Supplemental Ins programs to your Medicare

[Allen]

For those of you on Medicare with a supplemental ins plan. Have any of you experienced the ins plan holder deciding what test you needed done and given out your personal info to 3rd party labs to follow through?

This happened to me with the lab sending me a note stating their test kit was on the way. Then calling me (I wasn't at home). They sent the kit. Now they are sending me letters about it.

It sounds like definite kickback to me.

No where along the line was I given a say in this. I have called my ins plan administrator and just got a run-a-round. They (so far) have not responded to my emails to them and most of the email addresses given by them are non-existent.

My comments to them tonight (email) was "no reply = no renewal next month".

[dogtag]

My part B never seems to pay anything.
My eye exam cost me $165. They paid nothing
they advised that $165 had been deducted from my
deductible.
Some years back it paid around 80%. Now nothing.

[JohnMOhio]

Allen, phone the Medicare Fraud department. I did on some Covid test kits I did not order. When I mentioned the name of the company that sent them to me, I was told by the lady I talked to that they are aware of this company doing that and they would flag my account not to pay them.

Did your doctor by any chance order for the kits for you and you were not notified by his office?

[Allen]

Allen, phone the Medicare Fraud department. I did on some Covid test kits I did not order. When I mentioned the name of the company that sent them to me, I was told by the lady I talked to that they are aware of this company doing that and they would flag my account not to pay them.

Did your doctor by any chance order for the kits for you and you were not notified by his office?

I'm not under a doctors care so no. I didn't ask for it and was given no choice to refuse it. I was notified by letter and phone by the lab that the kit was on the way PERIOD.

An ins company can not decide upon themselves what test they would like to have done and pay for plus they gave out my personal info to this 3rd party lab.

There has to be relatives or kickback involved with this lab.

I feel sure it was the plan B part and not the Medicare dept but still exploring that since I can't get any answers.

[Doc Sharptail]

I'm not under a doctors care so no. I didn't ask for it and was given no choice to refuse it. I was notified by letter and phone by the lab that the kit was on the way PERIOD.

An ins company can not decide upon themselves what test they would like to have done and pay for plus they gave out my personal info to this 3rd party lab.

There has to be relatives or kickback involved with this lab.

I feel sure it was the plan B part and not the Medicare dept but still exploring that since I can't get any answers.

Send it back marked "return to sender- unsolicited materials".

Make hard copies of everything and notify your state medical association, or the AMA.

By all means, go public with this with your local news media- t.v. is now better than newspaper, but I'd try them all.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

[JohnMOhio]

Allen, I still say contact Medicare Fraud. Phone them rather than an e mail. You will have to wait for the next available person but the conversation and results regarding information is better. From what I understand, a supplemental insurance plan may deny having a specific test as it does not fit your health history or some other criteria justifying a test. Check your monthly listing of payments with your supplemental company. If it does not appear there it might show up on your medicate list of payments. In either case, both Medicare and your supplemental company have fraud departments.

[Allen]

The "lab" is calling every day. We keep missing the call. Their number is posted on the caller ID but calling them results in an indefinite hold. It's a case of they call you---you don't call them. Anyway, first opportunity me or my wife will answer when the call and ask who authorized them to send the kit and go from there.