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Grief Healing and growth after Shock and AWE


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16 minutes ago, Gwenivere said:

 Hesitant to post this,

Don't be.  I understand people being against it, but I think some states allow it.  I saw Billy's dad and my dad die with pressure sores all over the bottom of my dad's feet from digging in because if they gave him enough morphine to kill the pain it would kill him.  Obviously not really up for discussion.  Just like some other things, I will talk about it and then I will climb up on the fence and straddle it and do not have an opinion, or do not know my opinion.  Okay, I completed that circle.  I didn't say anything.  

Love you Gwen, I hope things get better and better.  

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I don't have any answers, dear Gwen, but I tend to agree with you, I wish we could live in the here and now better than we do instead of worrying about what's to come, like animals do, they just take life as it comes and accept it, I wish I could be more like that.  I learned so much from Arlie in our cancer journey together.  I wish I could be more like him.

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Good NEWS!

I received a letter today informing me that the hospital wrote off over $4,000 of my outstanding balance. I applied for charity and they were very charitable!

I just received the Physicians bill for their services for my hospital stay and office visits. That bill is almost $3,000.  Hopefully, they will look at my financial situation and give me Grace as well.

On Other news...

I have applied for Medicare Part A and B so hopefully it will go into effect in May. I picked up my Rx today. The Rx is $76 this month. Each month will be a different price ?  I am told that once on Medicare that I can not use coupons for the Rx?  I don't understand that logic!

We had a small snowstorm last Friday but I was able to scrape windows and ice and go to work.  The roads were clear. 

Work keeps me busy and paperwork, insurance, cleaning up my home and several small projects.  I take each day as it comes and still working on maximizing my health.  Take care. - Shalom

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George:  What wonderful news for you receiving that letter from the hospital.  It must make you feel like you're walking on air.  Good things happen to Good People.  Keeping you in my thoughts you will receive another letter really soon releasing you of the Physician's bill.  Dee

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This is good news!  I hope you do get some help in the remaining of your bill.  I don’t know about Medicare, so your experiences are lighting the way towards mine later in the year.  Glad you are staying busy with work and projects.  Dee is right.....good things should happen to good people.  We all knew you ar great, this makes it official. 🙂

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This is wonderful news, I'm so glad for you!

Are you not getting Medicare Part D for Rx coverage?

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11 hours ago, kayc said:

This is wonderful news, I'm so glad for you!

Are you not getting Medicare Part D for Rx coverage?

Yes, Eventually... The person helping me to choose Part D, Part G and Medigap (covers the other 20% of part B) informed me that I needed to sign up first for Medicare.  I am now enrolled and waiting for my Medicare Card.  I received paperwork confirmation that I am enrolled.  The Part D Medicare coverage  has a $435 deduction before there is coverage. It looks like My out of pocket RX expenses will be $1,000 plus the $13 per month. So here is the breakdown for 2020:

Medicare Part A - Hospitalization (covers 80%) - no cost Deductible $1, 408

Medicare Part B- Doctors, outpatient, DME - Cost $145 per month, Deductible $198

Medicare Part D - Drugs - Cost $13-75 per month Deductible $435 and there is a max payout and out of pocket costs increase.

Medi-gap Plan - cost ?? $198

I'm still trying to sort this out. - Shalom

 

 

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 So this is going to cost over $800 for the deductibles plus $1400 as a one time charge for Medicare itself?  I guess that is better than private pay which costs me about $450 a month plus deductibles.  What a mess trying to figure this all out.  I’ll be picking your brain when my time comes.  Are you allowed to then go to any doctor?   I ave to stay in a network which is restricting at times. Tho there seems less confusion to me with private pay.  What a mess!

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Since I deal with Medicare off and on in my line of work, I have a sneak preview of what I'm in for, about 20 years in advance (now you have an idea how old I am 🤪).  Just in case anyone is unaware, you can get plain-English guidance by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and visit medicare.gov where, in the FAQ sections,  you can select your state and talk to a knowledgeable person who is trained in Medicare rules , coverage, plans and so forth.  They've heard every "dumb question" under the Sun, so don't ever hesitate to ask!  This stuff is confusing!

