office, hospital or any place you can use your mobile device.

You can get the app for free from either Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Simply search for either What’s Covered or Medicare to easily locate and download the app to your smart phone. The app is available in Google Play at:  click here for google play app, and is available in the Apple App Store at: click here for itunes app.  This way you will have reliable Medicare information as quickly as you need it.

CMS had the app made to give people a better way to answer the many questions Medicare beneficiaries have. The Medicare population will almost double in size in the next decade. This can add up to about 80 million people. Many Medicare beneficiaries use the internet on a daily basis. There are almost 15 million views by beneficiaries on medicare.gov every year. If you add this to the over 3 million phone calls a year that 1-800-MEDICARE gets, that is a lot of coverage questions.

The new Medicare app gives you general cost as well as coverage details for both Medicare A &B approved supplies and services. 

You can use this tool to look up what Medicare does and does not cover. There is also important information about how and when to use Medicare approved benefits.  You can also access basic cost information for medical supplies and services.  Additionally, you will have access to a list of preventative services that Medicare covers.

Access to reliable Medicare coverage information is just one part of the eMedicare initiative. 

If you want to stay current on the many improvements that the administration is making to Medicare, you can sign up to receive email notifications from the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, just click here.  You can also find valuable information on the Facebook page for Medicare by using the ink below:

just click here.

If you either need help with or have questions about Medicare coverage options, please contact us.  You can reach us either by phone at (203)796-5403 or by email at [email protected]  We are always happy to help people navigate the Medicare system. Contact Crowe and Associates and make sure you get the Medicare coverage you deserve.

To find out more about what Crowe and Associates offers; click here

United Health Care OTC Catalog

This post will give members of the United Health Care HMO MAPD  plans 1,2 and 3 access to the 2019 United Health Care OTC Catalog.

If you are a member of either a United Health Care Medicare HMO Plan 1, 2, or 3, you have an over the counter benefit as part of your health plan.  Although each plan has different quarterly benefit amounts, you can use the same form to look up products and find out what is available to you. Please refer to your specific plan benefits to find out exactly what your OTC benefit amount is.  You need to be aware that the quarterly over the counter benefit not transferable and cannot be used once a given quarter has ended.  This means if you do not use your benefit for each quarter you simply lose it.

In fact, when you chose to use your over the counter (OTC) benefit you must do so in one single order.  This means you should plan what you will need by looking through the United Health Care OTC catalog before the end of each quarter and order everything you think you will need at once.  United Health Care will only allow you to place 1 order per quarter.

If you would like to view a copy of the United Health Care OTC Catalog, CLICK HERE FOR THE 2019 OTC for HMO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS 1 2 & 3.

If you are a member of a DSNP plan, click here for 2019 DSNP member OTC Catalog.

You may order only items listed in the catalog for your OTC benefit.

The name of the company that handles the OTC orders is Firstline Medical.  There are 2 ways to order.  Either you can order by mail or you can order online.  If you would like to order by mail you need to contact FirstLine Medical at 1-877-795-4521. You can call them from 7a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday -Friday and 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday (Central time). You will need to have your UHC card available before you call.

If you would like to place an order on line you can go to www.OTC-Essentials.com.

1. Click on REGISTER to create your account (you only need to register one time).
2. Login to check your balance, view product images and descriptions. Place your order.
3. Track your order status or manage your account information.

Please use these helpful tips to register on the website:
1.  Have your health plan member ID card available.
2.  When you enter your member ID, only enter the numbers that are before the dash.
3.  Your Username is from 6 to 25 characters long.
4.  Your Password is from  8  to 25 characters long and will need to have at least one number, one capital letter and one lower case letter.  The password is case sensitive.

Additionally, if you need help finding the right Medicare plan or have questions on your current health care plan.  Please contact us at 203-796-5403. Our agents will be happy to make sure you have the coverage you need at the best price for your budget.

