Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Spouse is couple years older than me and, so FEP is secondary to Medicare for her... still primary for me. I don't recall seeing anything about this topic before. Does the FEP website show the status? Like the OP, I've pretty well just let everything roll over year to year.
I just got a letter informing me I have to switch pharmacies because my pharmacy doesn’t participate in the new mdpd program. I hadn’t known about this - I’m happy with my basic bcbs and Medicare parts an and b and never change anything, so my first thought was how could they switch me without my authorization? Did a lot of reading on the internet and found out basically what others are saying here. I’m probably going to opt out next week, just want to see if my doc office or my old pharmacy have any input I’m not realizing from my own reading. My old pharmacy is a small local pharmacy and they’ve been great to work with all these years.
I'm sorry to hear about your having to switch pharmacies from one that's given you good service for years to a new pharmacy with quality of service yet to be determined. Sounds like the beginning of a laundry list of reasons, IMO, for wanting to hang onto your old FEHB prescription drug plan.
It shouldn't be too hard to opt out of the new MPDP plan, they have phone numbers for this listed on letters they sent you announcing the drug plan changes, tbough I found it impossible to get through using those numbers, with very long wait times and being dumped off the line several times. They say you CAN leave a "secure" voicemail message and they will get back to you. I found using the BC/BS customer service number ( printed out on the back of the insurance card), selecting the "pharmacy" option, and waiting to speak to a live person successful in getting to the opt out folks. They will transfer you directly to the right department for opting out ( though there was still a wait- apparently there is a high demand for those opt-outs), and you can go from there.
When you opt out and are returned to the old prescription drug plan, they should send you a letter stating this has been done, and they will send you new insurance cards. Just make sure you don't use the new cards they probably sent you with the MDPD prescription drug plan on the cards in the meantime. These won't apply or reflect your correct drug plan information once you've opted out and been transferred into the old drug coverage program.
Another disadvantage to the MDPD program that came to light for me was when I finally came upon the Bristol-Meyers Squibb ( manufacturers of Eliquis) website showing a discount card that can be used with your insurance for Eliquis prescriptions at a significantly discounted price. This discount card cannot be used with government sponsored prescription drug plans such as the Part D Medicare plans, Medicaid or Tricare plans. The new MDPD drug plan, being a part D plan, falls into this category so had we remained in this plan and had not opted out I would not have been able to use this or any other discount card for prescriptions. Since the old BCBS drug plan is a private, commercial program, those discount cards can be used.
I'd be interested to hear if your doctor or pharmacy has any comments about the new MDPD plan. I'd expect, if there were any, it'd be more likely from the pharmacy.
Spouse is couple years older than me and, so FEP is secondary to Medicare for her... still primary for me. I don't recall seeing anything about this topic before. Does the FEP website show the status? Like the OP, I've pretty well just let everything roll over year to year.
The new MDPD prescription drug plan applies only to those enrolled in Medicare, so if you are not and the FEP is your primary ( or only) insurance it would apply only to your spouse and not to you. As a Medicare recipient with secondary FEP I'd have thought your spouse would have received a number of letters from Blue Cross between October through December of last year announcing the new drug plan, touting its benefits, providing contact information for the program, and informing the person he/she "didn't have to do anything", would be automatically enrolled unless they opted out. After that comes a letter stating the person is enrolled in the new MDPD drug plan ( unless they opted out).
My husband and I are both enrolled in Medicare with FEP as the secondary, he's the policy holder as the federal retiree, I'm the "Plus one" in our policy. We both received these letters, addressed to each of us, which is why I'd think it's likely your spouse, as an enrollee, would have received those letters as well. If you or you spouse didn't respond by opting out, it's likely your spouse was automatically enrolled in the MDPD plan.
The website just generally mentions the MDPD drug plan, I can't see anywhere on the the site individual portal showing my individual information where it indicates the drug plan I use. Though Blue Cross sent new membership insurance cards indicating the new MDPD drug plan information to those transferred to that program ( automatic unless they opted out), so your spouse may have received a new card with this information.
We opted out of the MDPD program, so were transferred back to the old FEP drug plan, and we also received new insurance cards- showing the old drug program information.
