Strange Medicare Supplemental products
 

So with our Aetna supplemental we get $50.00 (total $100.00 for both of us) each month for OTC (over the counter) products. Interesting list. Toothbrush/paste, denture products, incontinent products male/female, refreezable ice packs, lots of other usable products and DRUM ROLL PLEASE... tampons and pregnancy test! OMG...if I needed these products at my age I would drop dead of a heart attack! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/eek.png

It's probably just a benefit of your plan numbers. Other participants may have the same plan number and still need them. My medical plan has maternity coverage too. LOL, I don't need that!

Now that makes sense. So other young people can get pee pee pads...lol?

exercise program
 

My supplimental ins (Blue Cross of Maine) supports Silver Sneakers. You go to the SS web site and put in your Ins Co name. It will tell you if you are eligible. It also includes Gyms -- when they re-open. They have lots of video exercise programs as well as on line ones.

Oh, I'm so happy to learn about the pregnancy tests!! I'm 79 yrs old and have waited this long !! Just began Aetna this year! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/biggrin.png

We do not get the additional OTC money. Quarterly DH and I both get $65.00 for anything in the produce department. What that means is that we get 50% off all produce purchases, up to $65.00. For us, that is $130.00 per quarter. Our supermarket has a lot of things they consider product. Any salad dressing that needs to be refrigerated, croutons, spices, and all the bulk bins count. We also get special grocery offers for $$ off. Silver sneakers is available also. It does sound like some editing may be in order!

I have AETNA but have never used the OTC part. I guess I should.

everyone, use th OTC stuff. when i didn't need to order, i'd make a list of a madicine cabnet items. bandages, bandaids, eye drops, ointment. it all added up, and this dec was my last list of thigs to get. we no longer have it on my n ew plan, but i do miss all the free goodies.

My Medicare insurance carrier started offering OTC products this year. We are allowed $30 per quarter, and the amount does not carry over into the next quarter. One must only order through their website. I got $25 worth of their products for free. If I bought the same thing at the grocery store it would have cost me $4.32.

What a ripoff... I suspect Medicare is paying the insurance company $30 per person, and they get to keep anything that is not used that quarter. Plus the exorbitant markup on the products make it a real money maker for the insurance company.

Some of us have been on Medicare because of disability. Mine began when I was 34 and I did need the tampons and pregnancy tests then, (although pregnancy tests were only done at the doctor's office or clinics back then). If you check the Part D drug formulary, a lot of Medicare plans even include birth control pills. I guess if the plans don't include these things, they would be accused of age discrimination by the young folks who need them. On the face of it, it seems funny to include these things, but the reality is not everyone on Medicare is 65 or older.

Ugh this is infuriating.

I am on straight Medicare and Medicaid and to not get these goodies. I steer away from HMO's and PPO's I don't like some of the limits that they have when it comes to my doctors. I like to be in control of my medical treatment.