I just got a call telling me I could get a flex card. The insurance companies also have what they call Advantage Plans. They want to make a sale! The flex cards are only available through certain Medicare Advantage plans. Today, we hope to help clear up some of that confusion. These ads usually include a multitude of misleading or false claims. Info For Inquiring Minds! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It works just like a prepaid credit or debit card and can have multiple options for use, including online purchases. Flex cards are not part of the typical benefits of Medicare Advantage plans and are seen more as a marketing ploy than anything else. Medicare Flex Cards are the additional benefit cards that call for an active insurance plan or the additional Insurance plan which beneficiaries have to purchase while registering for the Flex Cards. 2023 Medicare Advantage Plan Benefits explained in plain text. The cards can only be used for eligible medical expenses. Over-the-counter benefits - Receive a certain amount of money each . Hello Robert: I am sad to hear that you have no other options. Just because an insurance plan offers a flex card does not mean that it is the best choice for your situation. 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. A flex card is a prepaid credit or debit card provided by an insurance plan for use on certain health-related costs. As long as you are enrolled in a participating Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive the flex card. What is the Flex Card? Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Want to know more? So, many legitimate insurance companies offer this benefit. Getting a flex card requires enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan that offers a flex card. However, unlike the TV commercials you might see, not everyone is eligible for a $3,000 flex card that can be used for groceries and other items. Thanks for commenting. 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. So you will need to make sure your new plans network covers your physicians. Lastly, you can look for help through independent organizations. Flex cards are not available through most carriers and even those who may offer flex cards do not offer them on all plans. We have already mentioned the fact that not all Advantage plans include a flex card. The insurance agent on the phone explained the same. Yes! You can visit Medicare.gov to see what plans are available in your area. 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. Medicare does not issue Goodrx.com . Medicare Supplement plans do not include flex card benefits. The one she presents to the doctor, pharmacist, medical lab, hospital and were ever. I also let my family know and friends be aware. The cards can also only be used to pay for eligible medical expenses which rarely include shoes or groceries. We have to help each other to avoid being taken advantage of. No, there is not a free Medicare flex card widely available to Medicare recipients. Is It Safe For the Elderly To Live Alone? Do I Have What It Takes To Be an Entrepreneur? Took me 5 months on the phone 6 hours a day to get off the advantage plan now I back to old Medicare with a supplement and I now fully covered today I get so mad all day on tv or my phone I keep hearing I have to go back as every ones doing it I yell back not me I never go back the government should shut this scam down, Norm! Scam Alerts for Seniors Part 2, What is a Scam and How to Avoid Them? For instance, you could be taking advice from an insurance agent who is getting a commission from making a sale. 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. Only a small number of private insurance companies offer flex cards, and even then, it . Thank you so much for this information. Be aware; YOUR ADVANTAGE PLAN MUST BE PAID OUT OF YOUR POCKET! Good job that you did some investigation. I have written a few articles about scams. Some plans may require a doctor's certification of a chronic illness. J asked why was there no specialists fir my zip code. Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan requires you to meet the essential, 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. Even though we are seeing more private Medicare Advantage plans provide this benefit, they arent common. I have to do an advantage plan as I am 76 years old and any other plan costs about $200 a month and who on SS (I do have a pension also) can afford $2,400 a year for a medical plan. Rose, Thank you for your comment. In many cases, you can enroll for health care coverage with the company online. Your social security is linked to your Medicare. This tool makes it easy to search for and compare plans in your area. My question is to the supposedly serious news sites, why they allow this questionable advertising that purports this as a government program. Using the Wellcare Medicare Flex Card. I do not know if she can opt out of that and get more in her SS monthly check. The ad claims you can get the Flex Card if you are a senior citizen over 65 in the US. Typically linked to a flexible spending account, these cards are a benefit of qualifying health plans. Signed, one duped sucker! I get these calls all the time. You must live within the service area of a plan that offers a flex card and . Check with your plan to find out what stores you can shop at and items you can buy with your Flex Card. Medicare Supplement plans help beneficiaries reduce out-of-pocket spending by covering the holes in Original Medicare. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. 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. You must have Medicare Part A and Part B and enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that provides this benefit. Bottom line, do your homework before you sign up for an advantage plan. Updated. Current enrollees in Medicare who wish to switch to a Medicare Advantage plan with a flex plan benefit will have to follow a slightly different process. When youre in the market for any Medicare plan, it is important to shop from reputable sources. You were smart to ask questions. Additionally, Flex card is believed to be issued by Medicare plans, but Medicare does not provide Flex cards to seniors. So whats this? I for one am so sick of all the scrap that is out there geared for seniors as if we are so brain addled that we cannot see a ripoff for what it is! Yes! It is the single reason I elected to go with Elite. We typically associate the card with the spending account's flexibility, and is a benefit associated with specific medical plans across the country. I was connected to a health insurance broker. No, you cant. Come on, nothing is free. * How it Works Your Flex Card gives you easy access to the funds in your Flex Account by swiping the card at the point of sale. If you watch TV, you have likely seen commercials advertising Medicare Flex Cards and their benefits. Medigap.com is