David K.

I am a healthy 68 year old on medicare. I have a Medicare supplemental policy and I have been with Elixir/Envision RX Schedule D medicare for 3 years now. During this same period, my prescription drugs have remained constant. My premiums were quoted at $15.60 in year 1. They jumped to $25.30 (62% increase) in year 2. This year they jumped again to $55.60 (120%) along with a deductible of $505. I am paying $1,172 out of pocket to cover drugs (generic Lipitor and 2 eye-drops) that have remained constant over the 3 years.

Envision (as are most of the third party suppliers) is gouging on the premiums, manipulating the formularies and expanding deductibles without cause. Here is some research on what is happening and why drug costs are high and drug plans are so difficult to understand.

https://healthpolicy.usc.edu/research/u-s-consumers-overpay-for-generic-drugs/

In this study, they reported the following: The three largest PBMs—CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx—operate respectively under the umbrella of large insurers Aetna CVS Health, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group. Such vertical integration and consolidation contributes to opaque and inflated generic drug prices. PBM and insurer practices such as copay clawbacks, spread pricing and profit-oriented formulary design enable overpayment on generic drugs.

I also added an image of the main article call-out for all of us who pay premiums for Schedule D Medicare drug plans to companies like Envision. Do your research and you'll see that these companies are taking advantage of you financially and with NO worry or care of intervention from any responsible oversight.

This will be the last year that I use them. Researching alternatives, I am now purchasing all three prescriptions through GoodRX for an annual out of pocket cost cost of $353.88. I don't even file with Envision and can't wait for the medicare renewal window.