Medicare Advantage 2011

smileyaem

Hello - I am on Soc Sec disability due to breast cancer mets/ stage 4. For 2010 I am on a Medicare Advantage plan from Blue Cross, it is a PFFS (private fee for service). The plan is good and covers my chemo and scans very well. For 2011 the PFFS plan is discontinued and replaced with a PPO ( a lot of PFFS plans are discontinued with other insurance companies also). Doctors must be in the PPO network to get the best deal. My oncologist and Hospital are in the PPO network but  a lot of other Docs are not. I am shopping around for other Medicare Advantage plans in my area. Humana is another on that I am looking at. I am trying to find out from other cancer patients who are in a Medicare Advantage if they are satisfied and would recommend their plan. I read the plan details and which Docs are in the networks but are they good for Cancer patients on chemo? I just don't want any surprises once I sign up and am locked into the plan for a year. I am in South Carolina. Any recommendations or input would be helpful. Thank you. - Alice 

Medigal

Smiley:  DP and I have used the Humana Choice Medicare PPO for several years and have not had serious problems with it.  However, when I had my Chemo, Rads and Lumpectomy several years ago we were in another state and had another Medicare Advantage Plan.  It was not available in the new state we moved to later.  Why don't you check out the plans listed for your specific state in your Medicare booklet and see how it is rated.  Medicare rates the plans for each state.  I don't know how Humana would have handled the earlier bc bills since I was not with them at the time.  They recently denied a claim for DP but I appealed it and they cancelled the denial so they have tried to work with us at times.  Hope you find the right plan for your purposes.  Best of luck!