Up to $5,100 in extra help paying for prescription medications. Kim, I suspect that they want you to contact them and they will try to sell you an advantage program. 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. Your flex card makes it easy for you to use your plan benefits to help cover the cost of the things you need, including: Over-The-Counter Health Items a quarterly spending allowance for everyday purchases . Thats because this card is exclusive to Medicare Advantage plans. I saw the ad on TV, over the Internet. The process varies a little depending on whether or not you have already signed up for Medicare. Yes! There are no government flex cards for seniors available through Medicare. Guard your personal information and only share with trusted sources. I do not trust anything regarding Medicare free related. Well, the Flex card is an insurance plan. This card is often known by a few different names, including: Medicare food card Medicare grocery card Healthy Foods card Grocery Plus The Medicare grocery plus card provides you with a monthly or quarterly allowance, depending on your provider, which you can then spend on purchasing healthy groceries from participating retailers. It can be used at any health care provider that accepts Medicare, including hospitals, doctor's offices, and pharmacies. Thus, these cards are not part of the government-run program. Medical equipment, like a wheelchair, walker, or glucose monitor, might also qualify. Our agents are ready to help you review your options and find the most cost-effective plan for your needs. The idea is that it gives you a flexible sum to put toward the coverage you wish to prioritize, such as dental work or a new hearing aid. Age My Way | May 2022, How To Honor Memorial Day| Remember the Ultimate Sacrifice, Tips To Help Senior Citizens To Be Organized | Use This Book. In certain areas, Medicare Advantage plans are offering these cards. 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. Not all cards have the same benefits. Barbara. What is the Flex Card? 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. Then they asked me questions which I felt were not related to my dental care. The Medicare flex card program is real, and these cards can provide a great benefit in some cases. 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! 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. What is a Medicare Flex Card? Groceries, I spoke to 2 ladies, they asked me if I had Medicare and I answered Yes. Vital Rx Flex | Flex Rx Flex | Flex Rx PPO Monthly Premium 1. And contact Social Security to find out what her account says. Yes! She didnt take Medicare Insurance. Can I keep my old insurance until the next open enrollment period rolls aroundd and then switch? And enjoy all the PayFlex Card has to offer. The pitch in their ads are We recommend paying close attention to the plan's core benefits, like what a 5-day inpatient hospital stay would cost you. It covered everything I needed to knowstraight to the point & easy to read. The average benefit is about $500 per year, and in the current advertisement, everyone asks about a $2,880 Medicare Flex Card. You can set up an online account that might be helpful. Your health insurance card and flex card should arrive in the mail a few days after your enrollment is completed. It seems like false advertising to me. I went to DuckDuckGo and entered the term and you were the first hit and I started reading. Go ahead and contact the insurance company that manages the Advantage plan to get started. He has been helping consumers find the right coverage since the site was founded in 2013. Jagger Esch is the Medicare expert for MedicareFAQ and the founder, president, and CEO of Elite Insurance Partners and MedicareFAQ.com. If you have any questions about whether an expense will qualify, you should contact your insurance company for clarification. . Flex cards give you the freedom to choose what you want to focus on since you know your needs best. Signed, one duped sucker! She found out about it after the first and so far only doctor visit this year. Flex cards hold money that can be used like a debit card to pay for certain medical expenses, like doctor's visits, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and other out-of-pocket medical expenses. Unfortunately, I couldnt use my own dentist, whom I love and who is very professional. 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. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has allowed private insurance companies to offer a new benefit-like-debit card (flex card). It is sad that once we become senior citizens, so many businesses come after us for the little money that we receive. For instance, you could be taking advice from an insurance agent who is getting a commission from making a sale. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. A Flex Card is a card where you can store monetary values. Dental, vision, and hearing services. Thanks for your comment. And that you can get up to $2,800 from the government. This card, though, has to be linked with a Medicare Advantage Plan that does actually cost money. 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! | Full 2022 Guide. To their credit, they do have a link to protect yourself against fraud under the Learn category. Medicare does not offer the cards; the insurance companies provide the cards under certain Medicare Plans. Right you are! 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. $40. What Time Does Walmart Open Tomorrow Morning00:00 - What is a senior flex card?00:24 - What is the Medicare $900 grocery benefit?00:49 - Does everyone on Med. Effective. 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. The benefits are for items approved by your health insurance plan. You dont have to get an advantage plan. I wrote an article about some agencies that help seniors. 