Understanding Your 2012 Medicare Enrollment Statements

I just reviewed the ANOC from my Medicare Plan D plan provider, United Health Care, and I am really distressed about the coverage change. Our monthly premiums will increase from $37.30 in 2011 to $41.90, while at the same time United Health moved most of their covered drugs from the lower tier to a higher one. I take an eye drop (daily) to try and control Glaucoma, which was on Tier 1 in 2010, moved to Tier 2 in 2011, and will be on tier 3 in 2012. I see that as a blatant effort to gauge Medicare recipients, and certainly does not offer any amount of confidence in who is receiving the real benefit from Medicare. During the year I keep track of my benefit statements, and it is distressing to see the columns that lists what I pay vs. what is paid by my Plan D Rx provider. In their column the figure is always $0.0, and my "share" of the cost keeps increasing from year to year. Why carry Rx coverage if the consumer does all the paying, and the provider just changes tiers when the drug prescribed would otherwise force them to pay their share?

Eyvor Stickney of WY 6:03PM October 26, 2011