privately owned and operated by Excel Impact, LLC. Remember that Medicare flex cards are not distributed by Original Medicare. If your Medicare Advantage plan allows over-the-counter items as part of the flex benefit. Ashlee is a Medicare expert who specializes in Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D education. Vital Rx Flex | Flex Rx Flex | Flex Rx PPO Monthly Premium 1. The HMO tied to her Medicare has been issuing a MasterCard that also acts as her insurance card. And yes, it is helpful to spread the information. There are many organizations out there that help seniors with Medicare planning and other similar items, so finding one of these organizations can provide a great benefit. Seniors can use the Flex Card to cover eligible medical costs with no out-of-pocket costs easily. Depending on the plan you choose. Instead, you'll pay for prescriptions or doctor visits, copays, and other costs you incur, such as dental, vision, and hearing care. All Rights Reserved. They're designed to help you pay for medical expenses that aren't covered by your plan; that way, you don't need to pay out of pocket. So, how do you avoid these scams? Im glad you found my dry humor entertaining. Not all Medicare Advantage plans come with a flex card either. According to one commercial, you can use the card for gas, groceries, new clothing, and shoes. What is a Medicare flex card? If you are still determined to get one, you can search online for offers. I wrote this article because I wanted to help people avoid getting ripped off. Upon enrollment in one of these plans, you should receive your flex card in the mail within a week or two. , It is not free money. 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. , Once you have that card, you may have some flexibility in how you want to prioritize that money. However, make sure that you closely examine all the coverage details offered by the plan. In addition to finding a plan that includes a flex card, you should also take a look at the details of the flex card benefit. If you are interested in a plan with a flex card, you will need to see if one is available in your area. What can you do with the Medicare Flex Card? The top 3 Medicare Supplement plans for 2020 include Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N. Find out which ones you're eligible for here. Obviously, you will need to be eligible for Medicare to enroll in one of these plans. When logging in for the first time, you will have to create a new account by clicking the "Get Started" button. If you meet one of these requirements, you can enroll in Medicare. Flex cards are only available through certain Medicare Advantage plans, and the average amount loaded onto the cards is about $500. The plan also covered vision expenses. They might not always be giving you the best advice for your situation. Our secure app makes managing your benefits easy through real-time access and intuitive navigation to all your . The flex card benefit is not a common feature of Medicare Advantage plans, but you can find it in a handful of plans nationwide. Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan requires you to meet the essential eligibility criteria for Medicare. We do not offer every plan available in your area. We seniors are one of the most targeted demographic for scams. A Review Of Outpatient: An App To Manage Health. Additionally, Ashlee trains new and tenured Medicare agents on CMS compliance guidelines. Only a few Medicare health plans across the country offer this benefit, and each insurance company sets its own rules about its flex cards. The Flex Card is a simple way to pay for qualified expenses without having to pay anything out-of-pocket. So I wonder how they can do this without legal ramifications. Barbara. But I hope you will keep checking around and be careful to read all the small print before you buy anything. (I know, I know; wishful thinking) I would like to share my experience. | How To Get Approved, Does Medicare Cover Mental Health Services? Spread the word to your friends to be very careful! Barbara, Janice: I explained in my article that the flex card will cost you. But $2800 Flex card for seniors will be considered a health . I knew it was not what it appeared to be. Lindsay Malzone is the Medicare editor for Medigap.com. 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. Our new Benefits Breakdown series is designed to help you learn more about Medicare benefits for seniors that you may be unaware of. I contacted them on a 1800 561 #. These premiums vary from company to company. Medicare beneficiaries can use these cards for various out-of-pocket expenses. Our team of dedicated, licensed agents can help you as little or as much as you need. Fast payment Thanks for your comment. Doctor on Demand. The process varies a little depending on whether or not you have already signed up for Medicare. Randy; thanks for making my day. Enter your ZIP code to pull plan options available in your area. Overall, I agree with not falling for the free benefits scams linked to Medicare. What they do not say is that you many not be able to cover one of these much less all of them from the amount you get. 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. What are the Medicare Flex Card eligibility rules? And that you can get up to $2,800 from the government. Flex cards. You dont have to get an advantage plan. Im a Senior Citizen Who Wants To Learn Something New, Agencies that Help Senior Citizens (especially during COVID19). Flex cards are debit cards beneficiaries can use to purchase medical equipment and items. Luke Hockaday is a Customer Success Rep here at Medicare Allies. (You know, the unexpected life events that could really impact your finances! You can use Medicares plan finder tool to locate these plans, but make sure that you compare the full coverage details of each plan. Flex cards are an additional benefit to Medicare Advantage plans. Check out this link to see one of them. Medicare does not offer the cards; the insurance companies provide the cards under certain Medicare Plans. You can pay for: Flex cards are not part of the federal Medicare program and Medicare does not distribute these cards. Medicare Supplement plans make healthcare affordable and easy for all enrollees. I just tell them Medicare doesnt call you and I hang up. Even those who may offer flex cards and their benefits to cover eligible medical with. Used for eligible medical costs with no out-of-pocket costs easily I hope you will need to make sure you! Benefits for seniors that you have that card, you will receive the flex card you. She presents to the doctor, pharmacist, medical lab, hospital were... Health-Related costs card widely available to Medicare Advantage plan allows over-the-counter items as Part of the targeted. Are enrolled in a participating Medicare Advantage plan that offers a flex card if you one! 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