Medicare payment letters raise fears

[papau]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-04-19-medicare-usat_x.htm

Medicare payment letters raise fears

Posted 4/19/2006 10:52 PM ET

By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY

Insurers have notified tens of thousands of people in Medicare's new drug benefit plan that they might be kicked out because their premiums have not been paid.
But many who received the letters in the past few days insist they have already paid, have signed up for automatic Social Security deductions or qualify for free coverage, according to insurance counseling programs in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Arkansas.<snip>

Medicare officials are trying to ease the anxiety, saying normal one- to two-month delays in processing enrollment into Social Security's automatic payment plan might be partly to blame, and that the agency is not picking up an unusual number of billing questions.<snip>

The letters come as the government and insurers are encouraging people to sign up for the program before the May 15 deadline. The letters say insurers' records show no payment and warn that if payment isn't received by May 31, "we will have to disenroll you." <snip>

Insurance counseling centers say they are hearing a variety of concerns. Deane Beebe of the Medicare Rights Center in New York says counselors spoke with several people who received letters even though they qualify for the "extra help" program, in which most people pay no premiums.<snip>

[rodeodance]

1. oh my gawd. how frightening for these people

[habitual]

2. ummmm bullshit

"saying normal one- to two-month delays in processing enrollment into Social Security's automatic payment plan"

Being in the tech industry, i can say that if it is taking 2 months to process enrollment in a system that is vital to the programs success and to seniors ability to get their meds, then someone really messed up in the initial planning phase. Either they need better computer programs/equipment or more staff. Either way, this is a bullshit excuse and is not acceptable.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Yet another Repuke bureaucratic screwup.

[enlightenment]

4. So the plan is to kill off the elderly by increasing their

anxiety to stroke/cardiac arrest levels?

That'll resolve the insolvency issue.

Damn - I just can't decide if the government thugs are more stupid than evil, or more evil than stupid.

[Spacemom]

5. I was chatting with an elderly lady at the store last night

She's been without her medication for a month now.

Yep, Medicare D is a huge success. :sarcasm:

[zann725]

6. Way to double-check: (1) call Medicare DIRECTLY and verify enrollment;;

(2) Check your monthly Medicare check or auto-deposit (deductions are taken within 2 months. The first time, it's retro 2 months...with a written notice mailed to you FROM Medicare that it will occur that way, but that you ARE insured in interim); OR most importantly (3) go to Pharmacy you usually use, and try and fill your prescription. THEY will check on-line, and verify your enrollment in Part D plan (of your choice). Once you've had a prescription paid for under Part D plan of your choice (with receipt)AT Part D "rates," you HAVE your proof of enrollment as of that date.

Important part IS: Choose NOW. You can always switch plans later.
(As an aside, AARP seemed the most reasonably priced, no deductible, plan available). Walgreen's pharmacy (and probably others) will do a FREE print-out comparing ALL plans and costs on a few pages. It is an easily-readible and accessible print-out...and helps enormously making one's choice. And the few drugs NOT coverable (or affordably priced) under Part D can be ordered on-line AT REASONABLE rates by such places as Costco, "Dugstore.com", or Canadian outlets.

[partylessinOhio]

7. Many are getting letters.

My mother got one and she is on Railroad Retirement.

I was billed $1245.10 for Med. Part B, due 4/25/06.

This is paid directly to Medicare by my retirement.

Called Medicare - they don't know why I was billed - promised to have someone from where the bill originated call me - they never did.

Called my retirement - they called Medicare and are still awaiting an answer.

All I can figure out is that we have been outsourced to India and no one knows what the hell is going on.

I won't pay one cent, don't care what Medicare does, the coverage is lousy, they refuse to pay attributing most costs to deductibles and co-pays which mean "PAY IT YOURSELF!"

[anotherdrew]

8. republican's medicare drug bill is the ultimate in mockery

have they no fucking SHAME? and these god damned companies! Put them ALL out of business. Human people, researchers, develop drugs, not companies. Do it all without the profit

[fed-up]

9. Enrollment delays were 1-2 months back in 1996 when my mom signed

up. Luckily everything was in place when she had her massive stroke just 1.5 months after turning 65.

[WhiteTara]

10. my partner is turning 65 next month

and he received a letter from some company that read like an official document stating that in order to get his medicare benefits, he needed to fill out this particular letter as they were the government sponsored agency to collect his info. I knew immediately it was fake, but it sure looks real. We took it to SS and they confirmed it was not from them. These are such monsters.