Medicare For The Lazy Man Podcast

Ep. 732 - Drug plans: how a poorly trained agent can cost you big bucks!

If an agent does not or cannot perform a proper search for the best prescription drug plan, the insured may be forced to waste money all year.

In the Medicare Advantage Minute, we learn that in some cases MA members have higher expectations. How top rated insurance companies respond to these expectations.

Finally, we encourage victims of IRMAA to download form SSA-44 in order to file an appeal.

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 731 - A great day for Trump; many great days ahead for America!

Our main article states "Election outcome could bring big changes to Medicare".

Each candidate accuses the other of supporting actions that will cause suffering and damage to the Medicare program.

Another article from the other side of the aisle: Trump's Whitehouse return poised to tangle healthcare safety net.

The episode begins with a report on the shrinking service areas of some Medicare Advantage companies, including Humana who is retreating from 13 counties holding 560,000 members!

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 730 - Are you sick of Medicare? Let's talk about Social Security!

Listen to the end for some Social Security talk! We go through a series of Social Security myths assembled by AMAC.org.

Also noteworthy: Humana settles a whistleblower suit claiming fraud in billing the government for drug plan administration. The settlement amount: $90,000,000.

We have correspondence from clients. One is only worried about getting a plan that will cover one of those expensive "O" drugs.

The other is concerned that buying the least costly drug plan might sacrifice catastrophic drug protection should that ever be needed.

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep 729 - Which drug plan would you prefer: $1,500 or $0? How about your agent?

If your agent doesn't know or doesn't care, you could wind up with a very expensive Part D prescription drug plan.

Medicare Advantage Minute: 500,000 Americans are about to lose their plans in 2025.

Perplexity.AI has some very nice things to say about Yours Truly as well as Medicare for the Lazy Man 2024!

Finally, a valued client and man of the cloth in Missouri was almost taken to the cleaners by his drug plan. Lulled into a sense of security and inactivity, his plan was preparing to jack his monthly premium sky high!

 Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 728 - Why is Insulin becoming harder to obtain through Part D plans?

Thanks to the government for squeezing insulin makers to give away their product below cost. Many plans are dropping one or more types.

In the Medicare Advantage Minute, we hear that the battles between hospitals and insurance companies are predicted to grow.

This episode's visit to the Medicare Wikipedia page will be the last! The subject for this final visit is the effort to add dental and vision as official Medicare benefits.

More bad news for Medicare Advantage members: Trinity Health looks like it may be parting company with CVS's Aetna insurance company.

Client correspondence includes a plea for help from a Florida pediatrician who needs guidance in starting his Medicare enrollment. He wants to know where to start?

Finally, Stuart writes to express his and Francine's thanks to MLM for having suggested such ideal insurance plans for them. I'll take it! 

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 727 - Deadly diagnosis: what can or should be done about your insurance?

The short answer: If you can't predict exactly what drugs you are likely to need, picking a better plan will be a shot in the dark. 

Switch to a more expensive Medicare supplement? That would likely be counterproductive: HDG premium savings offset the out-of-pocket costs and save big bucks during healthier times.  

Medicare Advantage Minute: hundreds of thousands are going to be thrown off their plans by financially stressed insurance companies.

The Medicare Wikipedia page discusses proposed limitations on Medicare supplement plans and whether they might not be effective.

Finally, our favorite non-insurance selling Medicare advisor Diane Omdahl draws a connection between government price controls and a reduced insulin availability.

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 726 - $0 or $1,510: which drug plan would your agent suggest?

Those who don't know about Medicare for the Lazy Man can be duped. If the agent is new or not trained, he won't know how to properly search for the best drug plan for you.

Medicare Advantage Minute: One plan in Missouri has been ordered by the government to stop enrolling new clients. Their infraction? Showing too much profit. Welcome to America!

"Perverse incentive theory": according to Wikipedia, Medicare supplement plans encourage overutilization of medical services and drive up Medicare costs when the benefits are too generous.

Finally, MLM Podcast fan Linda has done some research on behalf of her husband. They both kind of like plans from Blue Cross/Blue Shield for him but after seeing what MLM has to offer, they purchase excellent insurance at much less cost.

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 725 - Premier US cancer center divorced from BC/BS TX networks!

This might explain why Medicare Advantage plans are losing their support.

More former supporters from each side of the aisle are wavering.

The Wikipedia entry for Medicare makes the point that the public expresses more support for government programs that are universal than those that are means tested.

MD Anderson, in Houston, has failed to come to agreement and will not remain in Medicare Advantage networks of the Texas Blues.

Thanks to a security breach and the evil HIPPA legislation, about one million Medicare participants will be getting new cards with new identifiers (numbers).

Finally, I was able to view graphs illustrating the dramatic effect that inflation has had on the premium rates of Plans G and N. Too bad those poor victims weren't enrolled in the High Deductible Plan G (HDG) plans touted by Medicare for the Lazy Man!

 

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep. 724 - Stand-alone dental insurance: the best option for Medicare participants!

In the Medicare Advantage Minute segment, we learn that 23 health systems (as of the publishing date) are refusing to accept MA plans for reimbursement in 2025.

The Wikipedia page about Medicare discusses the possibility and ramifications of reforming care for "Dual Eligibles", those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.

Finally, choosing the best prescription drug plan for an individual on Medicare involves following some rules and adhering to some important principles.

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Ep 723 - "More Medicare Advantage trouble ahead" says CVS while bathing in red ink!

More recently, CVS fired another CEO who they just finished paying $21,000,000. What's wrong with this picture?

The Medicare page of Wikipedia describes the Federal government negotiating the prices of prescription drugs. In my opinion the government doesn't negotiate; they dictate!

Toni (with an "i") advises a heart patient to dump COBRA ASAP and enroll in Medicare with a supplement for the best insurance protection.

Finally, esteemed client Bob sets a great example for all of us. He read his ANOC and learned that his current drug plan will perform well for him next year.

Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com

(Most severe critic: A+)  

Inspired by:

"MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers.

Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.