There is so much to be outraged about these days -- Ukraine, the Middle East, climate change, and the dysfunctional GOP that is holding our government hostage so that it can't address any of these--that I almost hesitate to voice my sheer stupefaction at this multi-page mailing from Blue Cross Advantage--our Medicare supplemental insurance.
Two of these flashy, splashy accordion-folded notices arrived Saturday, one for me and one for John. I opened mine at once, hoping to hear that perhaps coverage had been expanded or something.
Nope. This whole hoorah was simply to inform us that we would be getting new cards with different numbers. Information that would have fit nicely on a postcard.
I'd like to know what this mailing cost Blue Cross--and what the post card would have cost.
And the rates keep going up.
6 comments:
Something about this amuses me.
I haven't been interested in supporting Blue Cross since seeing their big shiny building in the Raleigh area...but I'm sure all the health insurance companies must have such as well...unfortunately. The direction of health care in Asheville has been concerning as well, since our locally owned hospital was sold to a large corporation, and now Mission health has no more oncologists on staff. It's really astonishing,
Have you checked out alternatives? I recommend United Healthcare for Part D coverage, At least you have access to doctors and hospitals. In places like Alabama, hospitals are closing their birthing units, so some pregnant women will have to drive as far as 100 miles to reach a place where they can safely give birth. Giving birth in an ER can be a disaster if something goes wrong. Large swaths of many rural states have very little health care.
I called our Part D provider this morning to find out why my deductible is twice what they are advertising on a brochure I picked up at Rite Aid (a preferred pharmacy) last week. The lady on the phone took all my info then asked if I had gotten my letter from Elixer yet telling me that they are not going to provide a Part D plan anymore. She said I should have gotten a letter which neither Roland nor I have gotten. So not only will they not explain why they doubled my premium without a notice but they are stopping coverage all together. It's such a trap. Between us we only take 1 med and it's generic. And, happy as I am that we don't need more, we can't stop paying for coverage because if we do there will be a penalty assessed for every year we weren't covered if we ever find that we need coverage. Buying my prescription out of pocket would be less expensive than paying the premium. And they are still advertising the plan! It's the US medical/pharmaceutical/insurance industrial complex.
I take two special tier drugs that cost the earth, but United Healthcare has not balked at covering them. My co-pay on each is huge, but only a fraction of what the cost would be without insurance. I switched to UHC after I was given extremely short notice that Cigna Part D would no longer cover the gammaglobulin infusions I receive every week. UHC owns Optum Specialty Pharmacy, which gives me my home infusions, and I can be sure they will never stop covering the required medication. They've been great.
After reading this and the comments I feel fortunate that Dan and I each have retiree medical plans for our employers that kick in for what Medicare doesn't cover.
Medical insurance is in such a sad shape in this country.
Post a Comment