If there are any of you who have had Type 1 for many years and are now eligible for Medicare and have a plan or combination of Medicare plans that serve you well for your pump, cgm and related supplies, I would be interested in knowing what exactly you are currently enrolled in. Am looking for plans that will be cost effective and appropriately satisfy my needs.
Hi @scleaver, I guess I fit in the description you seek having been TypeOne for 62 years and in my late 70’s.
since I retired at age 70 I’ve used and found the AARP Medicare Advantage choice plan cost effective and it currently [and in the past] covers pump, pump supplies and CGM and related supplies. The DME portions require a 20% co-pay of the discounted Medicare negotiated cost.
As I regularly see seven doctors for different reasons I selected the PPO with the highest monthly premium which lowered my costs of frequent out-of-pocket doctor visit costs. Including no cost visits with the ophthalmologist and when she does my LASER treatments - I began LASER treatments in 1967 as a guinea pig on the first photocoagulation treatment for retinopathy.
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Thank you, Dennis. These are very much the kind of details I’m looking for. Most helpful. I am 70 now and thinking of retiring within the year so looking at various Medicare options - diagnosed with Type 1 close to 60 years ago.
Hi, I have AARP Medicare Complete Choice (PPO), and although there are some difficulties, it has been cheaper than regular Medicare which covers about 80% of costs so we bought AARP supplemental plans for part F and Part D which cost us for the additional coverage. We switched to Part C which in the state of FL is a “no premium” plan that gives drug coverage and additional benefits in adition to regular Medicare , but are not as comprehensive as paying for Part F and Part D. In sum we compared our out of pocket each year with thepremiums for the supplemental plans and so far it is a better deal for us. We look at it each year. You need to talk with a registered sales agent before you decide which is better for you.
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Many thanks, Claire, for sharing your experience. I will definitely consult with a registered agent.
I have had type one diabetes for 57 years and I am 69 years old. For the last two years I have gone with a combination of original Medicare plus and AARP supplement Gee plan and a part D prescription plan Few people realize that when buying insulin for use in an insulin pump that the billing can go through your part B Medicare coverage rather than your prescription plan. Since I have the Medicare supplement my medical expenses part A a and B are covered at 100%. This prevents me from reaching the donut hole with prescriptions as my other prescriptions besides the insulin are not expensive. With the AARP supplement all medical expenses that fall under parts a and B which includes hospitals doctors lab’s insulin insulin pump supplies sensors and other supplies and strips are all covered at 100%. I’d did find it difficult to find a supplier of insulin that understood and was eligible to bill it through my part B coverage. One of my local Walmart pharmacy has been able to do this very well. In comparison to previous years we found out we saved a lot of money by going with this plan even though there are premiums for the supplement and the part D plan of around $220 a month. If you go to the Medicare website and search for how insulin is covered you will find the section where it describes when used in an insulin pump it can be billed under part B.
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Patricia, thanks so much. Every detail I can get from those who have experience struggling through this maze is a big help!
I am a TID for 55 years. I am 67 years old. I too use a supplement G plan along with my original Medicare. And I have a part D prescription plan. I get my insulin from Walgreens. A pharmacist there is familiar with Medicare requirements. All of my pump and Dexcom supplies are covered at 100%. I do pay a monthly amt plus plan D amt. By going this route, I have peace of mind. It covers everything, including Dr visits, procedures, ER visits, etc. I don’t have to worry about unexpected expenses.
Thanks so much. Very helpful to get your input. I will likely start getting Medicare coverage the latter part of this summer so I am taking in every suggestion I come across right now.
This was very helpful information, Patricia. Thank you
We’re shopping for a Dec 1 start up for Medicare and are nervous about costs and coverage. The AARP Supplement G plan was a new one for us. Never heard of it so we will be researching. I will say your information helped calm most of our worries about going into the poorhouse over Type 1 care. It’s been crazy enough under the ACA (thankful as we are for having it, don’t get me wrong) but certainly not a breeze to navigate in those storms. We had thought Medicare might solve most of our worries, but it seems sometimes we go out of the frying pan and back into another fire.