Grandmother out of money. Will Medicaid pay for all of her drugs?

Question

She currently is using Humana and Medicare to help here with these costs but they do not pay for all of her drugs. I'm not sure what Humana is, some type of medicare company?

All this is very new to me and I'm trying to find a way to help pay for her drugs/doctor visits.

Thanks!

Answer 1

You're not going to get 100% coverage.  Humana is a secondary carrier.

She's welcome to apply for Medicaid, but keep in mind, all of her assets will be attached, to reimburse Medicaid for what they paid out.  That means retirement accounts, her house, her car, her stuff.

Answer 2

it all depends on where she lives at each state is different what stat does she live in

Answer 3

Humana has several different plans. They have a Medicare Supplement, a Medicare Advantage plan which in most states also includes Part D (prescription drug coverage), and a stand alone Part D plan. You'll need to call the agent who sold the plan to her to find out which plan she has. Be aware that because of the privacy act they will not be able to give you much information without your grandmother being there with you when you call giving her permission for them to talk with you unless you have medical power of attorney.

There are two things you can do.

1. You can apply for extra help from the government with all Part D plans. This will help in paying for the drugs. When you contact Humana they can explain how to apply. This help is based on income and usually only takes a week or so to become effective.

2. You can also apply for Medicaid. Medicaid help is based on income and assets. The application for Medicaid can take 4-6 weeks, or longer, to get approved. Medicaid will pay the stand alone Part D premium up to a certain dollar amount (this dollar amount will depend on your state). If she has a Medicare Advantage plan they will pay the Part D portion of the premium up to that certain dollar amount. They will also pay a large percentage of her co-pays for the drugs.

If she gets on Medicaid she will be "dual eligible", which means eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid and will then get help paying the doctor visits. Many of the Medicare Advantage plans that Humana has would not be appropriate for a dual eligible person because they won't coordinate with Medicaid, so you may have to change plans. There are plans specifically designed for dual eligibles. Visit a local agent that works with Humana and also all the other plans available in your area. The agent can find the best plan for her situation. There is no extra charge using an agent.

Answer 4

Start by clarifying her current coverage.

Humana is an insurer.  Likely a Medicare supplemental policy.  Has she enrolled in a Medicare prescription plan?  She needs to do so.  Also look into changing her supplemental policy to one that will cover the drugs.