Medicare For The Lazy Man Podcast

Ep. 734 - Told you so! High Deductible Plan G is the greatest!

Minnesota client Michael is starting to regret purchasing expensive Plan G for maximum Medicare health insurance protection.

As his long-suffering agent predicted. Michael is weary of paying for Cadillac insurance when HDG works so well for so much less!

The Medicare Advantage Minute sees Independence BC/BS contending with "Election Anxiety" and using extraordinary measures to "get their story out". Is their "story" really worth hearing?

Disappointments in the course of business for an Medicare insurance agent:

Frank & Mrs. Frank partake of an agent's professional services. When the agent discovers the misguided insurance company charges a premium of 6% over a DIY enrollment, he discloses this to the clients. Frank decided to grab the 6% and leave the hard-working agent in his rearview mirror!

Kathy professes confusion even AFTER reading an excellent book on the subject. Within a few  days she had been snatched away by evil trolls!

Michael professed a need for dental insurance so his agent provided links to three high-quality options. Months later, Michael professed a need for dental insurance so his agent provided links to three high-quality options.

Have you ever seen the movie "Groundhog Day"?  

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. 733 - Multi-billion $$ scandal: Investigators allow malfeasance to continue.

Medicare Advantage plans objected to the investigation of their massive overpayments, according to a report.

The government just dropped the case without so much as a whimper.

In other news, 2025 CPI-boosted changes to Medicare coverage were announced. They could have been worse!

New Yorkers rejoice! Globe Life of NY announced 2025 rates, all of which were increased EXCEPT for High Deductible Plan G. Go figure!

For quality and cost, HDG is still the best Medicare Supplement deal in New York (and everywhere else)!

Finally, Timothy receives confirmation in 5 areas of thought about his new Part D drug plan selection.

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. 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.