ArcaMax

Toni:

Last year, I emailed you a problem I was having with the premium for my stand-alone Part D plan, and for 2027 there is an increase, though not as high as it was for 2026. The plan is going up by $16.60 per month, from $94.80 in 2026 to $111.40 for the new 2027 Part D plan, which begins Jan. 1. On the positive side, the Part...Read more

Dear Toni,

My husband, Steve, is having a situation after emergency surgery in January from a fall. He was in a skilled nursing facility for over two months, re-learning how to walk. Since he has Medicare only, he was billed over $1,700 because he did not have a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plan to pay what Original Medicare does ...Read more

Toni:

Currently, I am on a stand-alone Part D plan with a Medicare Supplement plan G, and I have not received information from my current Part D plan for 2027. Today is Sept. 18, and I usually receive the changes to my Part D plan by now. What should I do if the information doesn’t arrive?

I know that Open Enrollment starts <...Read more

Toni,

This is my first Medicare Open Enrollment Period, and a few weeks ago I read your article explaining what the fall enrollment time is about. I’m still confused about what I need to do.

I don't know anything about the open enrollment process or how I can make a change. How do I find out which options are right for me? I have health ...Read more

Dear Toni:

I have decided to retire in October when I turn 65 and will need to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. My husband, Paul, is 76 and was enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B on March 1, 2011, when he qualified for Social Security disability due to a Parkinson’s issue. He has remained on my company benefits due to his ...Read more

Hello Toni:

I am a critical care nurse. On a daily basis, I advise family members who are seeking medical assistance for their elderly parents or spouse during end-of-life issues, especially helping them to understand hospice.

Can you explain hospice in simple terms for your Toni Says Medicare column readers? I am sure this would help those ...Read more

Dear Toni:

Last week the Toni Says Medicare column was about changes to stand-alone Medicare Part D plans beginning Jan. 1. This caught my attention because I applied for a Medicare Part D plan in July and was denied. Medicare advised me to apply for a Part D plan during Medicare’s Open Enrollment. Help … I do not know what ...Read more

Toni:

Recently, the Trump administration announced an end to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare program effective January 1, 2027. I have searched online at www.medicare.gov to find out what 2027 Medicare Part D plan will be the right option for me but can only find 2026 Medicare Part D...Read more

Toni:

During last year’s Medicare Open Enrollment time, my husband, John, and I qualified for a Medicare Supplement Plan G over the phone from a telemarketing call. The supplement has never paid a dime! We still must use the same doctor and get referrals from the Medicare Advantage HMO that we were enrolled in. We can’t get the Medicare ...Read more

Toni,

I received a call in the beginning of June from Medicare asking for my personal information to verify the activation of my new plastic Medicare card with a chip. I’m concerned because I have not received the card yet.

Who do I call to see if Medicare was trying to contact me for a new plastic Medicare card? Sometimes it is hard to know...Read more

Toni:

I’m turning 65 next March and have not had a health insurance plan for over two years because I work part-time. I do not know where to start or what to do. I am not receiving my Social Security check, and friends are advising me that if I do not sign up for Medicare when I turn 65 I will be making a major Medicare mistake.

Can you ...Read more

Hello, Toni:

I moved to Houston from Little Rock in May and discovered your Medicare article in the local newspaper. I enrolled in Medicare Advantage HMO when I turned 65 in March. I didn’t realize I could have chosen a Medicare Supplement to my Parts A and B instead of a Medicare Advantage plan. The article explained that I have a 6-month ...Read more

Toni:

In October, I enrolled in Medicare but did not enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan. I went to my doctor in April for my annual physical and had to pay $200 when I received a shingles vaccination. My doctor’s office told me that I needed to be enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan for the shingles shot to have a $0...Read more

Hello Toni,

My wife’s friend told her that she is receiving a free gym membership from the Medicare Supplement Plan G that she is enrolled in. The Medicare Supplement that we have does not include a gym membership.

I thought a Medicare Advantage Plan was the only way to get a gym membership at no cost. Any truth to this, as I never heard ...Read more

Dear Toni:

I recently retired and have always received my diabetic supplies from a mail-order program through my employer benefits. Last week, I received a letter stating the diabetic supplier will no longer be covered by Medicare. Does this mean that if I continue with my current supplier, Medicare will not pay for my diabetic supplies?

Toni,...Read more

Hi Toni:

I enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium that began June 1 because I turned 65 on June 5. I disenrolled from my husband's employer benefits since the Advantage plan’s monthly premium was lower than what my husband was charged.

Now I am in shock because a Medicare premium of $732...Read more

Hello, Toni:

My husband and I are currently enrolled in Medicare with a Medicare supplement and Part D prescription coverage, and we will be moving to Italy, then returning to the United States in a few years. I understand that there is no coverage from Medicare for overseas expenses and that we should seek a medical plan in Italy if we have ...Read more