If someone is on an advantage medicare plan is it free for their medications?

Richard

I am in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan. My plan covers Chicago's suburbs, and it may not apply to all states or cities. I am NOT on any kind of poor people's plan, nor Medicaid! But here are a few things that it offers: I can get up to $50 worth of over-the-counter NON-prescription drugs every three months. These are listed in a catalog they have, and they mail the drugs to me. All of my GENERIC prescription drugs are available at no additional charge, and no co-pay. I have to order a 90 day supply, and they mail them to me. SOME higher cost generics and ALL brand name drugs may require an additional fee: once again, they mail them to me. (The fee varies by drug is way less than the "Medicare" pricing at a physical pharmacy.) You can contact Humana to find out what (if any) costs are charged per drug. My wife is on the same program, and she pays nothing for her drugs. In addition, I get free unlimited memberships at several local health clubs, limited free or discounted dental care (cleanings, x-rays, and some fillings, and other procedures), unlimited FREE visits to my primary care physician, and everything else that Medicare A&B cover. I pay no additional fee other than the government-mandated monthly fee. On the downside, I can only visit doctors who are on the approved list (but there are thousands in my area), and I have to get my primary doctor's OK to see a specialist (@25 co-pay for specialist visits). My doctor has always approved any specialist I needed to see.

RICK

It depends on the plan Some advantage plans have free medication but cover a limited list of medications

curtisports2

Medications CAN be free but are not necessarily free. Medicare Advantage plans vary widely. They automatically include Medicare Part D (prescription drugs) along with Parts A (which you get free as soon as you turn 65) and B (which you continue to pay the premium for as soon as you sign up for it). But what you are required to pay for your drugs can vary widely from plan to plan. Plans with 'zero premium' don't cover as much as plans with monthly premiums. People who need many medications can be better off paying the premiums, because they may end up spending less out of pocket for the year. People who are generally healthy are almost always better off paying the $5 or $10 co-pays for most Tier 1 and 2 prescriptions (and with some, that's for a 90-day supply by mail). They will spend perhaps a thousand dollars+ less this way than if they paid nothing for their drugs but had to pay the insurance premium every month. This is for the Medicare Advantage plans. You have Medigap. That is something TOTALLY different. But it's reasonable to expect that Medigap plans can also very widely in what they cover.

Ann

I'm on a Medicare Advantage Plan (Care 'n Care), and my medications are absolutely not free. I pay very little (as little as $2) for some generics, but my important meds (for heart problems) cost anywhere from $20-$45 each). There is one (Nitrostat) that is not on the formulary list, and it would cost me $100. I order it from Canada.

Henry

Nothing is ever free

Edna

I'm not on a prescription medication plan with AARP so I don't know exactly how their plan works, but it sounds similar to mine. I'm on Humana Medicare Advantage with a prescription plan,.both of which are 100% paid by my previous employer as a part of my retirement package. I pay a once-yearly $50 deductible for prescriptions at the 1st of every year. From then on, I pay a $40 co-pay for a brand-name medication that is still under its original patent and for which there is no generic formulation yet available, because of patent laws. If a generic is available, the pharmacist will fill it under its generic name, and I pay next to nothing. For example, I have a prescription for Spiriva on a continuing basis. Spiriva is a brand name that currently has no generic equivalent; so the pharmacist has no option but to fill it under its brand name. If I didn't have my prescription plan, a one-month supply of Spiriva would cost me between $300-$400. Because of my prescription plan, a one-month supply of Spiriva costs me only $45. When a generic for Spiriva comes on the market, the pharmacist will fill the prescription under its generic name, and I'll pay even less for the same medication.

lucy: https

https://medicare.com/medicare-part-d/do-you-qualify-for-extra-help-with-your-medicare-part-d-coverage/ With an advantage plan is a combination of Medicare Part A, B and D. With straight Medicare that you and I have, then Medicare is Part A and B, then we have a medigap for the gap that Medicare does not pay for, (plus) Part D which is just for drugs. With most RX, then you will have a co-pay depending on the drug, or pay more if brand vs generic. Now for the one person getting reimbursed for OTC? Now I can think of 1 good example that my late husband took which was pyrosech (spelling) that cost $10-$20 per month vs the name brand Nexium that costs about $50 a month that I remember, thus much cheaper than the brand. But my guess is that these people getting free drugs or no expenses is that they are on extra help due to low income, which the site I attached explains.

Anonymous

It probably depends on what his medications are and if they are generic, which they probably are. You are trying to compare apples and oranges.

ben

No

Emerald

I don't know anyone who is still on an advantage plan. Not every doctor or hospital will accept it. Always check with you local hospital and doctors that you use regularly to make sure they will accept it, every year at enrollment time.

jayden

No

*****

May b

don r

It isn't free. You paid for medicare all while you were working. The trust is just allowing some people their meds. Mine all cost me.

DOUGLAS

Some AARP Senior Advantage plans have a zero copay for generic medications ordered form their mail order facility.

Tom thumb

It depends which tier the drugs are, tier one o or little cost, tier 2 higher tier 3 more etc.

Daisy

I wonder if the free medications are generic. I am not on Medicare, yet ( I have a few more years to go to qualify). I have health insurance through my employer. My prescriptions are mostly generic and a few are free so that may be the case with the person you are writing about.

ProgressUSA

Trump

roberto

there is another cost

Joseph

😘

Judy

normally no. sometimes the real cheap ones are covered. I have one that's free, two others that aren't

Anonymous

it depends

oldcraggyguy

it depends upon the medication. It may be free if the meds are generic. Just remember, generic medications are only worth what you pay for them.

Atlanta

Some of the medications will be free, others not.

floor

Quite frankly

pearlmar

I don't believe that. It's nonsense.