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3 hours ago, Kieron said:

This stuff is confusing!

It sure is!  I have a Medicare Advantage program (Healthnet-Ruby) And I don't begin to pay this much but if I was hospitalized, it would cost me $450/day for four days, that's it.  I have to get referrals from my PCP for other doctors.  I pay $120 deductible once a year on my Rxs and it's included in the Medicare premium.

A friend of mine did not sign up for Rx coverage right away and had to pay about $50/month the rest of her life and her husband had to pay the same, just because they didn't sign up for it right away as they had coverage through his work.  That's a pretty steep "penalty."  That's why I asked, I don't want you stuck in that.

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On 2/27/2020 at 10:07 PM, Gwenivere said:

 So this is going to cost over $800 for the deductibles plus $1400 as a one time charge for Medicare itself?  I guess that is better than private pay which costs me about $450 a month plus deductibles.  What a mess trying to figure this all out.  I’ll be picking your brain when my time comes.  Are you allowed to then go to any doctor?   I ave to stay in a network which is restricting at times. Tho there seems less confusion to me with private pay.  What a mess!

Yes, any doctor that accepts original Medicare. The $1,400 deductible is for a hospitalization. I looked at the networks but they get real restrictive and I lose my pre-existing condition exemption once I choice an Advantage plan. What bugs me is Medicare does not allow us to use coupons from the Drug manufacture companies.  It seems like a rigged system. IMHO - Shalom

 

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10 hours ago, kayc said:

It sure is!  I have a Medicare Advantage program (Healthnet-Ruby) And I don't begin to pay this much but if I was hospitalized, it would cost me $450/day for four days, that's it.  I have to get referrals from my PCP for other doctors.  I pay $120 deductible once a year on my Rxs and it's included in the Medicare premium.

A friend of mine did not sign up for Rx coverage right away and had to pay about $50/month the rest of her life and her husband had to pay the same, just because they didn't sign up for it right away as they had coverage through his work.  That's a pretty steep "penalty."  That's why I asked, I don't want you stuck in that.

My understanding is that PART D can not be signed up through Medicare system but rather the various Drug/insurance plans. When I receive my medicare card # then I can apply for the rest of the program.  The medicare broker said they have the lowest Part D plan annual costs yet I stumbled on another one that cut my costs by $200.  I am still trying to get this expensive drug through another program but the doctor has not filled out the necessary paperwork to get processed.... There seem to be always a struggle doesn't there.  Once approved it would only cost $50 per month. - Shalom

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This isn’t giving me the warm fuzzies about Medicare.  Saying a doctor that accepts it seems that could cause ripples of trouble right off the bat.  Like having to check with alll mine beforehand and if it means switching I’ll probably have a stroke as I am so tired of doing that.  Ugh.  It’s bad enough my docs keep leaving on their own and I’ve had to go to ones that aren’t as good.  Can you keep private pay if you want without being penalized later if it becomes a better choice?  I guess that will be one of my questions for them that have heard it all.  I’m so sick of this medical crap.  It seems to never end when it was so simple before.  

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I never had a problem with the preexisting stuff being covered through Healthnet.  That was supposed to be covered through the Obamacare rules, Medicare or other Health Plans.  Trump wanted to do away with it, I hope not!  So far they haven't.  Sometimes I wonder if they are out to kill us off!

Part D is included in my Healthnet, I only signed up for everything all at once.  

Nothing about starting Medicare whether you opt for the original or Advantage programs is simple.  It's a foreign field we're entering.  So different from the private insurance I used to have!

The good thing about Medicare is (once you learn the ropes) they write off a LOT.  Not so great for the doctors.  I doubt doctors are as rich as they used to be, but they do well enough.

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10 hours ago, Gwenivere said:

if it means switching I’ll probably have a stroke as I am so tired of doing that.

Most doctors will accept Medicare from their current patients, not always new patients with it though.

