We both had the pneumonia vaccine four years ago. I didn't have viral pneumonia; it was bacterial. We both got sick after we arrived on Maui. My cough went to pneumonia and DH's to bronchitis. I failed to recognize the seriousness until my temperature soared. That was a nasty bug. Thoracic MD did a biopsy of the material in my right lung and they did a PET scan as well. Nothing serious. It just took months to recover. I don't remember ever falling asleep sitting up before then! Weak. I have about 70% breathing capacity now and would be in the soup without Advair. Within a few months of starting it I have not had to use my 'rescue' inhaler more than twice a year, and have only needed prednisone once in a great while. We have a 10-year-old house with flow-through humidifiers and 6" thick pleated filters on the furnaces. One of my best weapons is my central vacuum, which takes any dust right out of the house. We have all hardwood and low-pile orientals. We also have a Westie, a breed that isn't supposed to shed much. However, Eliot is a puppy mill rescue, and he DOES shed! (Oil capsules help some.) I don't do super-cold air well -- the air we've been having in abundance all month! I too mouth-breathe through a scarf outdoors. Yesterday we attended our DGS's Kindergarten Christmas Concert, starting at 8:30 a.m. The cold air set me coughing but at least I didn't need the rescue inhaler, and it soon stoped. We leave for Maui mid-January. Maybe our plane will not be loaded with germs! There have been times out there when I forgot to use the Advair -- no symptoms. We'll see how I do this year. I've sometimes wondered if I wouldn't be better living near the ocean. My mom was from RI and I've always loved being near the water. Kihei/Wailea is rather different from Pt. Judith and the Cape!

Here is a good read taken from the link below. The Penalty Can Add Up! How much the late enrollment penalty will cost you depends on how long you did not have creditable prescription drug coverage. The late enrollment penalty is calculated by multiplying 1% of the "national base beneficiary premium" ($32.34 in 2011) times the number of full, uncovered months that you were eligible but didn't join a Medicare drug plan and went without other creditable prescription drug coverage. The final amount is then rounded to the nearest $.10 and added to your monthly premium. Since the "national base beneficiary premium" may increase each year, the penalty amount may also increase every year. You may have to pay this penalty for as long as you have a Medicare drug plan. Example 1: Mrs. Jones did not join a Part D plan when she was first eligible (by May 15, 2006). She joined a Medicare drug plan during the 2009 enrollment period (November 15,December 31, 2009), for an effective enrollment date of January 1, 2010. Since Mrs. Jones did not join when she was first eligible and went without other creditable drug coverage for 43 months (June 2007,December 2010), she will be charged a monthly penalty of $13.90 in 2011 ($32.34 x.01 = $.3234 x 43 = $13.90) in addition to her plan's monthly premium. If Mrs. Jones continues with her Part D drug plan for the next five years, her penalty will cost her over $800.00 Example 1: Mr. Smith did not join a Part D plan when he was first eligible (by January 15, 2010). He joined a Medicare drug plan during the 2010 enrollment period (November 15,December 31, 2010), for an effective enrollment date of January 1, 2011. Since Mr. Smith did not join when he was first eligible and went without other creditable drug coverage for 11 months (February 2010-December 2010), he will be charged a monthly penalty of $3.60 in 2011 ($32.34 x.01 = $.3234 x 11 = $3.0) in addition to his plan's monthly premium. If Mr. Smith continues with his Part D drug plan for the next five years, his penalty will cost him over $200.00 That's food for thought. Good post Molly. Here is a link that might be useful: Medicare Part D Late Enrollment Penalty

alisande -- If I were you, I'd go with the cheapest premium. Yes, you *could* pay that $320 deductible -- IF you are prescribed enough meds to reach that limit. (Even if you did, it's still less than your current Part D will be in 2015.) That Humana/Wal-Mart plan is offered here, too. DH and I will each breeze right through that deductible with our outrageously priced meds, regardless, so it may make sense for us too. Our 2014 WellCare Part D is going up from $20/mo. to $30/mo. I don't see keeping that if we can do better. Have you 'run the numbers' on Part D plans on www.medicare.gov Re:Deductibles. In 2012 and 2013 we had a Medicare Supplemental Plan F that paid for everything and the kitchen sink. For 2014 we took a Plan F- High Deductible ($2200/pp deductible) and are money ahead. We could afford to pay that $2200 each if necessary, but I have only had about $300 in out of pocket and DH less. We were still protected in the event of HUGE medical bills. Re: Filling prescriptions. We are fine with 90-day supplies from mail order on our maintenance meds. This year my cost for Advair was a third lower via mail order. (It's still a big rip-off, but that's because the US doesn't negotiate pricing with the pharmaceutical companies.)

This year we're each 'risking' $2100 with a high deductible Plan F Medigap policy. The premiums are a third of our former 'covers everything' Medigap. The sole difference between the policies is the deductible. This makes sense IF you don't expect to be spending that whole deductible and if you could cover it without pain. My high deductible supplement costs $900 per year. Identical coverage with no deductible would have been $2800 per year. So far this year, Medicare Parts A and B have covered almost everything for me. I've written checks for medical care totaling under $300. To date, it looks like my high deductible premiums plus my out of pocket will run $1200; I've saved $1600 by not taking the all inclusive policy. DH has spent less than $100; his savings are greater. The TV ads I see for Medigap policies are easily misunderstood. They trumpet that Medicare will only pay 80% of approved health care expenses, and you will have to pay 20%. That's true, as far as it goes, but it leaves the viewer imagining having to pay 20% of an enormous bill! Actually, Medicare-approved providers accept a Medicare-approved rate, and in most cases you will pay 20% *of that lower rate*. This is not like paying 20% of a non-negotiated rate. Your 20% portion of charges may be as little as my $300. Medicare A and B also pay 100% of some things. Our costs are Part B @ $1260/yr + Medigap @ $900/yr = $2160/yr X two of us = $4320). But...then there is Part D, and the *non-negotiated* cost of meds despite the Part D coverage. My husband's Part D will increase by a third in 2015, to $360/yr. The The total retail on his two meds will increase, too. They've topped $6K through August this year. The Part D only offers meaningful help before the 'donut hole' ($2850 - $4550). He won't get past the 'hole' to nearly-free meds. He'll pay "only" 73% of inflated retail for the last half of this year -- longer in 2015. My Part D will also go up. My total retail for a single med, Advair, is already $3200/yr. I will also hit the 'hole', on that med alone. (Never mind the odd antibiotic, etc.) Before the end of this year I'll be paying 73% of inflated retail. I'll just hit the hole sooner in 2015. This is why my budget shows Medical at a higher percentage of income than Groceries.