@ss11943859 wrote:
How much do they get paid for that B.S. about getting money back on your S.S. check ?
Free eyeglasses-dental care, etc.?
They are only selling what is already there for beneficiaries that qualify - by income or income and resources; usually plan or state specific. Or for specific chronic conditions in some Medicare Advantage plans.
You have to understand what they are selling and how it might apply to you. Many Medicare beneficiaries don't know, not even the low income ones.
I am listing some of them and giving links for people who read this to do their own research.
Medicare.gov - Medicare Savings Program
You can read them in detail at the link - I am only covering what they pay for if one is eligible.
1. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program (QMB): The Program helps pay for:
Part A premiums, Part B premiums, and deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments for services and items Medicare covers.
2. The Specified Low-Income Beneficiary Program (SLBP): The SLMB Program is a state program that helps pay Part B (only) premiums for people who have Part A and limited income and resources.
3. The Qualified Individual Program (QI): The QI Program is a state program that helps pay Part B (only) premiums for people who have Part A and limited income and resources. You must apply every year for QI benefits. QI applications are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to people who got QI benefits the previous year. (You can't get QI benefits if you qualify for Medicaid).
4. The Qualified Disabled and Working Individual Program (QDWI)
If you qualify for the QMB program, SLMB, or QI program, you automatically qualify to get Extra Help paying for Medicare drug coverage. Extra Help is a program that helps pay drug costs for people with limited income and resources. This program helps pay for your Medicare drug coverage, such as plan premiums, deductibles, and costs when you fill your prescriptions, called copays or coinsurance.
For quailified beneficiaries, they may pay less or pay nothing for their Med D plan premium and yearly deductible (an amount one has to pay before the plan starts to pay.)
Copays & coinsurance: In 2021, drug costs are no more than:
- $3.70 for each generic drug
- $9.20 for each brand-name covered drug
ALL the above programs are available to Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for them no matter if they are getting their Medicare benefits through the Traditional program or a Medicare Advantage plan. These are separate from the Medicare/Medicaid dual eligible program - which is for REALLY low income beneficiaries.
As to those extra benefits you referenced - vision, hearing, dental and even MORE -
These are specific Medicare Advantage plans or Prescription Drug Plans that offer these special benefits which Traditional Medicare does not cover. They started a few years ago and Medicare has approved their addition to Medicare Advantage plans that want to include them. The benefits run the ramut - This AARP recent article describes some of these special benefits:
AARP.org - 10/08/2021 - New Medicare Benefits Available for People With Chronic Conditions
from the link ~
Since 2019, some Medicare Advantage plans have offered extra health-related benefits โ coverage of over-the-counter medications, in-home support services, nutrition counseling and transportation to medical appointments โ to people with chronic conditions. Last year the benefits expanded to include nonmedical services, such as meal delivery, transportation to the grocery store and even pest control.
So these celebs are only getting you to call and the MA reps are supposed to see if you qualify for any of the above.
Medicare Advantage insurers are paid by Medicare to service the beneficiaries that sign up for their plans - The are supposed to be paid what is the average beneficiary cost in the area which they service - a benchmark. So you see why they want to sign up as many beneficiaries as they can - and they are succeeding.
Those "special" benefits of dental, vision and hearing in MA plans are a good Hook (you know what I mean, right?). Are these type of special coverages a good value ?????? I'd kick some tires.
KHN / WEBMD 10/27/2021 - Medicare Plansโ โFreeโ Dental, Vision, Hearing Benefits Come at a Cost
It is a lot more complicated than this - but tried to make this explanation as simple as possible.
It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