Are you looking to quote or compare Medicare plans?  CLICK HERE 

Medicare Travel Benefits

This post will give you some information about Medicare Travel Benefits.   You should understand what medical coverage you have while you are away from home.  In most cases, Medicare does not cover either health care services or supplies when you travel outside of the United States.   Some exceptions to this rule are listed below.

Combining a HealthShare and MEC Plan

Combining a HealthShare and MEC Plan provides coverage for health expenses at a reasonable cost.   You will see below how the components of the plans and strategy work together.  (Available in all 50 states!)

Example:  The monthly premium for a 58 year old female is $290 for a MEC plan.  The plan covers all preventative services, has co-pays for doctors visits and urgent care as well as ER with no deductible.  She can cover the major medical services with an Altrua Health Share plan for $100 per month.  However, this plan has a $7,500 cost share.   After you have paid the $7,500, you will be covered in full up to $150,000 for the year.  This policy has a $1,000,000 lifetime max!

MEC Copay plan  

MEC enrollment portal CLICK FOR ENROLLMENT SITE

The MEC copay plan provides the following coverage:  They do not check health for pre-existing conditions

• ACA mandated preventative services are covered in full
• $25 copay for primary doctor visits
• $35 copay for specialist doctor visits (5 visits per person per year)
• $50 for urgent care (limited to 3 visits per person per year)
• $250 emergency room visit (limited to 1 visit per person per year)
• Rx-Generic discount program
• Network is First Health

Monthly premium for Minimum Essential Coverage Plans:

• Age 18-44 = $170 month, age 44-59 = $190 month, age 60+ = $205 month
• Spouse = $150,                   Spouse = $160                     Spouse $180
• Children $105

Healthshare for catastrophic coverage  CLICK HERE FOR THE ALTRUA HEALTHSHARE ENROLLMENT SITE

You can use The Healthshare plan to cover yourself against major medical services such as hospitalization, outpatient surgeries or any other major medical expense (subject to pre-existing conditions clause)

• Member pays the first 7,500 of costs and then is covered at 100% up to $150,000 per year for medical services
• Life time max is $1,000,000
• Network is PHCS Multiplan

Monthly cost for Healthshare plan:

• $100 per month regardless of age
• $50 per month for every additional dependent

If you Combine the two plans, they will provide an alternative to traditional healthcare at a price people might just be able to afford.  Call our office at 203-796-5403 to inquire.

Medicare Easy Pay (Automatic deductions for Medicare Part B premiums)

Medicare Easy Pay is an electronic Medicare part B payment option for people to have their Medicare Part B premiums set up to draft from either a savings or checking account each month.

Can I sign up for Medicare Easy Pay?

Anyone who gets a bill for their monthly Medicare Part B premium is eligible for Medicare Easy pay.  Those already drawing Social Security payments are paying out of their checks automatically and do not need to set up easy pay.

Mail the completed form to:

What happens once I sign up for Medicare Easy Pay?

Sometimes it takes 6-8 weeks for Medicare to process your application. If medicare cannot process your MEP application, they will  return it to you with a letter of explanation.

Two things will happen each month after your request is processed:

1. You will get a Medicare premium bill stating “This is not a bill”.   This will let you know that the premium will be deducted from your bank account.
2. Your premium will be deducted from your bank account.  This usually happens on the 20th of the month.  The deduction will appear on your bank statement as an “Automated Clearing House (ACH)” transaction.

Medicare will try to deduct your premium only one time per month.  If there is a problem processing your premium deduction, you will receive a letter with instructions on how to make a direct payment to Medicare.

Do I need to do anything when my premium amount changes?

No,  Medicare will deduct the new premium amount from your bank account auomatically.

What if I want to change bank accounts or stop Medicare Easy Pay?

You would complete another payment authorization form(SF-5510), and indicate the type of change you want to make. Mail the completed form to the address above.

If you would like more information about Medicare; contact us either by phone at (203)796-5403 or email at [email protected]

Signing up for Medicare A and B

We want to give you some help when you are Signing up for Medicare A and B.  This can be a stressful time for some people with all the mail and calls they receive.

