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MEDICAREBLUEPRINT.COM Health Matters
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
We Would Be Nowhere Without Clients and Family ’Tis the Season for Family, Turkey, and Shopping!
As the holiday season approaches, I cannot help but feel overwhelming gratitude toward not only my personal and professional family but also our clients. Without our clients, we would not be able to continue the work we do today and help make the Medicare process as simple as possible. We don’t do any advertising or extra marketing to bring clients into the office. Instead, our loyal clients refer their family and friends to us. We’re incredibly blessed that our clients think that we do an excellent job and think so highly of us. I have always considered referrals the highest form of flattery because it takes a lot to refer and vouch for somebody or a company. In life, we’re often unlikely to recommend a person, service, or company unless it’s high-quality. So, I wanted to thank all our wonderful clients for thinking so highly of us, and we appreciate every single one of you. As for my personal life, I’m very thankful for my family and all the sacrifices they have made. I’m fortunate enough to still live in the area where I grew up, but my wife is from Virginia, and I constantly thank her for leaving her family to be with me because I know it’s extremely difficult. Luckily, her family moved down here from Virginia in June — I’d like to say it’s because of my glowing personality! But it’s actually because they wanted to be closer. We have a 3 1/2-year-old son, and now they can visit not only my wife but their grandson as well.
Now both of our parents live within two miles of our house, so it’s really nice to have them all so close by. That also means we can have everyone over for Thanksgiving dinner! I’m in charge of the turkey every year — that’s always my big thing during the holiday. So, I’ll get up super early in the morning and fry one up for us to enjoy. Being able to come together and celebrate is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Another tradition I have — and some of you may not know this — I’m an avid Black Friday shopper! I’m definitely not one who gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning, but I also don’t go super late in the afternoon — I like to say I’m between the crazies and the lazies! I like to do my shopping in one day, so I won’t have to complain later. I usually don’t work the day after Thanksgiving, so it works in my favor. I’m not the type to be at the door trying to run over the staff to get the perfect gift, but fortunately my kid isn’t at the age where he wants the most popular toys. I haven’t had to worry about it, but I’m sure my day is coming! From everyone here at Medicare Blueprint Advisers, we hope you all enjoy the holidays and every moment with your friends and family!
—Jason Mackey
888-335-9498
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BE ON THE LOOKOUT!
Every year, Medicare has an Annual Election Period (AEP) from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. During this period, you can review your Part D prescription drug plan or Medicare Advantage plan to determine if another plan will provide a lower cost for your medications. If you select a new plan during this period, your new coverage will begin on January 1st. The Annual Election Period Is Coming Up
We are prepared to assist you in whichever way you feel most comfortable, including:
What Our Clients Think!
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Phone and virtual appointments Online enrollments through a website
• In-office appointments with a mask. We have disinfecting procedures in place.
We recommend that you review your options, especially if you have had a change in medications during the year or are considering using a different pharmacy. If you are satisfied with
your plans with no changes, we still encourage you to review them as the cost and coverage for your medications may change.
“You helped get me the best insurance at the best price. Thanks so much for your help.”
–Donna P., Client since 2019
NEW DISCLAIMER REQUIREMENT The Center for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has a new requirement for all communications beginning Oct. 1, 2022. We will be required to record all calls and retain all email/text communications.
“Your book offered the clearest and most complete information on Medicare that we had seen in our research. Then, you followed up with good research in-office for our particular needs. We couldn’t have done the plan comparisons that you did on our behalf because the nitty gritty information just isn’t available (or is very hard to find/ manage). Finally, you were friendly and accessible when we had questions and you were willing to “hold our hand” to make sure we were processing everything correctly as we joined Medicare for the first time. Thank you.”
We will also be required to say the following disclaimer for all calls in the first 60 seconds of every conversation. Please be patient with us during this time for us to satisfy this
requirement. As a result of this time-consuming requirement, we will make every effort to communicate via email to minimize the disruption during the open enrollment! “We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.” The good news is that we review all plans available in your area. We do not represent all of them since we have reviewed all plans and have determined some carriers do not meet our quality standards to offer them to our clients.
