The Flex Card is a new product being advertised to seniors that claim to offer "more benefits than Medicare." The flex card program is intended to help cover gaps in Medicare coverage, including prescription drugs, dental and vision care, and other out-of-pocket expenses. These cards, issued by private insurance companies, are only available on specific plans. All the best! Be aware; YOUR ADVANTAGE PLAN MUST BE PAID OUT OF YOUR POCKET! Primary Care Physician. Today, we hope to help clear up some of that confusion. | Full 2022 Guide. Medigap.com is privately owned and operated by Excel Impact, LLC. What is the process for applying for a senior Flex Card? The Medicare Flex Card is a credit/debit card that can be used to pay for Medicare-covered expenses. So I wonder how they can do this without legal ramifications. Thanks again. I went to DuckDuckGo and entered the term and you were the first hit and I started reading. Why? Going forward, I am happy to know he will be my contact person. Flex cards aren't the only extra benefit offered by Medicare Advantage plans. These help purchase pre-approved items like medical equipment and more. - Dwight D. It is common to have many Medicare-related questions running through your mind at any given time. It is the single reason I elected to go with Elite. The answer is, not really. Your email address will not be published. Medical equipment. Does Medicare Have a Flex Card for Seniors? In fact, most health companies want to know all your insurance plans because they can bill them all. Be enrolled in Medicare Part A and . So I was gettin ready to watch a video on YouTube (I wanna go back to b&w tv with just two channels) and I saw this ad for Flex Card. What is the Flex Card? Flex cards can only be used for qualifying medical expenses. Flex cards are not available through Original Medicare. Yes! Copyright 2022 Medigap.com | All rights reserved | 382 NE 191st Street, Ste 57537, Miami, FL 33179. Maybe one of the agencies I listed can help you. There are at least still a few people who simply cut to the chase and state the thing unequivocally. Qualifying for a flex card means enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan that offers a flex card benefit. Do I Have What It Takes To Be an Entrepreneur? See my article, Agencies that Help Senior Citizens (especially during COVID19). A Medicare flex card is a debit card that comes preloaded with a certain amount of money that may be used on specific healthcare expenses, and they're often marketed to seniors on Medicare. The flex card is one benefit that some plans offer. Medicare advertisements are constantly flooding our screens. Check with your plan to find out what stores you can shop at and items you can buy with your Flex Card. There are several things that you can do to stay away from these traps. Dearest Barbara, I was too late at finding your article, but I still enjoyed reading what you had to say. Luke has been helping Medicare-eligible clients with their insurance and retirement-planning needs since 2011. Up to $5,100 in extra help paying for prescription medications. My mother is in her late 90s so I am the one to look into things like this. Should I Get One? These cards are only available to Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Thanks for your comment. But not the Advantage Plans. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. I am 74 and have been enrolled in a locally managed Advantage plan since I was 66. If you do not want to share your information please click on, Insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans. You might be required to pay a higher monthly premium, have a higher deductible, or have higher coinsurance amounts to offset the benefit provided by the flex card. Dental, vision, and hearing services. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Deal only with well-known and reputable companies, like Humana, Aetna, and others. Rodolfo is a licensed insurance agent that works hand-in-hand with the team to ensure the accuracy of the content. Your amount or availability could differ from that shown in the ad. Barbara. Learn how you can save more on dental, vision and hearing services with the WellCare VISA Flex Card. The Medicare flex card program is real, and these cards can provide a great benefit in some cases. A good friend of mine switched to an advantage plan this year without realizing she would have a huge deductible before the insurance pays anything. Is your husband on Medicare already? Best to you, Barbara, A year ago I was brain washed to go with a advantage plan let me tell you I found out te hard way it was when I needed a bypass surgery after the surgery I found out that the advantage plan refused to pay telling me and my dr it was not medically necessary and I was I the hook for 275.000 Not all cards have the same benefits. Also, good to know that people are reading this post, because I think the Flex card is a ripoff. Luke is passionate about 3 things, and 3 things only: senior insurance, football, and food! Hi, I am not a health insurance authority. Medicare Advantage utility cards. After calculating that I would be out a certain amount of money by year end due to the extra premiums, I decided an Advantage plan was not for me. Flex Rates licensing information can be found, Using the click to call button will connect you to a licensed insurance agent, A licensed insurance agent will answer your call. Category: Health Detail Health These cards are often connected to a savings account and provide benefits to eligible health plans throughout America. What years did you serve in the military? But I hope you will keep checking around and be careful to read all the small print before you buy anything. Just add your info below. A Medicare flex card for seniors is similar to a debit card or credit card that can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses. I bet it is a form of advertising that they hope to hook you in once you call them. Suppose you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Typically linked to a flexible spending account, these cards are a benefit of qualifying health plans. Barbara, Janice: I explained in my article that the flex card will cost you. Dear Lillian: Thank you for your input. Save time and hassles while making the most of your Flex Spend Card or Shop Healthy Card by quickly checking your balances and details. Often, Medicare Advantage plans have high maximum out-of-pocket costs. Fortunately, Medicare Advantage plans do not require beneficiaries to answer underwriting health questions to enroll, so you will not face denial due to a pre-existing condition. Kim, I suspect that they want you to contact them and they will try to sell you an advantage program. Let the perk and extras, like flex cards, be the icing on the cake and not the reason to enroll. You have added more information to this article by your investigations. Overall, I agree with not falling for the free benefits scams linked to Medicare. Flex cards are not a necessary benefit of a