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Does Mayo Clinic take Medicare?

Visiting Mayo Clinic | Last Active: Oct 6 7:00pm | Replies (128)

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@annewoodmayo

Hi William and Helen,
Could you clarify something for me?

I have Part A and Part B, traditional medicare. I pay for a Supplement/Gap, and I pay for a Part D drug. So, I don't have/don't need a Part C/Advantage Plan.

I am under 65, disabled (Covid on top of a preexisting autoimmune arthritis pushed me out of the workforce and generally wrecked my health...not happy about it.).
I take some typical medications and one very expensive biologic medication.

What factors do I need to consider if I want to change my Supplement/Gap or my Part D drug?

My medicare counselor told me that the commercial insurers might be able to refuse me coverage when I turn 65 based on my health Or they may be able to charge me a lot more, again, based on my health. He also said that, if I stay with the company I have now, they can't refuse me coverage when I turn 65 but they can charge me more. Does that sound accurate to you?

Currently, I am not happy with my Part D drug plan, and I am thinking about changing it at the next open enrollment this Fall. I will still be under 65 at that time.

Thank you very much!

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Replies to "Hi William and Helen, Could you clarify something for me? I have Part A and Part..."

First your part D plan. This can be renewed or replaced every year depending upon A) your normal prescriptions you take for maintenance and B) which pharmacy you use or will give you the best deals. My wife and I change our part D plan as time goes by.
Your Part B gap plan most likely will renew you at age 65 and for some the rates may increase or in some cases decrease. You certainly can shop for other plans prior to the month you turn 65 and they may or may not ask you about pre existing conditions. I would recommend at least trying for a better rate plan.
Now, consider this: a high deductible plan may be your best choice. If you look upon insurance as something to cover you in a disaster or major out of the normal health issue, then most people are willing to buck up say $1500 to cover this unusual circumstance. Consider that the $1500 represents the 20% that Medicare may not (may being the operative word) cover. That’s $7500 worth of covered Medicare in one year if all of that requires the 20% to be payed. Anything above that then is covered by the gap policy. For people like me, my gap policy hasn’t paid a dime in the last three years and I have the standard deductible policy. It’s something to consider and we should all know exactly what our gap plan has actually paid.
As for expensive medicines, some are covered by Medicare but they may not be the same medicine you are taking. MS medicines for example, Gylenia is not covered which is a daily oral but (name escapes me maybe Ocravis) taken by injection two times per year is covered. Both have relatively the same efficacy. The Medicare folks can answer which drugs are covered.
Hope this information helps a little.