Oh Boy

Since I retired, I have been 'discussing' with my insurance company my medical coverage. I did not sign up for Medicare Part B at the same time as I did Medicare Part A. At that time I was still working and covered by insurance that my employer provided. I felt that it was not necessary to pay that extra $100 per month for insurance I did not need. But I neglected to sign up for Part B before I retired. So there was a time lag when I was not covered. Getting all that straightened out has taken several l-o-n-g phone calls and even more time has passed during which my health care has not been handled at all. I am at the point of paying for all my prescriptions and doctor visits myself, while at the same time paying about $200 per month for health care insurance. This seems wasteful to me. $200, that I can hardly spare, is being flushed down the Health Care Insurance toilet. I would be money ahead at this point by just paying all health care related costs myself. Of course, major medical problems would change that scenario.

Finally, all the i's have been dotted and t's crossed and my medicare advantage card has arrived! I am insured! Of course, I have to meet a $500 deductible (family) before anyone but me actually pays for prescriptions or Doctor visits. But still, I am insured. Finally!

In the mail the day that the insurance card arrived, was a second letter. This letter stated that it had been determined that I had been without prescription insurance from July 1, 2008 through November 30, 2008. Yes that was true. According to the letter, by law, in order, to be sure that people signed up for Medicare Part D, I will be fined! for the months that I Did not Have prescription insurance. So I not only had to pay for all my prescriptions during that time, but I am to be fined for doing so.

How can this be?! I guess that the 435 people who are our Government decided that it was legal to be dishonest! It is dishonest to penalize some one for Not partcipating in the program! Legal, only because our Government, our representatives, our senate, and our President, were more interested in protecting the profits of the insurance companies than in protecting the constituents! We did not count! This Medicare Part D was supposed to lessen the burden of prescription drugs on people on Social Security. In reality though it added to the burden while guarenteeing profits for the insurance companies. It was bad legislation, but even the AARP was in favor of it at the time it was enacted! We were sold down the river! Besides the above problem, there is also the dreaded 'doughnut hole' where the insurance company still gets paid, but doesn't provide prescription coverage! Good job people! Not one of you should have been re elected.

Perhaps the upcoming administration will take a long hard look at Medicare Part D. I hope so. But will meaningful changes be made? I am skepical about that. Medicare Part D is entrenched. It will be difficult to change it, and most likely impossible to get rid of it.
But I will try to remain hopeful. I see that the AARP is not as enamoured of the program as it was in the beginning. Perhaps they will put their lobbyists to work to get the program changed or deleted. We can only hope...