MEDICARE & MEDIGAP FAQs

What drugs are covered by Medicare Part D?

While all Medicare Part D plans are required by the government to cover almost all drugs in six categories (antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, immunosupprressants, anticancer and antiretrovirals), each Medicare Prescription Plan publishes a formulary, or list of the drugs they cover. 

It’s your responsibility to ensure your Part D Plan covers those drugs you may need.

How does Medicare Part D work with other insurances?

Medicare Part D works with other insurance such as employer and union coverage, Medicaid, long-term facility, Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, Veteran’s Benefits, and TRICARE.  Click here to learn more.

Why go it alone??  

CALL US NOW for free confidential and caring advice. 

Kathy Olivier, the independent Medicare Advisor at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977), advises Medicare recipients to ACT QUICKLY if COVID symptoms appear. 

Treatments are available to reduce COVID symptoms and may help you avoid a hospital stay. But, you must begin treatment immediately.

COVID-19 symptoms include fever, chills, cough, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. 

ACT FAST IF YOU HAVE COVID SYMPTOMS! 

Kathy advises that you immediately test yourself or get tested. 

Until May 11, 2023, Medicare recipients can test themselves with up to 8 FREE over-the-counter tests every calendar month. If you’d rather have someone else test you, receive FREE testing at various locations near you. CLICK HERE to find a location close to you for testing.

If you confirm that you have COVID, contact your doctor or health care provider IMMEDIATELY! If treatment is warranted it must begin within a few days after symptoms appear to be effective. 

The staff at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977) does more than just sell Medicare insurance. We are here to also help you understand your Medicare benefits because Medicare insurance is only valuable to you when you understand everything that it offers you. 

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Kathy Olivier, a Medicare advisor at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977), is always working to ensure everyone on Medicare has the latest information so they can get the most from Medicare and their health insurance. She recently received the following information from the Medicare Team at CMS (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services) about diabetes.

One out of five adults have diabetes, but don’t know it. If you have Medicare Part B medical insurance FREE diabetes screenings could be available to you.

If your doctor thinks you’re at risk for diabetes Medicare Part B will provide up to 2 free blood tests every year to detect and/or monitor your diabetes. 

Risk factors that your doctor might consider include high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and a history of elevated blood sugar. In addition to these risks if you're overweight, over 65 or have a family history of diabetes you could be eligible for the free blood tests.

You could also be eligible for Medicare’s Diabetes Prevention Program. 

This Medicare program meets weekly in groups for 6 months where you’ll learn about life style changes to both improve your diet and get more from your exercise. The program includes ideas and strategies along with trained coaches to help ensure your success! Best of all, IT’S FREE if you’re eligible. Ask your doctor or health care provider for more details.

You are more than welcome to contact Kathy Olivier at Key Options, LLC anytime to answer your Medicare and health insurance questions. Just call her at 717-597-6977 to ensure you’re getting ALL of the Medicare benefits your entitled to.

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If you are a Medicare recipient and you need to find a new doctor or specialist this article is for you!

Kathy Olivier, the Medicare insurance agent at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977), is committed to ensuring Medicare recipients receive all the benefits to which they’re entitled. So, when Kathy heard about a new service provided by the Medicare Team at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services she knew this information would be very helpful to you!

Medicare.gov, the official Medicare website, now offers a quick and convenient way to find doctors and specialists near you according to their specialty. 

Just      CLICK HERE          (or search Medicare.gov/care-compare) and follow the prompts on the web page. 

You will not only find doctors and specialists in your area but you can also learn about their specialties, hospital affiliations and office locations. There’s even a button you can use to compare as many as 3 different providers that you may be interested in. 

The Medicare Team at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services remind you to contact the provider you select to ensure they accept new Medicare patients, and whether they will require a referral. 

Kathy hopes you find this Medicare information helpful. You can feel free to contact her with your Medicare questions at Key Options, LLC by calling 717-597-6977. 

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Kathy Olivier, an independent Medicare agent, is always available and happy to help you with your Medicare questions and concerns. She’s only a phone call away at 717-597-6977 . As a Medicare advisor Kathy wants you to know that you can download your own copy of the 2023 “Medicare & You” handbook from the internet in LARGE print, as well as languages other than English.

