Ciao … may this blog find you well, with your Medicare insurance coverage not burying you under paper.
Though the government shutdown ended last year, the ripples continue to delay Medicare Cards, Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Part D drug plans.
Email Gray@TheBig65.com or book a time on my calendar if you are in a tight spot or if your friends need help. Hopefully things will speed up if we don’t get another shutdown🙏.
The Sicilians continue to clean up after the ravages of this once in a century cyclone. Roads, beaches, train tracks, and hillside villages were swept away. It will take years and billions of dollars to rebuild.
Gaman (我慢) is a Japanese idea that means to endure the seemingly unbearable with patience, dignity, and self-control, without complaint and without burdening others. The Sicilians definitely complain, but their ability to endure defines them. That’s life under the snowy volcano🌋!
Catania means “rough, jagged land.” The city has been shaped by centuries of invasions⚔️, lava flows🌋, earthquakes🌍, and rebuilding🔨.
When I’m frustrated while attempting to resolve Medicare issues while on long holds with the understaffed insurance companies, it’s a reminder that some challenges are temporary—and keeping an eye on the bigger picture matters.
January is the month when the Part D drug plans reset. Before you pay for your prescriptions, here are some ideas to save you 💵 and make you healthier💪🥦😊:
- Pro Tip: Ask your pharmacist for the “cash price” for each medication. Many chains will not offer this discount unless you ask. Sometimes it’s less expensive than using your Part D prescription drug coverage.
Thanks to Bobby for suggesting we visit the local World War II Museum in Catania. When I look back at the adversity the greatest generation faced, it’s another reminder for me to suck it up and keep going.
- Compare drug prices on GoodRx, CostPlus, or on Amazon. If you use a third party service, the drug expense may not count toward your deductible, but if you rarely hit the $2,100 maximum out of pocket, it may not matter.
Speaking of shopping, Nicholas took me to his neighborhood putìa (bodega) where he buys cheese and prosciutto. I may need to start taking a statin. It’s all about moderation, right?
- If you take an expensive brand name medication, check with your pharmacist.
Because they fill hundreds of prescriptions daily, your pharmacist might be able to recommend less expensive drug alternatives for you to review with your doctor. That might save you some denaro💵 😊!
One of the ways I like to save money/denaro is eating at home as much as possible. The frozen burgers I found in the back of our son’s freezer were six months past their expiration date but still tasted pretty good⚠️😱. If my wife Q were here, she would’ve made me toss them. So far, no casualties🙏 🤣.
- Confirm your pharmacy is a preferred pharmacy vs a standard pharmacy so that you are getting the lowest prices for your medications.Call to your Part D prescription drug plan or log in to their portal to compare the costs of picking up locally versus using mail order. Some zip codes have great mail service; others have consistent delivery issues. Be sure to factor in the reliability of your local postal service. The devil😈 is always in the details.
One detail I need to share…the pizza in Italy is pretty good😜. Let the record so state: we prefer Neopolitan pizza (thinner) to Sicilian (thicker). Pizzeria da Michele is the bomb!
- Manufacturer copay cards don’t usually work with Medicare, but patient assistance programs sometimes do, especially for high-cost brand medications. Do your research online but also check with your doctor and your pharmacy!
- Ask if your medication is available as a 90-day supply. Many Part D plans charge lower copays per month when prescriptions are filled quarterly instead of monthly.
Next week is the Holy festival of Sant’Agata, there will be hundreds of thousands here to experience the celebration. Almost every evening, as I make calls, the sky is filled with fireworks.
- Most important of all… Review EVERY Medication you take annually with your doctor!
Taking multiple meds increases risk of overmedication, side effects, drug interactions, falls, and cognitive issues. Regular prescription review with a doctor can reduce unnecessary prescriptions.For your next appointment, bring ALL of your medications with you. Before the doctor comes in, line them up on the counter and confirm their necessity. Doctors are so busy, they may assume another specialist is monitoring a no longer necessary medication.
Take what you really need and get rid of the rest. You’ll be dancing in no time!
So as January resets your Part D drug coverage, remember a few simple things: ask for the cash price, compare pharmacies, check 90-day supplies, confirm you’re using a preferred pharmacy, and review every medication—prescription, over-the-counter, and supplement—with your doctor each year 💊💵. A little detective work will make you healthier, wealthier, and happier.
And no matter what happens, the sun will come out tomorrow.
Meanwhile, back home in Colorado, Miti and Plato want to remind you that, no matter where you are, under the snow ❄️or under the volcano🌋…
The basics still apply: stay warm, stay connected, and don’t sweat the small stuff🐾.
Keep asking, “What’s the next big thing?”
If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.
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Medicare questions or problems?
Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.
Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).
Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
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Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in thirty states around the country, including:
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The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 10 organizations that offer 50 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