• Medicare A and B will begin the first of the month someone turns 65 years old.
• If you receive social security payments for at least 4 months before the month you turn 65, you will get Medicare A and B automatically.  Those not receiving payments will need to sign up for A and B online or at the local social security office.
  • If you have not been receiving Social Security payments for the 4 months before you turn 65, you will need to sign up for both A and B.  You will not get it automatically.
  • Here is the link for those that need to sign up  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR MEDICARE ONLINE  The online enrollment is simple and only takes about 15 to 20 minutes
  • Please Note:  If you are past the age of 65 and want to sign up for Medicare part B, it cannot be done online.  You must go to the local social security office to sign up.  We suggest that you call the office first to make an appointment.

• Signing up for Medicare A and B – Medicare billing for part B

  • If you are already receiving Social Security payments, the part B premium will be deducted from your SS payments.
  • If you currently do not not receive Social Security payments, you will be billed quarterly for part B.  Medicare will allow you to pay the premium automatically if you fill out a form to set it up.

Signing up for Medicare A and B – Who should enroll in Medicare Part B

• If someone is working and receiving health benefits through work or if they receive health benefits through a working spouse, they do not need to sign up for part B of Medicare. (Assuming they will continue to get work benefits)
• If either they or the spouse they get benefits through stops actively working, they need to sign up for Medicare Part B.  Note: Those with groups of less than 20 employees may need to sign up for part B when they turn 65 regardless of work status.
  • Retiring is a special election for Medicare Part B.  You will need to take a completed Employment verification form to the Social Security office to sign up for B.  The effective date will be the first of the month after you retire.
  • If you are still actively working but no longer receive coverage, that is also considered a special election to sign up for Medicare Part B.
  • You have an 8 month window to sign up for Part B.  The 8 months start from the date you either retire or lose coverage
  • If you fail to sign up for part B under either of the scenarios above, it will result in a  Part B penalty  The penalty is 10% of part B premium for every 12 months you did not have part B. If you delayed part B enrollment and missed your special election period, you should sign up during the Medicare Part B general enrollment period.  The general enrollment is  from Jan 1 through March 31  to sign up for a July 1 start date. Those that miss the general enrollment will need to wait for the next general enrollment to sign up unless they qualify for a special election period,
• click here for employment verification form.

• According to Medicare, someone employed by a group with less than 20 employees needs to sign up for both Medicare A and B at age 65.  This is true even if you have health coverage from work and are still working.  In reality, I have had a number of people who work in groups less than 20 delay part B.  Those people have not paid a penalty when they enrolled in B later down the road.  They also did not have any issue with the special election to enroll in B.  Regardless, the Medicare rule says they should enroll when turning 65.  It is up to you how you choose to proceed in this situation.

• Those with Medicare A and/or B are advised not to contribute to an HSA account. If you are selected for an audit, you may be receive a penalty.  This means your contributions are included in your taxable income. You will also pay a 10% penalty on the contribution.

If you want to get a quote for Medicare Advantage or Supplement plans, click here

Aetna Medicare Over The Counter Catalog 2019

The Aetna Medicare Over The Counter (OTC) Catalog 2019 is now available.

Carriers now offer a Medicare over the counter (OTC) benefit  to their members.  In addition to your plan benefits, over the counter benefits  defray some of the cost of necessary healthcare items not covered as a medical or pharmaceutical expense.

To get a copy of the OTC catalog, you can click the link below:

CLICK HERE TO DOWN LOAD THE 2020 AETNA OTC CATALOG

Aetna Medicare  offers members an Over-The-Counter benefit.

  This benefit pays up to a $25 maximum amount every month for over the counter  (OTC) items.  The catalog lists eligible items.    Only items listed in the OTC catalog are covered by the over the counter benefit.  Many products you would normally purchase from a drugstore are critical to a healthy lifestyle.  These items may include non-prescription medications, vitamins,  and eye care.  In addition to these you can purchase every day items that impact your health, like hand sanitizer.  This benefit allows you to purchase these items from the catalog at no cost to you.  Accordingly, the cost of these items is part of your Medicare OTC benefit.