Simply click on one of the links below to receive your copy of the 2023 “Medicare & You” handbook that meets your needs. This Medicare 2023 handbook is even available in Braille and the original paper copy by calling 1-800-633-4227.

“Medicare & You” LARGE PRINT English 

“Medicare & You” LARGE PRINT Spanish 

“Medicare & You” Spanish Version

“Medicare & You” Chinese 

“Medicare & You” Korean Version 

“Medicare & You” Vietnamese Version   

“Medicare & You” English Version 

While the 2023 “Medicare & You” handbook is very complete, Medicare options can be very confusing. Remember that you can always call your Medicare advisor, Kathy at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977) to help you with Medicare questions and advice.

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Kathy Olivier, an independent Medicare Advisor at Key Options, LLC 

(717-597-6977) wants you to know that the Medicare Team at Medicare.gov recently provided important information about Medicare and glaucoma screening.

Glaucoma is a condition that can affect the optic nerves of your eyes leaving you with partial loss of vision, or even completely blind. 

The Medicare Team states that it’s possible to have glaucoma even if you don’t have symptoms such as problems seeing or pain. Getting screened to  detect glaucoma early, and treating the condition can save your vision. 

Medicare B provides a FREE annual glaucoma screening to Medicare recipients who may be at high risk for glaucoma. These risks include diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, being African American 50 years and older, and/or being Hispanic 65 years and older.

Kathy highly recommends that you immediately contact your health provider and use your Medicare benefits for this important screening if you have any of these risk factors. 

As an independent Medicare Agent Kathy wants to make sure you receive ALL the health care benefits you’re entitled to. Please feel free to call Kathy with all of your Medicare-related questions at 717-597-6977.

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Kathy Olivier, an independent Medicare Advisor is always concerned that folks get the best health benefits possible from Medicare. She reminds everyone that the 2023 Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs until March 31 every year. 

If you’re currently participating in a Medicare Advantage Plan and you’re not sure you have the best healthcare coverage available to you, you have a ONE-TIME chance in 2023 to change Medicare Advantage Plans, or even switch back to Original Medicare.

However, since you can only make a switch ONCE during this special period why not take advantage of Kathy’s Medicare expertise and ensure you get the BEST health care benefits available to you?

Simply call Kathy, your local Medicare agent at Key Options, LLC 

(717-597-6977), as soon as possible. She will gladly help you assess you current Medicare Plan and determine if you’re eligible for better coverage. 

Remember, you only have until March 31 to get the best Medicare Plan for 2023!

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Back in August Congress approved a $35 monthly cap on insulin for Medicare recipients. However, it isn’t easy for insulin-using seniors to find those savings because the change didn’t happen in time to add it to the 2023 Medicare plan finder. Lacking this information, the plan finder provides incorrect price information when comparing Medicare plans. Missing out on these savings is a good reason why seniors should consult with a knowledgeable Medicare advisor such as Kathy Olivier at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977) when reviewing their Medicare options.

If you use insulin, under normal circumstances you would be stuck with the Medicare plan you chose for 2023 and miss out on the insulin savings. However, Medicare officials realize that insulin-using seniors who chose plans using the Medicare plan finder without the benefit of a Medicare advisor could easily select the wrong plan for 2023. They’re permitting insulin-using seniors a one-time change in Medicare plans any time after December 8, and all during 2023. This is a Medicare special enrollment period for “exceptional circumstances.” 

Medicare officials strongly advise seniors to seek help when comparing Medicare plans to ensure they get the correct benefits. Medicare advisors like Kathy Olivier at Key Options, LLC are trained in comparing Medicare plans to help you get the best Medicare benefits at the lowest cost. If you use insulin and missed out on these savings, call Kathy, your local Medicare agent (717-597-6977), to ensure you have the best Medicare plan for 2023!

