They take more than they give. But Im pretty sure they are all very similar. Next, make sure that you are not following the advice of someone who has ulterior motives. Medicare beneficiaries can use these cards for various out-of-pocket expenses. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Barbara, Thank you so much for this article! The answer is, not really. 122 W. Prairie Avenue Decatur, Illinois 62523 Toll-Free: 833-801-7999. The funds can be used to help pay for dental, vision or hearing needs beyond your plan. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. I suggest you check out various ads for this card. Many companies give you the option of checking your balance online. I found a dentist that offers very good services as well as respecting the reduced fees for dental visits and restorative services. As to other type coverages, it is similar to some of the promotional cards, eventually, the original insurance coverage will be larger than the card. Flex cards are not available through most carriers and even those who may offer flex cards do not offer them on all plans. If she is interested, she should shop around and found out all the out of pocket expenses. Our secure app makes managing your benefits easy through real-time access and intuitive navigation to all your . Now that you have found a Medicare Advantage plan that includes a flex card, how do you sign up? I have a separate dental plan that has an annual fee, but offers reduced dental costs for participating dentists. Be enrolled in Medicare Part A and . Utilities, water, electric, phone, cable TV The pitch in their ads are What songs should play at your funeral? Can Amazons Alexa Together Help Your Senior Loved One? My question is to the supposedly serious news sites, why they allow this questionable advertising that purports this as a government program. Medical equipment. Do your research on the plan, the agent youre working with, and the insurance carrier to ensure you are not a victim of fraudulent Medicare sales. The cards can only be used for eligible medical expenses. Flex card will take money out of our bank account when we use it. Your amount or availability could differ from that shown in the ad. She said this would give me money. Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan requires you to meet the essential eligibility criteria for Medicare. Great information and yes I always do my homework. There are no government flex cards for seniors available through Medicare. Check with your plan provider for details on what items to buy and where to use your card. Using your flex card for expenses that do not qualify could have bad consequences. First of all, bless you for helping your Mom out. Although some major carriers offer plans with flex cards, they are not part of most available plans. Flex cards have been used in the past to lure in seniors by overpromising availability and use when, in fact, they are not common. Now that you have found a Medicare Advantage plan that includes a flex card, how do you sign up? Im glad you hung up. You must have Medicare Part A and Part B and enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that provides this benefit. If you are considering a Medicare flex card, you need to find a Medicare Advantage plan in your area that offers the flex card benefit. Here is a fairly comprehensive list of items that can be paid for with your flex card. I was very disappointed with my plan and dropped it when I realized it wouldnt really help me. In most cases, the flex card is tied to a flexible spending account (FSA). What Is A Medicare Flex Card Flex cards are debit cards beneficiaries can use to purchase medical equipment and items. I was connected to a health insurance broker. Why Should Senior Citizens Perform Balance Exercises? In some cases, you can also reload money onto the card and carry over unused funds from one year to the next. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Medicare advertisements are constantly flooding our screens. Suppose you live in a place where the card benefit is available. Go ahead and contact the insurance company that manages the Advantage plan to get started. Info For Inquiring Minds! Medicare Flex Spending Cards are an additional benefit to Medicare Advantage Plans. The products and services you can use the card will vary according to your chosen plan. In reality, a very small percentage of plans available nationwide offer this benefit. Medicare Supplement plans make healthcare affordable and easy for all enrollees. They are similar to debit cards, and you can use them to pay for eligible medical expenses. What is a Medicare Flex Card? So we now can state that if you have two insurances, you dont need an advantage plan. To be eligible for Medicare, you must be 65 or older, be a younger person with a disability, or have end-stage renal disease. $40. Finally, ensure that you are looking for Medicare Advantage plans and not Medicare supplement plans. If you have access to her insurance information, I would check to see what she is paying. . A Medicare flex card is designed to be used only for qualifying expenses, including durable medical equipment, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medications, as