Anyone approaching—or already in—retirement understands that the term “drugs” inspires two key questions:
- Is there no limit to how many my doctor is going to prescribe?
- Is there no limit to what these are going to cost?
The answer to both questions, apparently, is no. And that means potential financial trouble for those counting on standard Medicare, since neither the basic coverage nor a Medigap policy provides coverage for pharmacy prescriptions. And that’s a lot of potential pain. A major AARP survey of adults over age 50 revealed 75% are regularly taking at least one prescription medication, with 50% taking four or more! And price increases are steadily raising the out-of-pocket costs.
Growing usage, high prices and no coverage? Fortunately, there are two potential solutions provided under the Medicare law: either purchase a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) including drug coverage or get a stand-alone Medicare Part D drug coverage policy. Both are provided by private insurers, and the eligibility and available plans can vary by your location. There is a substantial late-enrollment penalty if, for any continuous period of 63 days or more after your initial enrollment period is over, you go without Medicare prescription drug coverage or a private plan (e.g., from an employer) that meets or beats Medicare’s coverage.
Don’t leave yourself open to financial or health disasters caused by drug prices. Explore your options with our professionals today.
