Good evening, 919 Gang.
CHERYL CLARK writes:
Since the cupboard has been bare, I thought I’d
offer this story for the 919 Gang.
I spent a lot of time on
this.
Just like you’re supposed to do every fall during
the annual enrollment period, I checked my standalone Part D plan only to
realize that my premiums would almost quadruple if I stayed in the same plan.
And the costs for my two generic statins would also
increase. Well, actually only one of them would.
The Medicare
Plan Finder showed me a better plan that would cost me only $12.70 in
premium and only $118.80 for that statin for the year.
I confirmed with two
recorded calls, enrolled, and with a third recorded call with the Cigna
representative after my new card arrived later in December.
Then surprise. Jan. 3, the Cigna formulary book
arrived showing me that that statin would cost $480 for the year, not $118.80.
I called Cigna twice again to complain, but was
told by two separate representatives that $480 would be what I would have to
pay.
But that all was wrong. The
correct price, as it turns out, was indeed $118.80.
The nut of this story is that Medicare is much too
confusing for seniors. I spent at least 10 hours on the phone, on hold or
whatever, talking with representatives about this, and that was before MedPage
Today okayed the topic for a story.
I thought some 919ers who
have freestanding Part D plans might have similar experiences, especially if
they didn’t compare plans last fall.
There are rules that
Medicare requires, regarding notice, and many don’t get them or they forget.
This story, as of this
morning, was on top of our “most read” pieces.
Medicare Part D Plan Prices May Change Unexpectedly
— How many seniors end up paying more than
they thought they would?
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/102834
Email me at c.clark@medpagetoday.com if you have
questions.
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STEVE
PROSINSKI writes:
It’s 6 below at sunrise and my Rebergram is in “invisible
ink.” Bummer!
So, forgive me, but here are some recent, chilly, daily-walk
images from my old iPhone to help feed your beast.
Bring on spring!
REBER: These are professional quality photos, Steve.
At first glance, I like the photo of the clouds and moon the best, But now I’ve
decided I can’t pick.
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LESLIE WOLF BRANSCOMB writes:
I took this photo today from my 16th-floor office
in downtown San Diego. I'm not a very good photographer, sorry. This was taken
with my Google Pixel phone, through a dirty window. I'm amazed it came out so
well. I did try a couple of filters to make it brighter, but they looked fake,
so I didn't use them.
(By the way, that's one
of my pet peeves, people posting photos of beautiful places that have been so
digitally enhanced that travelers expect all their sunsets, waterfalls, etc. to
be so brightly colored that they are disappointed.)
One of the benefits of
working at home during the pandemic, in addition to nurturing a vegetable
garden and getting to know our resident hummingbirds, I noticed that on the
rare occasion we had rainbows, they were usually visible to the north. My first
cubicle at my current job faced west, and I loved the waterfront views and sunsets.
My current office faces north. No sunsets, but I can hear the carillon bells in
Balboa Park at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. They tell me if I'm at work on
time, when to have lunch, when to get up and
stretch, and -- most importantly -- when to wrap it up and leave. (My apologies
to anyone in the 919 still working in journalism. Hard truth -- yes, most
people leave work at or after 5 p.m., not 10 p.m. or later.)
But, bonus for having a
north-facing window: rainbows! I've only seen a few, since it doesn't rain that
often here, but if it has been raining, then the sun comes out, I look for
them.
REBER: I like your photo. Rainbows are very
difficult to photograph as well as you did.
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PRESTON TUREGANO writes:
I’ve
just finished reading Prince Harry’s 307-page memoir, “The Spare.” He’s just 38
years old and has been compelled to tell his side of the story as a member of
the British royal family in self-imposed exile – with his American wife Meghan
Markle and two children -- in the Santa Barbara area of Southern California.
I’m envious. Since it was published earlier this month, his book has already
sold almost 4 million copies. Harry does an excellent job telling readers how
he and wife were hounded out of Britain by the Fleet Street press and BBC. The
duo could hardly step outside their London home to breathe without making a
false, nasty and often racist headline. His older brother, William (the Heir to
the throne, making Harry the “spare”), comes off as a total a-hole and snooty
piece of human excrement. Prone to violence, “Willy” has totally bought into
the rules and regulations of royal behavior Buckingham Palace suits, who
actually call the shots, dictate.
Poor
Harry has a selective memory, sometimes seemingly writing about just things
that are comfortable. For the longest time after the death of his mother,
Princess Diana, Harry thought his mum was just in hiding, denying her 1997
death in a Paris traffic tunnel. Later, he acknowledges he’s gone under mental
health therapy and has had a good cry over Diana’s death. Good for Harry! He
skirts being asked by his Granny, the late queen, to represent her at the
closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, and about two weeks later
betraying her trust by playing strip pool (billiards) in a Las Vegas Hotel
penthouse, smartly covering the family jewels. The tabs had a field day with
photos of the “game.” I thought for sure, Harry would have settled gossip that
his Granny was most upset about royal nudity, and that Grandpa Philip
supposedly reacted by saying, “Good going, Harry! That’s my boy!”
Speaking of family jewels, Harry obsesses about his penis
being slightly damaged by frostbite during a trip to the North Pole. Really? He
does not detail how that occurred. Later, he writes about seeing (as an adult)
the real family jewels -- well, the nation’s – in safe keeping at The Tower of
London. Come on Harry, Granny wore the Imperial State Crown every year for the
State Opening of Parliament, so, you had to know (from childhood) at least
about that nifty headdress. Also, left out is an explanation about which member
of the BR family questioned what color Harry and Meghan’s first child, Archie,
would be since Meg is half-Black. Reports circulated the culprit was none other
than King Charles III, Harry’s “Pa.”
Overall, Harry’s book comes off mostly dry and too long.
But, his Epilogue may leave you in tears.
REBER: Bernie Hunt, please excuse this as the
ranting of a grouch, but I view your royal family as drama queens starring in a
soap opera.
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CECIL
SCAGLIONE writes:
It's
no longer incredible that people no longer feel they have to participate to
make life more liveable. I do a blog -- maturelifefeatures.com
-- that the inmates here at Verena of Gilbert proclaimed as the birth of an
online newsletter and forum for all to dig into. Nary a participant.
Godspeed
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REBER: Here’s a big Happy Birthday wish
for Nancee Lewis on Jan. 31.
Jack J. Reber
P.O. Box 2239
Ramona, CA 92065-0938
United States