I think in your shoes I'd contact the Blue Cross customer service number on the back of your card ( also on the website) to check into yours, and your spouse's current status with their drug programs. I've always found their customer service stellar, and I'm sure they will be able to help you out with any questions, or issues you may have.
I've now read the brochure that my wife got, and looked the website, and both say straight out and very plainly that the MDPD is included in the FEP benefits with no additional premium. If that's really the case, I'm not entirely sure why anyone want to opt out. But words mean something... and if 'no additional premium' means it's not a specific line item, but they've added something to the plan to cover it, that's sneaky.
I've now read the brochure that my wife got, and looked the website, and both say straight out and very plainly that the MDPD is included in the FEP benefits with no additional premium. If that's really the case, I'm not entirely sure why anyone want to opt out. But words mean something... and if 'no additional premium' means it's not a specific line item, but they've added something to the plan to cover it, that's sneaky.
There is no increase in the premium for the new MDPD plan, as there was not in Blue Cross previous drug plan. The MDPD appears to provide virtually the same coverage as the previous BC/BS drug plan, and depending on the individual, and the meds they take, it may be the same. I thought so when we got the first letters announcing the changes, and didn't see the need either to do other than go along with the plan.
It didn't hit me that the MDPD is a Medicare Part D plan ( apparently limited to BCBS subscribers since Blue Cross foots the bill for the plan) until I got a couple letters from them, one with information stating that people with incomes over a certain level could be charged more for the drug plan, and the second letter informing me that it looked as though I had not had credible drug coverage consistently since 2012 ( when I enrolled in Medicare), so I might have to pay the penalty increasing the rates for the MDPD ( which made no sense for a number of reasons).
I didn't know if these items would have resulted in my paying higher costs, since #1, we aren't in the income bracket where Medicare premiums are higher ( I didn't know they applied to Part plans as well ) and #2, I have had drug coverage through the BC/BS the entire time, but I realized these are caveats that go along with Medicare medical, and apparently drug plans. The literature had stated in a number of places that with MDPD, "you may save money on your expensive brand name drugs", but when I checked the cost of my Eliquis with the MDPD drug plan, I found it MORE expensive tban with the previous plan. Strike #3 in my book.
Neither my husband nor myself wanted to be enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan if we can avoid it, even a modified plan covered by Blue Cross. There are a number of caveats attached to government sponsored health and drug plans, such as the penalty for not enrolling when first eligible, the higher premiums for higher income enrollees, and being unable to use manufacturer or other sourced discount coupons with insurance to bring down the costs of expensive brand name drugs. The old drug plan offered with BC/BS has no such provisions. So we both opted out of the MDPD plan, back into the old BC drug plan. We're very happy to have done so, one more reason being that I found a manufacturers coupon on the Bristol-Meyers Squibb website which I hope will save me a significant amount of money on my Eliquis prescriptions. Remaining on the MDPD plan would have made me ineligible to use this coupon, but I can use it with the old FEP plan.
Then there was the individual who posted earlier in the thread that their pharmacy does not accept the new MDPD drug plan, so this will entail either opting out of this plan or ending a long relationship with a pharmacy and finding another that does take the MDPD plan.
I didn't see anything either in the information they sent to us, or on tge FEP Blue website explaining the reasons they went fir the MDPD drug plan. I'd assume the influx of money from Blue Cross into Medicare for several hundred thousands to a million or two (??) of Medicare/BC subscribers would benefit Medicare, I'd think there would be benefits to Blue Cross as well, providing the incentives to get into this agreement with Medicare. I don't think they misled their subscribers about it being a Medicare Part D plan, though it was obvious they were putting its best foot forward in the claims of "no additional premiums", "saving money on expensive brand name drugs", and in their enthusiastic tones in the information they sent to subscribers. To me it was obvious that they wanted as many people as possible to get into the MDPD plan, and that's the main reason they made it the " you don't have to do anything" default option, they'd get more people into the plan that way. They did provide information about opting out, and they stated you could opt out at any time, so there is that. If there is anything I could find fault with, it'd be that opt-out was mandatory to avoid getting into a new drug plan that might prove less than satisfactory to any number of subscribers.