122 W. Prairie Avenue Decatur, Illinois 62523 Toll-Free: 833-801-7999. Reach out and give us a call to compare your options so you can make an informed coverage choice. These cards, issued by private insurance companies, are only available on specific plans. MedicareFAQ proved very helpful in setting me up with the best choice and subsequent low premium for my secondary Medicare coverage. I am sorry it didnt help you though. Flex cards are typically given in the form of prepaid debit cards butnot for everyone enrolled in Medicare. Flex cards aren't the only extra benefit offered by Medicare Advantage plans. If you meet one of these requirements, you can enroll in Medicare. At least they tell you up front that they are not a Medicare program. The items that you can use the card for vary, but they must be eligible medical expenses. Maybe that will help you. What Documents Do I Need To Apply For Social Security? Reviews: Yes and No. You were smart to ask questions. Not exactly. Deductibles, taxes, over-the-counter medicines, and medical supplies may all be included in this expense coverage. In most cases, the flex card is tied to a flexible spending account (FSA). Barbara. I asked her how much and she said free. However, most of the time these cards do not have that high of an amount (in 2023 the average was $500) and the funds . The WellCare Flex Card is a Visa debit card preloaded with a set amount between $200 - $2,500 depending on plan and service area. I knew it was not what it appeared to be. Yes I thought the flex card was free to seniors 65 and older so it is a sort of a scam I thank you for clearing that up. If you want to learn more about the flex card, just keep reading. As long as you are enrolled in a participating Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive the flex card. No other option. These include: Currently in circulation are advertisements for Medicare-supplied flex cards from various carriers. If you qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in your state, you will receive an . Whether its answering a few questions about Medicare or creating a comprehensive Medicare Planner with you, we are your Medicare Allies. What can you do with the Medicare Flex Card? The flex card benefit is not a common feature of Medicare Advantage plans, but you can find it in a handful of plans nationwide. The flex card is one benefit that some plans offer. Request a replacement Medicare card online. I saw the advertisement too and called the number. But that simply isnt true. However, they all require beneficiaries to pick up their Medicare Advantage plans. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. You can visit Medicare.gov to see what plans are available in your area. The advertisements include claims that lead beneficiaries to believe they can receive a flex card with up to $2,880 from Medicare to spend as they choose. PSNoEmail@Address.net is not my real address. Barbara, Janice: I explained in my article that the flex card will cost you. These cards are debit cards typically linked to a flexible spending account. If you get Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits, you can call 1 . Cosmetic services are not covered. Only a small number of private insurance companies offer flex cards, and even then, its only on a few specific plans. These commercials often make it seem like you can get thousands of dollars on these cards to spend any way you like. Many Medicare plans now offer Utility cards. What is a Medicare flex card? Required fields are marked *. Should I Get One? There are so many variations on the benefits offered. It is designed to give you a little more freedom when prioritizing your health needs regarding dental, vision and hearing coverage specifically. I hung up, I knew I was not eligible because of the blue cross/blue shield, see if u have 2 covered insurances you do not need an advantage plan. I welcome your comments. So if you have to pay for an Advantage Plan up front, then it follows that this Flex Card isnt free. Its important to bear in mind that plan variations occur, so be sure to read through your plans specific list of approved items before you use your flex card. Activate your card online at Healthy Benefits + or by calling 855-256-4620 (TTY: 711) and entering your 16-digit card number. Ashlee is a Medicare expert who specializes in Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D education. I am so glad for the information. Out-of-Network. So I went to the office covered by the plan. I checked into the advantage plans. The insurance companies also have what they call Advantage Plans. Thank you. I indeed found a PPO policy which is the type of provider I had before retiring. You might be giving up valuable coverage just to get the flex card. Additionally, they find cost-saving benefits such as a flex card never truly live up to their promises. Flexi card is for the employer's plan. Your Medicare plan is fundamentally about your health care coverage needs. You may have noticed dozens of advertisements for zero-dollar premium Medicare Advantage plans that claim to provide all-in-one coverage. I bet it is a form of advertising that they hope to hook you in once you call them. Luke has been helping Medicare-eligible clients with their insurance and retirement-planning needs since 2011. Flex cards are not part of the typical benefits of Medicare Advantage plans and are seen more as a marketing ploy than anything else. Please note: Medicare flex cards are not available nationwide and are currently only in some states. So again, check her paperwork. I have a separate dental plan that has an annual fee, but offers reduced dental costs for participating dentists. 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. Some will tell you that you need work that you dont really need. Ill settle for my $320 a month premium and not pay a dime extra. These cards, issued by private insurance companies, are only available on specific 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. Barbara. 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