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Because Medicare Open Enrollment takes place now through December 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently warned seniors about deceptive advertisements in the mail that are designed to look like official government correspondence, and misleading TV commercials that use celebrities, to convince people to apply for Medicare plans that might not cover their current and future health care needs. It’s strongly recommended that you speak with an independent Medicare Advisor such as Kathy Olivier at Key Options, LLC at 717-597-6977 BEFORE you apply to a Medicare Advantage Plan, to ensure you are getting the health care coverage you need.

Unfortunately, these misleading marketing schemes can dramatically increase your out-of-pocket health care costs when they don’t provide coverage as promised. 

The large and growing number of privately run Medicare Advantage companies that legally offer their own versions of Medicare has resulted in fierce competition and some companies are trying to outdo the others by using deceptive marketing techniques.

CMS staff have been investigating sellers of Medicare Advantage Plans and found a growing number of cases where the medical benefits were over-promised but not paid, leaving the buyers with less coverage than they expected after they enrolled in a  plan. 

One such case included nationwide TV ads where a former NFL football star promised that plans would “add money back to your Social Security check”, but he didn’t explain that the benefits of plans and availability of in-network providers could be different in each ZIP code. The unavailability of in-network health care services in some ZIP codes resulted in higher overall health care costs to unsuspecting applicants. 

It's recommended that you ask DETAILED questions about health care providers, services and prescriptions when considering any Medicare Advantage Plan. Better yet, why not contact Kathy Olivier at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977)? She’s an independent Medicare Advisor who is happy to carefully explain the various Medicare plans and help ensure you get the best benefits for your individual needs.

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Medicare.gov recently reminded seniors of the importance to keep up to date on their vaccines. 

According to Medicare.gov, staying current on your vaccines will keep you from getting serious illnesses and might even keep you from a hospital stay. If you have any questions about your Medicare coverage, you can speak with a Medicare independent advisor, Kathy Olivier, at Key Options, LLC by calling (717) 597-6977.

Medicare.gov advises every senior to discuss their vaccine needs with their doctor or health provider. 

Medicare covers numerous vaccines including COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots, one flu shot per season, two different pneumococcal shots, and others.

You can visit Medicare.gov, or better still (and easier), simply call Kathy at Key Options, LLC at (717) 597-6977 to answer any of your Medicare questions.

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A recent study found that 4 out of 10 people who chose a Medicare Advantage program instead of traditional Medicare didn’t realize that the health services they would receive would only be covered if those services were provided by their Medicare Advantage NETWORK. If you find yourself wondering where are there Medicare insurance agents in my area who can explain this, call Kathy, an independent Medicare Agent, at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977).

A major difference between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare is that under traditional Medicare, services rendered by ANY health provider who accepts Medicare are covered, unlike Medicare Advantage where ONLY IN-NETWORK services are covered.

While those who opted for Medicare Advantage did so for the vision, dental and drug benefits, some are switching back to traditional Medicare, even though the benefits of their Medicare Advantage plan were mostly found to be as advertised.

If you have any questions about whether Medicare Advantage versus traditional Medicare is better for you, call Kathy at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977) for answers from an independent Medicare Advisor. 

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If you are on Medicare and have questions about Medicare services, you may be wondering where are there Medicare insurance agents in my area. Key Options, LLC in Greencastle, PA is here to help those living in Franklin County, Adams County and Fulton County. Just give us a call at 717-597-6977. 

You should also know that Medicare.gov has made it easier for people on Medicare to find nearby hospitals and doctors who accept Medicare. Their new platform is also a help to those on Medicare who are considering a surgery. 

Simply visit Medicare.gov on the internet, and click on “Providers and Services”.

You will find contact information for hospitals close to you as well as their distance from you and directions to the hospital. The site also provides patients’ ratings for hospitals. These ratings consider the quality of care that patients feel they received across various medical procedures such as a heart attack or surgery.

In addition, the site provides information about how each hospital performs compared to the national average for effective care, timeliness, complications and other information.

Even though Medicare.gov has enhanced their internet site, if you’re wondering are there any independent Medicare advisors near me who I can speak with, you can get all of your Medicare questions answered by calling Kathy at Key Options, LLC (717-597-6977).

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