–Client since 2013
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Keeping You Updated! WE LOOK FOWARD TO DISCUSSING YOUR NEEDS
If you’re feeling old-fashioned, treat yourself to this warm and bubbly dish. Nothing says Thanksgiving quite like a classic apple recipe. Additional changes will begin in 2026, and we will cover those in more detail in future notices. But until then, we look forward to discussing your needs! Medicare Part D plans are required to provide plan members an option allowing people to spread their monthly prescription drug costs evenly over the year. drugs with a retail value totaling $6,335. The $2,000 RxMOOP can increase yearly, like other Medicare Part D parameters. With the addition of the $2,000 RxMOOP, Medicare Part D plans would have only two parts of coverage (or less): (1) the initial deductible and (2) the initial coverage phase that would continue until Dec. 31 of the plan year — or cease when the plan member’s out-of-pocket spending reaches $2,000 and the person has no additional costs for Part D formulary drugs. Medicare Part D plans would no longer have the Part D coverage gap (donut hole with the accompanying donut hole discount) and catastrophic coverage phases.
Due to the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, some changes are coming to Medicare that we wanted you to be aware of! 2023 Drug companies will be required to pay rebates to Medicare if retail drug prices (for Part B and D drugs) rise faster than inflation. Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have no cost-sharing for vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Insulin included on a Medicare Part D plan formulary will have a $35 monthly co- pay and will not be subject to the plan’s deductible. In addition, beginning July 1, 2023, insulin furnished through Medicare Part B durable medical equipment will also have a monthly co-pay of no more than $35.
2024 The 5% coinsurance will be eliminated in the catastrophic coverage phase and establish a maximum out-of-pocket drug cost (RxMOOP) capping formulary drug costs at the annual 2024 total out-of-pocket cost threshold. Benefits for the low-income subsidy program will be extended with full-LIS benefit qualifications increased to 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
Annual Part D plan premiums cannot increase more than 6% per year.
APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP 2025 Medicare Part D beneficiaries will have a $2,000 maximum on out-of-pocket spending for Part D formulary drugs RxMOOP. The $2,000 RxMOOP should be reached when a person purchases Medicare Part D formulary
WORD SEARCH
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.
INGREDIENTS •
3. Grease an 8-inch baking dish and pour the mixture into it.
3 cups peeled and chopped tart apples
4.
In a small bowl, mix flour and the remaining brown sugar. Cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle this over the fruit.
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1 1/2 cups cranberries
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3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
CASSEROLE ELECTION GRATITUDE HARVEST RAKING REMEMBRANCE
SAINTS SQUASH THANKSGIVING TOPAZ TURKEY VETERAN
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1 tbsp lemon juice
5. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
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1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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1/3 cup butter, cold
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Vanilla ice cream (optional)
888-335-9498
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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GIVING THANKS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
THANK YOU FOR ENTRUSTING US WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE NEEDS WHAT OUR CLIENTS THINK
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NEW CHANGES COMING TO MEDICARE APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP
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CALICO CAT SAVES OWNER FROM WOULD-BE BURGLARS
GUARD CAT MODE ACTIVATED Feline Defender Prevents Robbery
We’ve heard of guard dogs, but have you ever heard of a guard cat? Well, Bandit the calico cat somehow knew exactly what to do when she spied intruders at her owner’s back door! Some may call it instinct, some may call it luck, but to Fred Everitt, she’s a hero. Everitt, a 68-year-old retired oral surgeon, was sound asleep in his Mississippi home on Sunday, July 24, when Bandit started letting out deep meows sometime between 2:30–3 a.m. Everitt assumed Bandit had seen another cat or other animal outside. Cats tend to be active at night, and Bandit is no exception. She’s been known to roam the living room and explore the kitchen cabinets while Everitt sleeps soundly. He quickly realized it was something else when she came into his room and tried to pull his comforters off and clawed at his arms. Bandit’s behavior was unusual, so Everitt knew something was wrong. “She had never done that before,” Everitt said. “I went, ‘What in the world is wrong with you?’” Bandit’s persistence eventually pulled him from bed, and after throwing his robe on, he went to investigate. When he finally got into the kitchen, he noticed two figures — one with a crowbar
and one with what looked like a handgun — trying to break into his back door.
By the time Everitt returned from retrieving his own handgun, the intruders were gone. Thankfully, it didn’t turn into a confrontational situation, and Everitt gave credit to the 20-pound cat that he adopted from a humane society. If it hadn’t been for Bandit’s alertness, it could’ve been a completely different story.
“I want to let people know that you save a life when you adopt from a pet shelter or rescue one,” Everitt said, “but the tides could be turned. You never know when you save an animal if they’re going to save you.”
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