1. The over the counter benefit in 2019 is up to $25/member every month.  However, there are rules with regard to how items must be ordered.
2. The over the counter  benefit is included with all Aetna Medicare Advantage plans in 2019.
3. You must order from the catalog or online. Items purchased from a retail store are not part of the benefit.
4. Because this is a “use it or lose it” benefit,  benefit dollars do not carry over month to month.  Therefore,  be sure to check the catalog each months for items you will need.
5. You cannot use your CVS Extra Care card toward these purchases.
6. Free shipping!  There are no shipping or handling fees.
7. Orders typically take two weeks to arrive.  Plan ahead for adequate supplies.

You can place an Over the Counter order 2 ways.  You can order either by phone at 1-888-628-2770 Monday through Friday 9:00am to 8:00pm EST, or you can order online at visit:myorder.otchs.com.

Choosing a Medicare plan can be confusing!  Remember, that is what we specialize in!    If you still need help determining which Medicare option will suit you best,  call us at 203-796-5403 and schedule an appointment today.

Agents can click for a Medicare Scope of Appointment 

Your new Medicare card, things to know

Your new Medicare card, things to know

Social Security is still busy sending out the new medicare cards in the mail.  You can click this link to get an email when your new card has been put in the mail new Medicare cards. This will give you an idea when to expect receipt of the new card. This way you can keep an eye on the mail for it. Many of the new cards have already been sent out.  If you have not yet received your new card, do not worry.  It will get to you in the very near future.

If you need to get your new Medicare card ID, you can click the following link to create a free Medicare account. From there you will be able to get your new Medicare number without having to wait for it to arrive in the mail.  CLICK THIS LINK TO CREATE A FREE MEDICARE ACCOUNT.

Once your new card arrives in the mail, you can use it right away.  There are a few things you need to do once your new card arrives:

Always Carry your new Medicare card with you.

 Keep in mind that your doctors and health care providers are aware that you will be receiving it and they will want to see your new Medicare ID when you come into their office for care.

1. Destroy your old Medicare card.  You no longer need the old card for anything, so the best thing to do with it is to carefully and completely destroy it.  You do not want anyone getting your information.
2. Keep your Medicare Advantage Plan card. If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan,  (an HMO or PPO),  you will continue to use your Medicare Advantage Plan ID card when you use a health care provider.  Please keep in mind you will also need to carry your new Medicare card, because you health care providers will ask to see it.  Remember, these new cards are safe to carry with because they do not use you social security number anymore.
3. If you have a Medicare Drug plan card you will also need to keep that with you.

If you need to sign up for Medicare, click here

Do not worry that your new Medicare card looks different than the old one.  Your  Medicare coverage and benefits have not changed. If you would like more information about the new Medicare card you can click here.

If you need help with choosing Medicare plans, please contact our office.  You can reach us either by phone at (203)796-5403 or by email at [email protected]

to learn more about us; visit croweandassociates.com.

Click here to find the best Medicare drug plan for you

How Much is Medicare part B

When you are getting close to the age of 65, you might get a little anxious thinking about what steps you need to take to get you Medicare benefits.  One of the questions you probably have is How Much is Medicare part B. .   If you are retired and living on a fixed income this is an important question to ask.  Medicare Part B covers your necessary medical services and supplies.  In 2018 the standard cost for Medicare Part B is $134.00 a month for an individual.

According to federal law, some higher-income beneficiaries will have to pay a higher premium for their part B coverage.  This law also applies to your Medicare prescription drug coverage.  Less than 5% of people will be affected by this law.  Therefore, the majority of people will not have to pay the additional premium.

