I thought of putting this in the caring for parents thread but thought I might get broader advise from all the parent cafe posters.
My in-laws are 89 and almost 95. They obviously are on Medicare. We discovered today that my FIL no longer has a part D plan. He must have gotten a notice that his plan was no longer being offered but either didn’t understand or likely just tossed it. They have always just rolled over whatever plans they originally signed up for. When I asked my MIL about choosing a plan when I turned 65 she said she didn’t know you would ever need to change plans. We aren’t even sure my mil had part D last year since my husband doesn’t see any monthly charge for her.
My husband called Anthem who was the Part D carrier that expired in Dec. They gave him a third party number who said the last day to fix anything was 2/28. They would need to wait till Oct to sign up for Jan 2027.
Any suggestions as to how we might be able to help them. In the last few months my FIL has become started to have memory issues and I don’t think my MIL is capable of finding out if they have any solution beyond waiting till next year.
Thanks for any advice
Do you have an insurance broker? Mine has been a great help to everyone in my family and I’m always referring her to others. She’s licenses in 22 states, so send me a DM if you want her name and contacts.
I know one way I can change my plan mid-year is to MOVE. Hope it doesn’t come to that for your inlaws! Not sure what your inlaws’ income is but they might qualify for extra help program or a state program for prescriptions.
How have they been paying for prescriptions recently?
They can talk to their pharmacist about things like GoodRX. This provides some RX discounting for folks not using insurance. The pharmacist might also have some ideas.
Sometimes doctors have “coupons” for RX discounts…ask the doctors also.
I think you should try to get permission to monitor their medical issues, including RX.
You would need to move to a different state.
If they are unable to get an exception to get a RX plan, in addition to Good RX, there are discount meds resources like Amazon pharmacy, Costco pharmacy, BuzzRX, WellRX, Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Pharmacy. There is supposedly a new discount pharmacy player in the mix, but discussion of that one belongs in the political forum. And yes, manufacturer coupons can be used if they don’t have a medicare drug plan. Ask providers to give your parents samples. They often have samples available.
Or to an area of my state not served by my current plan. Bigger states have a lot of health care deserts.
United Health was a big insurer here last year but dropped a lot of areas of the state on Jan 1. But yes, not an ideal solution especially if you are in your 90s.
Moving isn’t an option. I don’t think they have a clue they don’t have coverage. My daughter who works with her grandfather was reconciling his checking account and noticed he hadn’t been debited. They have gotten prescriptions filled since the beginning of the year and I’m shocked the pharmacy didn’t tell them. My pharmacy clerk always points out to me if something isn’t covered or is expensive. They have means if it comes down to having to pay out of pocket. I don’t know if they are capable of using alternative discount plans.
They had a longtime insurance broker who years ago helped them sign up for Medicare. I think they signed up and forgot about it. The agency was sold and the owner retired and they no longer use that agent for other insurance. I have a broker who I bought my part D from and I’m going to give her a call tomorrow to see if she can help.
My husband is authorized to get his MyChart results. I think my husband should turn this issue over to his sisters to see what the best option is.
Like many of us it’s not my parents but I’m usually the researcher for solutions to issues for them.
I’m going to give my husband a list of some of the alternatives you list.
Our pharmacist helps identify alternative funding, like GoodRX.
Do they perhaps only take inexpensive generic RX?
I think you can appeal and ask for Part D for extenuating circumstances.
In my area, there are zero cost part D plans.
My husband has one. My mom indicated that hers was zero cost.
Is there any way they still have a part D plan? But it’s a zero cost plan?
Could your husband talk to the pharmacy and see if they have part D and what they are being charged for their medication?
Do they use anything expensive? If not, then they may not notice if the cost is not that different from a co-payment under insurance.
Where would he see a monthly charge? If this person draws social security, their Medicare charges, including part D, would be deducted from their SS, I believe.
Mine is zero cost too. But I would think they would have had to change plans TO that zero cost plan if they were paying a premium before. What plan D did they have? I assume they are in CA? Can you look up that plan and see if there is still a premium?
Mine is zero, his was $135.00 last year. They picked something years ago and never switched. It was autopay from his checking. They have no clue what they have.
They had an Anthem plan.
You can elect to have the Part D premium deducted from the SSA payment, or you can choose to be billed and pay monthly/annually. Parts A and B premiums must be deducted from SSA payment. I’d been paying Part D myself but finally said, heck with that, I’ll let it be deducted this year. So someone might have to look into the MySSA accounts to see if MIL has drug coverage or not; lack of bills alone isn’t clear as to situation.
Sounds like OP’s husband has confirmed that Anthem was FIL Part D carrier in 2025 and dropped plan. I see that Anthem decided to exit the Plan D market starting 2026 and only offer Medicare Advantage re drug coverage (and Medigap). FIL did not select a new drug plan by 2/28/26 SEP deadline so ineligible to enroll in another plan until the fall open enrollment.
Doubt there is a free anthem plan, though who knows in CA. Can you go onto the medicare part D site and see if there are any free plans (meaning no monthly premium). Any chance your dad or mom ould have switched? Did you look for an insurance card in their wallet?
- oh- eta I didnt see they don’t know what they have.
I also didnt know you could elect not to have the payment taken from Social security, if the SS was being collected. I thought it was automatic.
Marilyn is correct that Anthem isn’t offering any Part D plans in 2026. I assume they could have gotten the same HealthSpring plan I have with a zero premium since they live in the same county of they had been on top of things.
@ucbalumnus you are probably right that they might not have noticed since any prescriptions they have had this year might be inexpensive generics. They don’t have any conditions that require specialized drugs.
I emailed my agent and I’ll see what she says.
Any miraculous chance Medicare enrolled them in a different plan? That I believe can sometimes happen when a provider leaves.