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One of my med sup clients called me yesterday. He has his drug plan with the lowest cost Part D carrier in every market ($18.40 in his) and called the plan to ask a question about the coverage on one of his drugs for next year. What he got is what he described as a pretty hard-sell on adding medical coverage for "less than two dollars more per month." The rep went on to tell him that it would include coverage for his doctor visits and hospitalization. Suspicious, he politely declined and called me to ask what this was about.
I explained to him that it was a Medicare Advantage plan he was being offered. We talked about it including doctor and hospital networks, out-of-pocket costs for everything that could reach as high as $6700 in a year. The carrier's rep had mentioned none of this, focusing only on his getting a lot more coverage for less than two dollars more. I explained to him that if he did want to consider a plan like this I would be happy to discuss it with him and enroll him in one. But of course he wanted no part of it.
I know there have been other threads on the same theme. And it seems the pattern is that this sales tactic is primarily carried out by one carrier. Their Part D plan does have the lowest premium, but it also has the maximum $360 deductible. The second lowest premium Part D plan has no deductible. Maybe I will start borrowing from their strategy: "for only $4 more..."
I explained to him that it was a Medicare Advantage plan he was being offered. We talked about it including doctor and hospital networks, out-of-pocket costs for everything that could reach as high as $6700 in a year. The carrier's rep had mentioned none of this, focusing only on his getting a lot more coverage for less than two dollars more. I explained to him that if he did want to consider a plan like this I would be happy to discuss it with him and enroll him in one. But of course he wanted no part of it.
I know there have been other threads on the same theme. And it seems the pattern is that this sales tactic is primarily carried out by one carrier. Their Part D plan does have the lowest premium, but it also has the maximum $360 deductible. The second lowest premium Part D plan has no deductible. Maybe I will start borrowing from their strategy: "for only $4 more..."
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