well as the deductible and other services. Just DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Qualifying for a flex card means enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan that offers a flex card benefit. So, you must live in an area where at least one of these plans is available and sign up during a qualifying Medicare enrollment period. The average benefit is about $500 per year, and in the current advertisement, everyone asks about a $2,880 Medicare Flex Card. So, we are here to clear the air about one product the flex card for seniors on Medicare. You can use your Medicare Flex Card to pay for out-of-pocket expenses associated with your Medicare coverage. Medicare Supplement plans do not include flex card benefits. Medicare Flex Cards arent available as a Medigap plan benefit. Similarly, chronically-ill patients who are prescribed a special diet by their physician can generally use their flex card to buy the special foods they require. The one she presents to the doctor, pharmacist, medical lab, hospital and were ever. I dont want to give you the wrong advice. So, below we compare the costs for the same medical bill through Medicare Supplement Plan G and a typical Medicare Advantage HMO plan. So when you get old they price you right out of any type of plan G and force you into an advantage plan. I would dispose of the card, and yes, cut it up. Thank you so much for this information. Since not all plans are available in all locations, you will want to make sure that you are specifically looking for plans available where you live. Medical equipment, like a wheelchair, walker, or glucose monitor, might also qualify. Disclaimer:Medicare Allies is not affiliated with Medicare or any other government agency. There is no way she could understand and much less do research and calculations. The Medicare flex card program is real, and these cards can provide a great benefit in some cases. Want to know more? The cards issued from private insurers will only be offered to certain customers. Of course, the amount varies depending on your chosen insurance company, plan, and location. The flex card benefit is not a common feature of Medicare Advantage plans, but you can find it in a handful of plans nationwide. So yes. Flex cards aren't the only extra benefit offered by Medicare Advantage plans. Your Blue Advantage Flex Card is a prepaid debit card that helps pay for out-of-pocket costs, including: $500 for prescription hearing aids $225 for eyeglasses and contacts $200 for over-the-counter supplies ($50 per quarter) Quarter 1 (January, February, March) Quarter 2 (April, May, June) Quarter 3 (July, August, September) It that the same thing as a Flex card? However, make sure that you closely examine all the coverage details offered by the plan. Your social security is linked to your Medicare. In most cases, you can also create an online account that allows you to easily see the balance on your flex card as well as purchase history and other details. Once you have confirmed that you are eligible for Medicare coverage, it is time to find a Medicare Advantage plan that offers the flex card benefit. There is also news on promoting free flex cards for seniors worth $2800. These cards pay copays for certain services, buy over-the-counter products and supplies, and even healthy food. And now I have to stop writing cause I cant type when laughing maniacally but you did make my day. You can replace your Medicare card in one of the following ways if it was lost, stolen, or destroyed: Log into your MyMedicare.gov account and request one. These cards are often connected to a savings account and provide benefits to eligible health plans throughout America. Once in awhile in my posts, I do like to say what I am really thinking. So again, check her paperwork. Have you called this new insurance and told them about your issues? So I went to the office covered by the plan. Remember that you cannot simply change Medicare plans at any time during the year. Medigap plans are a direct extension of Original Medicare, available through private insurance companies. Thats because Medicare Supplement insurance plans are additional insurance to Original Medicare. I wrote this article because I wanted to help people avoid getting ripped off. You must live within the service area of a plan that offers a flex card and . Also, good to know that people are reading this post, because I think the Flex card is a ripoff. The Flex Card Is Linked to a Medicare Advantage Plan The name flex card harkens to what some of us know as a flexible spending account that reimburses for medical expenses. The advertisements are not specific to your area or plan. Reviews: Yes and No. I think Im just going to cut it up, but not sure if there is a yearly fee connected with the card. Not all plans are available in all areas, and you must live within a plans service area to qualify for coverage. Others might opt for dental work. Does the Flex card cover expenses she would need? Im still not certain if I helped myself or hurt myself. Even with the flex card benefit, the Medicare Advantage HMO plan still produces higher out-of-pocket costs than the Medicare Supplement Plan G. 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