Medicare Supplement plan because Medigap beneficiaries typically save on out-of-pocket costs compared to Medicare Advantage plans. Vital Rx Flex | Flex Rx Flex | Flex Rx PPO Monthly Premium 1. Once you have determined that you are eligible for Medicare, you will need to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that offers the flex card benefit. Remember that Medicare flex cards are not distributed by Original Medicare. You should carefully consider all your plan options and weigh the coverage details and benefits of each. You might be giving up valuable coverage just to get the flex card. Since I was previously on an HMO program-which Ive never liked, I signed up, although Im not out-of-pocket for doing this, I found I couldnt find a doctor who accepts new patients. Check out this link to see one of them. We will give you the truth about how these cards work and how you can get one. Co-payments and deductibles. It is not free, you probably cant recover $2,800.00, or anything near that. While some carriers offer a flex card benefit, it is rare to receive such a large amount. . As an AvMed Medicare Member, you'll receive a personalized Mastercard debit card that gives you quick and easy access to your flexible benefit funds, at no additional cost to you. If you are looking to reduce your healthcare spending, enrolling in a Medicare Supplement plan could be a step in the right direction. Our team of dedicated, licensed agents can help you as little or as much as you need. The cards can only be used for eligible medical expenses. Our new Benefits Breakdown series is designed to help you learn more about Medicare benefits for seniors that you may be unaware of. The Visa Flex Card Gives you: Choice: Visit in-network and out-of-network providers I indeed found a PPO policy which is the type of provider I had before retiring. You cant use these cards at any store like you do your bank debit card. In some cases, you can also reload money onto the card and carry over unused funds from one year to the next. Members can pay for supplemental benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, fitness, chiropractic, healthy foods, over-the-counter (OTC) items, and more with the Medicare Advantage flex card from WEX. The average flex card in 2022 is pre-loaded with $500. Extra Benefits In Some Plans You can't use the Flex card for seniors by spending on anything you want. Electric Recliner Chairs with Helpful Lift Capability, Best Clamp on Grab Bar for Getting Out of the Tub, How To Reduce Healthcare Costs for Seniors. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Barbara, Thank you so much for this article! Elliot has a passion for helping those in need of these services to be able to find timely access to news and information that is relevant and helpful to their daily lives. No, there is not a free Medicare flex card widely available to Medicare recipients. As long as you are enrolled in a participating Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive the flex card. The items that you can use the card for vary, but they must be eligible medical expenses. Because I think you can help other people. Instead, you'll pay for prescriptions or doctor visits, copays, and other costs you incur, such as dental, vision, and hearing care. Medicare Coverage Outside the United States You will need to wait until the annual open enrollment period unless you qualify for a special enrollment period. You bring up a good point too. Is the Flex card free? If you are signing up for Medicare for the first time, you will want to go ahead and sign up during your initial enrollment period. The purpose of a Medicare flex card is to help cover medical costs that might not be covered in your plan, such as dental treatments and services. No. If you received a Healthy Spending Account card in the mail, you must activate your card before you can use it to access your Healthy Options allowance. To their credit, they do have a link to protect yourself against fraud under the Learn category. Spread the word to your friends to be very careful! Since the private insurance companies who administer these Advantage plans set their own rules, you need to check each plan individually to determine whether a flex card is part of their plan. I truly believe this was an instance of bait and switch. No other option. I called back and went through the same problem. The ad claims you can get the Flex Card if you are a senior citizen over 65 in the US. Here it is. What Is The Flex Card For Seniors? Medicare itself doesnt offer this benefit. Medicare Flex Cards can provide some great benefits, but you need to know the truth about these cards. Aetna shouldnt be able to charge you anything without your consent. These cards work like debit or credit cards and can only be used for specific goods and services. This card, though, has to be linked with a Medicare Advantage Plan that does actually cost money. Im glad you hung up. Humana Healthy Options, OTC and Flex allowances. As an aside, be careful about dental offices. Barbara. While this could be true under rare circumstances, a licensed physician must deem these items medically necessary. Yes! Typically linked to a flexible spending account, these cards are a benefit linked to qualifying health plans throughout the nation. Enter your ZIP code to pull plan options available in your area. Your health insurance card and flex card should arrive in the mail a few days after your enrollment is completed. How to Save Money on Prescriptions. No matter what type of plan youre looking for, Medicare Allies can help. Im going to vent here, so if you arent interested, skip to the next section. All Rights Reserved. What is a Ring Doorbell? They might not always be giving you the best advice for your situation. Finding a trusted advisor to help walk you through the process can be extremely important to making the right decision on the best Medicare Advantage plan for you. This tool makes it easy to search for and compare plans in your area. Select from one of Convey's leading supplemental benefit partners or continue to leverage . I knew it was not what it appeared to be. Using your flex card for expenses that do not qualify could have bad consequences. MedicareFAQ proved very helpful in setting me up with the best choice and subsequent low premium for my secondary Medicare coverage. These cards, issued by private insurance companies, are only available on specific plans. Juanita, Thank you for your comment. {"hide_search_input":"0","hide_near_input":"0","bg":"","mt":"","mr":"","mb":"3","ml":"","pt":"","pr":"","pb":"","pl":"","border":"","rounded":"","rounded_size":"","shadow":"","show":"main"}, What are the Medicare Flex Card eligibility rules? Today, we hope to help clear up some of that confusion to., enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plans at least still a few people who cut... With their insurance and retirement-planning needs since 2011 kim, I was 66 listed can help you learn about! 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