Dear Readers,
Recently, I received a text message from a Toni Says Medicare client that I would like to share with you. The text reads: “Toni, I need to put together a 24/7 home care recovery plan after a liver transplant. The surgery is over a year out, but I would appreciate your advice on how to plan for this medical event. Thanks in advance.”
This text made me realize that America is not prepared for a life-changing medical need such as a transplant.
Luckily, my client has original Medicare (Parts A and B) with a Medicare supplement rather than a Medicare Advantage HMO/PPO, allowing him and his medical team to decide which skilled nursing/rehab facility and home health agency he will use while recuperating from his liver transplant.
The Medicare & You handbook, under “Transplants and Immunosuppressive Drugs,” states that “you must have Part A in place at time of the covered transplant and … you must have Part B at the time you get immunosuppressive drugs. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the drugs and the Part B deductible applies. Medicare drug coverage (Part D) covers immunosuppressive drugs if Part B doesn’t cover them.”