Before she qualifies for Medicare, Deborah Rosenwinkel, who lives in Wheaton, Illinois and suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, uses a weekly home-injected biopharmacy Enbrel maker discount card. I was there. The $ 12,000 card covered her deductions and out-of-pocket costs, and her personal insurance earned up to $ 80,000 in balance annually.
But when Rosenwinkel turned 65 last February and enrolled in Medicare, she was no longer eligible for the card. Even if the Medicare Apartment D plan covers the Enbrel, the annual out-of-pocket cost can be as high as $ 7,000.
Rosenwinkel’s rheumatologist advised her to switch medications. The new drug is injected into the clinic every month and is therefore classified as Medicare Apartment B for outpatient services. Medicare and her private Medigap plan cover the total cost. “I haven’t received an invoice,” she said. “I am very grateful.”
Price tags for wheelchairs, patient lifts, and other durable medical devices can also be expensive. Medicare pays 80 percent if doctors and suppliers are enrolled in the program. Disease-specific or local aging organizations may be able to recommend nonprofits that offer free or discounted equipment.
Schwartz’s wheelchair cost $ 30,000 and was out-of-pocket for $ 6,000. However, Medicare did not cover the standing frame. It improves muscle and bone strength by allowing the user to stand with support. He raised over $ 10,000 in the GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the $ 15,000 device.
Another source of financial assistance: tax deductions. Taxpayers can deduct more than 7.5% of their adjusted total income from medical expenses. Target costs include drug costs, housing renovations such as support bars, living support costs, and medical equipment. To take advantage of deductions, people with large medical costs should consider using sources of taxable income, such as personal retirement accounts, Dr. McClanahan said.
While he addresses his own physical and financial challenges, Schwartz is helping to raise money for others with multiple sclerosis. For over a decade, he made six tandem skydiving jumps, first at the Myelin Repair Foundation and then at the MS Association. He wants to jump again in June.
“People say I’m great, and it’s nice for people to tell you how great you are,” he said.