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I have Medicare A and B. My advantage plan is United Healthcare thru AARP. Cost now up to $245 mo. I have no deductible. My RX is Humana Wal-Mart value plan. Cost $13 mo. My drugs are Tier 1 so cost me $3 or $4 every 3 months. Higher tiers cost a lot more, which is probably where your heart medicine falls, George. My dental is Metlife. Cost $36 mo. Only covers 50%  of the big stuff, 100% of cleaning and x-rays. Has a $100 deductible. My saving grace is the reimbursement allowance I receive from being a telephone company retiree.  Unfortunately, it is a set amount that does not increase as premiums increase so it's depleted by October now. Without that money, I wouldn't be able to afford insurance. The premiums just keep increasing.

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On 2/29/2020 at 12:47 PM, KarenK said:

I have Medicare A and B. My advantage plan is United Healthcare thru AARP. Cost now up to $245 mo. I have no deductible. My RX is Humana Wal-Mart value plan. Cost $13 mo. My drugs are Tier 1 so cost me $3 or $4 every 3 months. Higher tiers cost a lot more, which is probably where your heart medicine falls, George. My dental is Metlife. Cost $36 mo. Only covers 50%  of the big stuff, 100% of cleaning and x-rays. Has a $100 deductible. My saving grace is the reimbursement allowance I receive from being a telephone company retiree.  Unfortunately, it is a set amount that does not increase as premiums increase so it's depleted by October now. Without that money, I wouldn't be able to afford insurance. The premiums just keep increasing.

My cost will be similar to yours! I signed up for Plan G $ 112, Part B $145, Part D $ 13.  The $1,400 deductible for Medicare Part A is Covered with my Plan G ( MEdi-Gap Plan) .  There is a $200 Deductible for Medicare Part B and then every thing else is covered except the Drugs.  Yes, there is no deductible for Tier 1 & 2 Drugs. My Heart medicine is Tier 3 so the $435 deductible applies.  There is some gap thing After $4,000 in drugs are paid which shifts my cost to 25% of the cost of drugs.  I may also qualify for supplemental care due to my low income... 

I received my Medicare card Saturday ( how can I be this old??) It is a strange juxtaposition in life now.  Another surprise!  Because I filed for Medicare, Social Security informed me that I have some small monthly benefit from work back in 1997!.  I contacted the firm and TODAY they just transferred the plan to another trust company so the funds are frozen for a month.

 

Take care everyone! - Shalom

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No matter what we are covered (and I use the term loosely) by, the numbers for care and especially medication are staggering.   Over $400 for heart med ON low income? That’s nuts. I picked up my antidepressant today and had to pay almost $300 because of deductibles.  I’m stuck with 3 brand as generic is too iffy with the variance allowed for amount and manufacture.  Eventually it will go to nothing, but it really flattens my resources every year.  It’s downright criminal what the drug companies get and the government allows it.  I’ve seen people leave the pharmacy without meds they should have because they plain cannot afford it.  It shouldn’t matter what our income level.  It’s called humanity.  Everyone deserves affordable care.  The only time it cost us nothing was when Steve moved to hospice status.  Guess you have to be dying.  

How frustrating to find you have some extra money, George, but now have to wait.

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That is good news!  Who'd have thought Medicare would be so complicated to choose from!

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  • 1 month later...

Checking in:

Hello everyone! 👋.  I am fortunate to be able to work through this pandemic. I never imagined my home cleaning business would be thought of as an "essential " service.  I take extra precautions and up until two weeks ago, I hardly saw any clients as they were away working.  I have only lost a few cleaning jobs.  I am blessed.

Health has been a challenge this month with my hernia and now some leg issues. I am trying to delay doctors visit until May 1st when Medicare kicks in.  I have had a few hiccups  but have managed to get them resolved. My health insurance cost will go up $250 a month in May. Medicare is neither simple or cheaper.  I have never really paid attention to my age until now with all of these constant reminders. 

I was able to get my medicine at a reasonable cost $50 month verses $450/month.  But , there are still a few more hoops to jump through to get that resolved.  Stay safe everyone and have a blessed Easter.  - Shalom (Peace)

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So happy for your positive news!  Only three more weeks to wait!

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  • 1 month later...

I know Rose Anne is having a good birthday where she is...one day you'll be able to celebrate together once again.  (((hugs)))

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