As I mentioned, it really depends on the individual's needs, circumstances and preferences as to whether they can benefit, and get good coverage from the MDPD plan. Some people won't find any, or little difference between the old BC plan ( which IMO is the best one on the planet) and the new MDPD. I just listed some of the issues I found, and my reasons for opting out.
FEHB from what I've read over the years has always offered excellent coverage. All of the above sounds to me like an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - a profit-generating solution looking for a nonexistent problem. Having to take the initiative to opt out is clearly a means to enroll as many as possible via default (ignorance) and would annoy the hell out of me.
True, in my humble opinion the old FEHB drug plan was the best one around, with excellent coverage and stellar customer service. For sure not broke. I can only think the new MDPD drug plan must benefit the Medicare program/federal government, and probably Blue Cross as incentives for BC to go along with the program. I don't see much in the way of improvement in benefits to the Medicare/secondary FEHB recipients who enroll in it, but I guess that may depend on the individual.
I was annoyed at having to jump through the hoops to opt out of the MDPD program, but I learned a lesson I'm old enough to have learned long ago. It behooves one to check out a program offered as " the newest, best and greatest and it's yours without you having to lift a finger" to see if it really is all that.
True, in my humble opinion the old FEHB drug plan was the best one around, with excellent coverage and stellar customer service. For sure not broke. I can only think the new MDPD drug plan must benefit the Medicare program/federal government, and probably Blue Cross as incentives for BC to go along with the program. I don't see much in the way of improvement in benefits to the Medicare/secondary FEHB recipients who enroll in it, but I guess that may depend on the individual.
I was annoyed at having to jump through the hoops to opt out of the MDPD program, but I learned a lesson I'm old enough to have learned long ago. It behooves one to check out a program offered as " the newest, best and greatest and it's yours without you having to lift a finger" to see if it really is all that.
Agree. Thank you for your detailed responses!
We haven't found anything about it that 'hurts' us yet. In fact, I believe one drug my wife uses is on the list of things that is either more affordable with the MPDP or not available at all without it (no coverage).
BC has been very, very good to us over the years.
An FYI for all those who opted out... I think I read that you'll need to do that every year.
We haven't found anything about it that 'hurts' us yet. In fact, I believe one drug my wife uses is on the list of things that is either more affordable with the MPDP or not available at all without it (no coverage).
BC has been very, very good to us over the years.
An FYI for all those who opted out... I think I read that you'll need to do that every year.
You can compare the costs of a given prescription drug for the MDPD vs. traditional BC prescription drug coverage under the various BC plans ( ie, standard option, basic option, etc) on the FEHB website- sounds as though you may have already done that-. That's where I found my Eliquis prescription would cost a bit more with the MDPD, and the other drugs I take were the same. It wasn't the costs( there was not that much difference) that made me want to opt out, it was for all the reasons I mentioned in earlier posts.
The only possible advantage I could see with the MDPD over the original BC plan was the ability to obtain specialty pharmacy drugs ( ex. chemotherapy, biologicals for chronic conditions) directly from participating pharmacies instead of from the specialty pharmacy, for the same copays as directly from the specialty pharmacy. Neither of us are in that boat at this point and with any luck we will not be, but you never know.
I don't recall reading anything about having to opt out of the MDPD every year, but it would not surprise me in the slightest if this was true. I figure the Medicare folks/feds REALLY want as many people as they can get into the MDPD program, that was the reason for the automatic transferral from the traditional BC drug plan unless someone chose the opt out option and jumped through those hoops. They counted on most people just going with the flow, without checking to see if it was the best thing for them or what their other options may be. I'm sure this will be a process of lather, rinse, repeat, maybe yearly during Insurance open season, and we will have to opt out again unless we find a good reason not to do so.
this reminds me a bit of when they lobbied us CSRS folks to switch to FERS. always be wary if the govt wants you to 'change' to something that supposedly benefits you. they will wrap it up nice with a big bow but in the end it probably benefits anyone but you.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) and #2, I have had drug coverage through the BC/BS the entire time, but I realized these are caveats that go along with Medicare medical, and apparently drug plans. The literature had stated in a number of places that with MDPD, "you may save money on your expensive brand name drugs", but when I checked the cost of my Eliquis with the MDPD drug plan, I found it MORE expensive tban with the previous plan. Strike #3 in my book. 
