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If you have an overnight hospital visit, and take medications daily, be aware of a change to Medicare Part D.
I had a total knee replacement surgery last October. While I was there, the hospital gave me my daily medications. I have Blue Cross Platinum for Part C, and I never saw a bill from the hospital. Between Part A, Part C, and Part D, I had to paid $0 of the $48,674.68 it would have cost without insurance.
DW had 2 disks replaced in her neck this past April. She got a $114.32 bill from the hospital for the 2 days they gave her the "self administered" daily medications. I found out that starting in 2018, hospitals will no longer submit claims for "self administered" medications. You have to request that the hospital send you a printout that includes the "national drug code" for the medications. You also have to request that the Part D insurance company send you a claim form so you can get reimbursed.
I'm glad I'm retired and have the time to make the calls and find out what's going on. Otherwise, with a long list of charges and no detail on the hospital statement, I would have just paid the $114.32 thinking it was a good deal since the hospital said without insurance the total bill would have been $88,649.66.
Here's another tip. If you're near Medicare age, and are facing a major surgery that you can delay, wait until you're on Medicare and choose the most inclusive Part C you can get.
I had a total knee replacement surgery last October. While I was there, the hospital gave me my daily medications. I have Blue Cross Platinum for Part C, and I never saw a bill from the hospital. Between Part A, Part C, and Part D, I had to paid $0 of the $48,674.68 it would have cost without insurance.
DW had 2 disks replaced in her neck this past April. She got a $114.32 bill from the hospital for the 2 days they gave her the "self administered" daily medications. I found out that starting in 2018, hospitals will no longer submit claims for "self administered" medications. You have to request that the hospital send you a printout that includes the "national drug code" for the medications. You also have to request that the Part D insurance company send you a claim form so you can get reimbursed.
I'm glad I'm retired and have the time to make the calls and find out what's going on. Otherwise, with a long list of charges and no detail on the hospital statement, I would have just paid the $114.32 thinking it was a good deal since the hospital said without insurance the total bill would have been $88,649.66.
Here's another tip. If you're near Medicare age, and are facing a major surgery that you can delay, wait until you're on Medicare and choose the most inclusive Part C you can get.