The document in the link below is for 2018; but the IRMAA limits are set to be the same for 2019.  They will most likely go up substantially in 2020.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INCOME/PAYMENT AMOUNTS

How Much is Medicare part B – Social Security will use your most recent tax return

Your most recent tax return will be used to decide if you need to pay the higher premium.  The amount is based on your (MAGI) modified adjusted gross income.  Your MAGI is your total adjusted gross income along with your tax-exempt interest income.  If you are filing as single and your MAGI is more than $85,000,you will pay a higher Part B premium.  In the event that you are married, filing jointly and your MAGI is greater than $170,000 you will pay a higher Part B premium.  If you will have to pay a higher premium, you will receive a letter from Social Security with the reason for the higher cost as well as the amount you will have to pay.

When you have income that is not over the set income limits you will not have to pay any additional premium.

If your income has gone down, due to a change in your life, you can contact Social Security and explain it to them.  They will need proof/documentation of the new information and may adjust your payment amount accordingly. We list some examples of life changes below:

You or your spouse stops working or has reduced hours.

An unforeseen event causes you to lose an income-producing property.

Recently you were either married, divorced or widowed.

You have lost income from a pension plan.

In the event that your income has gone down, you can use  Form SSA-44 to ask for an adjustment.  You can find the form on line at www.socialsecurity.gov/forms/ssa-44.pdf.w.

If you would like more information or help with signing up for Medicare, please contact the office.  You can reach us either by phone at (203)796-5403 or by email at [email protected]

New Medicare Card Scams

Unfortunately, there have been reports of some New Medicare Card Scams.

Be aware that  Medicare is in the process of sending out the new Medicare cards.

 Therefore, if you receive a call and someone says you need to give them your personal information or payment of any sort to get the new card, hang up! It’s a scam. Medicare will never call uninvited and ask for personal information or money the cards are free and Medciare already has all the information they need to get the card to you.  Click this link to check the status of your new card.

If you have not received your new Medicare card yet, don’t worry. Sending cards out to each state takes some time.  You and your friends will probably get your cards at different times.  If you do not have your new card yet, you can keep using your current Medicare card.

Additionally, you are able to log in to your MyMedicare.gov account to see when your new card was mailed. To sign up for a free Medicare account you can go to MyMedicare.gov  and in a short amount of time you can create an account.

IMPORTANT: If you have received your new card, start using it right away!

YOUR NEW CARD WILL LOOK LIKE THIS:

PLEASE REMEMBER:

1. Your new card will automatically be mailed to you. There is nothing for you to do.  Just wait for the card to arrive, as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, visit your My Social Security account.
2. Once you get your new Medicare card, you should destroy your old Medicare card and start using your new card.
3. Medicare uses a unique combination of numbers and letters on the new cards. They use numbers 0 thru 9.  They do not use the letters S, L, O, I, B, or Z on the cards.

Call Crowe and Associates with any questions at 203-796-5403

Medicare Employment Verification form

You might wonder why you would need a Medicare employment Verification form?  If you are going to apply for Medicare in a special enrollment period you need to have had group plan coverage within the last 8 months through either yours or your spouse’s employer.

If you have a disability you must also have had large group health plan coverage through either your own or your spouse’s employment. The Medicare verification form is used to prove that you have had or have this coverage.  It is needed to process your Medicare enrollment application.  The employer that provides you with health coverage will complete some sections of this form for you.  The form includes information about your health care coverage as well as the dates of employment.

Click here for Employment verification form

HOW DO I FILL OUT THIS FORM?

You will fill out the first part of the form(section A).  Have your or your spouse’s employer(whichever provides insurance coverage to you)fill in the second part of the form(Section B) and sign it.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE COMPLETED FORM:

Once both sections are complete, you need to include the form with your Medicare enrollment application.  You send both forms to your local Social Security office.
If you need to find your local Social Security office click here, after you get to the page you click on the menu.  Then click on contact us, and finally click on find an office.

If you have any questions or need help with this, please contact our office.  You can reach us either by phone (203)796-5403 or by email at [email protected]

If you are a Medicare agent and need a scope of appointment form Click Here.

Have you thought about Medicare sales:

We have a great lead program for agents that are part of our team.  Click here for more information.

Click here for agent contracting kit