Medicare mess hits Leavitt's[HHS Secretary's] parents

[Sgent]

Not even the senior parents of Washington's top health official are immune from headaches caused by the new Medicare drug plan.

Dixie and Anne Leavitt - parents of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt - recently were forced to change Medicare plans after learning that the one they chose imperiled their retiree medical coverage.

The elder Leavitts joined the program last fall with some fanfare and help from their son. Anne Leavitt, 73, was quoted in The Salt Lake Tribune touting the online enrollment as "smooth," and a guaranteed money-saver.

Salt Lake Tribue

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Ironic, isn't it?

Wonder if they'll write a press release about their troubles.

[gratuitous]

2. It was "smooth" last fall was it, Anne?

What do you call it now? And what would you recommend for other seniors who may not be able to place a personal call to the Secretary of Health and Human Services?

[madrchsod]

3. what is really ironic is

that the medicare program was changed several years ago so that no one had to fill out forms,etc,etc because before medicare did`t require doctors to do all the paper work . i took my mom and dad to many doctors appointments and to the hospital and they just signed their names and showed their cards..the bill would show up several months later and since they had sup. insurance they paid the last bill they received. the only thing that cost them was their medicine which was moderately expensive.
now to screw over the seniors the drug companies and our great leadership in the house and senate screwed them even further...just as they intended on doing. good job boys and girls,it`s a good thing we pay your health insurance isn`t it?

[fed-up]

4. "who made his fortune in the insurance business"-

from the article

Neither she nor Dixie, 76 - who made his fortune in the insurance business - could be reached for comment on Thursday

edited to add

"Troubles have been most acute for millions of low-income seniors and disabled people who were automatically transferred from their state Medicaid plans into Medicare plans that didn't cover their medications. "



I'm too angry for any words that aren't cuss words

[Pastiche423]

5. Has anyone been sent a membership card

w/o signing up for it?

I received one from Humana yesterday in the mail. I thought :wtf:? I hadn't signed up for it.

I went to their website and found out there is no doctor or prescription plan in my area w/Humana. This makes me very suspious about the sign up numbers in the article.

[oneold1-4u]

7. Humana is a junkie for wall mart.

and likely for other pharmacies too! they are also one of the most expensive with the least coverage and a huge spend down! Don't let them in the door!

[Pastiche423]

8. Thank you for that info!

The document that was enclosed w/the card states:

As a member of a Humana Prescription Drug plan, you are provided with an identification (ID) card to be presented to your pharmacist for prescription drug services. Be sure to carry your ID card with you at all times.

Note: The card shown is an example only and not an exact replication of your ID card.

There is nothing to sign and return.

So, I'm cool as long as I don't present the example card to my pharmacist?

That's really sucky marketing, IMO. lol

[AnnieBW]

6. You Can't Make this stuff up

n/t

[ToeBot]

9. They should get some Tuna and stash it under the bed...

I hear that will cure just about anything.

[tanyev]

10. Welcome to the reality-based community, Mr. and Mrs. Leavitt.

Hopefully your new plan will be the right one. I suspect they still have many, many resources a lot of other people on Medicare do not have.