"if you present plan changes in any way, even if present change by $1, you are then eligible to changes plan without qualifying, therefore I don't see this as an obstacle to going with a lesser plan in the beginning. Doesn't every plan change at least in some form of coverage if not every year at least every two years?" Two points. A Medigap provider cannot, by law, change the extent of the year-to-year coverage of any of the plans it offers because the various plans and the benefit levels they contain are established by Medicare, not by the insurers. That is, the Plan F offered by all insurers must include the exact Plan F benefits Medicare has established, and the same is true for all the other Medigap Plans. Second, I don't think a change in premium cost, alone, would excuse you from the underwriting requirement if you decide to drop a lower benefit plan and instead buy a higher one. However, if the insurer decided not to continue offering that level plan in your state, that would excuse you from underwriting, as would also be the case if the insurer went out of business. But I agree with you that it's wise to run the numbers and buy the plan that makes the best financial sense for you. People who are in good health and have the financial resources to absorb increased health costs in the future should their health worsen, would often be better off saving money now by choosing a lower benefit plan. Being overinsured usually doesn't make financial sense, but a lot of people do it because it gives them peace of mind, which is nice, but be aware that it does come at a cost.

Hi pinecone, I understand that busloads of people come from neighbouring states to Canada, largely to purchase their drug supply. So there must be savings to be had. One reason is that 68 cents U.S. buys a buck Canadian. The international drug companies are making noises, and one threatened to cut off the supplies to the ones that they consider to be scoundrels. There are some drug agencies that do large volumes, I think. There may be something about having problems with prescriptions written by U.S. doctors, but many have channels set up to deal with this problem, I've heard. If you want some quotes, I can see what I can find out. My email address is available here. Good wishes for a lovely week, all. joyful guy/Ed P.S. You say that you're posting this also on the "grandparents" site. Am I missing something? Don't tell me I'm in second childhood! EB P.P.S. You're not the "pinecone" company that runs research surveys, I suppose? Forgive me - just being mischievous. Nothing like a good laugh to bring down the blood pressure - and relieve stress. EB

Always count your pills as well. A few months ago I picked up a prescription for 100 pills - they were put in the smallest bottle (thankfully) - sometimes they will put 10 pills in a giant bottle. When I opened the bag at home I knew something was wrong because you couldn't fit 100 pills in said bottle. I was short 30. I called immediately and spoke with the on-duty pharmacist who went and did an audit. Fortunately she agreed with me, otherwise I was going to have to call my doctor as well as the Ontario government health organization responsible for pharmacists. Next up I went to pick up my husband's eye drops. I always get them and 3 different pharmacists have told me very clearly that said drops must be kept in the fridge at the pharmacy and home until first use - and I always show up with my cooler bag. So over I go - they were ready on a Wed. but I picked them up on Sun. The 16 year old cashier got them out of the drawer so I pointed out the obvious and she told me she was certain that I was wrong that the drops would be fine for my husband. I asked her when she received her pharmaceutical degree and demanded to speak with the pharmacist - and that I wasn't leaving the store with said drops. Over came the pharmacist and he agreed with me. I wanted to speak with the pharmacist owner but he was away. On his return I spoke with him - apparently I wasn't the only one having problems and things have tightened up. Problem of course is that prescriptions aren't being checked properly. Next up came a rare prescription for me that I have had before - and I can't use generic anything - allergic to the non-medicinal ingregients. I picked them up and was packing 5 to take with me on a trip for emergency purposes and noticed they were a bit bigger (not good) and a pale pink. So I looked at the presciption sheet that shows the last 20 transactions and sure enough they had given me a generic drug of 250 mg - with one repeat. The prescription was for the name brand drug of 500 mg - no repeats. I happen to know I can't take the generic of this pill, not to mention the lower mg. So I called. I should have known by the total price but I was picking up my Estrogel, my husband's eye drops and had a couple of other things. The owner was there and he was very apologetic and told me to bring them right back and he fixed it - $70 more of course. What is scary is that it was one of the store pharmacists who filled the prescription and my file clearly reads "no generics". Heck I only have 3 prescriptions and only 2 that I take regularly since I am allergic to most things. I am afraid that language is also an issue. You hate to open bottles and examine contents and counting pills on site, but what can you do? I see a lot of people doing that these days. I picked up prescriptions yesterday and did just that - I am so popular with the non-professional staff! - as are other customers. A woman I know took her elderly uncle to the hospital because he could hardly breathe or stand up. He had his pills with him - and because she had filled the previous prescription knew that the colour was wrong. Sure enough they had given him pills that caused his heart rate to slow down. Good thing she took him in. Ontario is really starting to push generics and people have to pay the differential between generics and name brand. The med ingredient might be the same but it is the non-medicinal ingredients that will get you. My husband had major dental surgery yesterday and has to get 2 prescriptions he never takes - only one he has is for his eye drops. I will be looking very carefully at the prescriptions when I pick them up. One is for penicillin - a drug that despite my many allergies I am not allergic to. Go figure. Each month I return his leftover eye drops to the pharmacy (the preservative is only good for 30 days so a new bottle is needed) and I also take in my empty Estrogel bottles every 2 months - but always to the pharmacy where I buy them. Cdn. pharmacies are not the same as in the U.S. If you have your prescription at one Shoppers Drug Mart you have to go to that drug store - can't go to another one and request your prescription if your store is out of stock. Shoppers Drug Marts here are franchises.

Well, I stand corrected. I just looked at the box of Heartgard that I purchased from petsmegastore.au and found that it is made in the USA by Merck Sharp & Dohme in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, USA http://www.epa.gov/region02/waste/fsmsdq.pdf Site Description The Merck, Sharp & Dohme Química de Puerto Rico Ltd (MSDQ) facility is located at Road #2 km. 56.7, in the Municipality of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. The facility is located approximately three miles south of the Atlantic Ocean and 38 miles due west of San Juan. The site is bordered by industries to the north and west, and "mogotes" (undeveloped large, round hills with steep sides formed by erosion of natural limestone) surround the remainder of the property. MSDQ is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck and Company, Inc. and has existed at this location since 1971 as an operating pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. The facility currently manufactures human and animal health products such as anti-hypertensives, beta-blockers, diuretics, and anti-parasitic drugs. It was also distributed by Merial, Duluth GA. So this box went from the US to Australia to the US, and I still bought it cheaper than if I had bought it here to begin with. Pretty amazing how the drug companies can jack up the price of an item in the USA.