When you see the number of pills in a bottle, along with the strength, you reasonably assume that is what will be inside. So a bottle of 100 aspirin that says 325 milligrams should be just that.
Last year we showed you examples of calcium supplements that didn’t meet that expectation. Now we turn to a similar issue with with these CVS melatonin gummies.
Here the label clearly says there are 60 gummies in the bottle and it notes the strength as 10 mg. in two places on the front label.
*MOUSE PRINT:
The dosing instructions on the back say you have to take two gummies in order to get the 10 mg. promised on the front of the label. So in essence, if you thought this bottle would last you two months, it will only be good for one month.
Another CVS melatonin gummy product makes a slightly different representation on the front saying this product is 10 mg. per serving. While a slight improvement, shoppers still could be easily misled.
What do you think… shouldn’t the strength of the medication displayed on the front of the bottle be what you get in each pill, capsule, or gummy inside?
Note to Readers: Although this story revolves around changes to particular Medicare health insurance plans, the lesson it offers is universal. During open enrollment, don’t just automatically renew your old plan. Look for changes your insurer is implementing in the coming year in the Annual Notice of Changes and see if a different plan may better suit your needs.
Here’s an example of a nasty change by Arkansas BlueMedicare. Their Premier Choice advantage plan used to provide free diagnostic colonoscopies, but for 2024 they added a $275 copay.
*MOUSE PRINT:
A very popular Medicare Part D drug plan is Wellcare Value Script (PDP). This is optional coverage for those with original Medicare whether or not you also have a supplement (medigap) plan. (Original Medicare does not cover drugs so many seniors buy a separate drug plan called Part D.)
A reason it is so popular is that it tends to be the cheapest plan in some states. For 2024, for example, in Massachusetts, Maine and perhaps elsewhere, the monthly premium is only 50 cents! In some other states it is zero!
It does have the maximum allowable deductible — $545 — but beneficially it does not apply to tier 1 or 2 drugs. Tier 1 has no copays, and tier 2 is only $5 or $15 for 30 or 90 days, respectively. But there is a big change for tier 3 drugs.
*MOUSE PRINT:
For 2023, there was a flat $47 or $44 copay for tier 3 drugs. That means whatever the full cost, you only had to pay forty-something dollars.
But, for 2024, that changes to co-insurance. To MrConsumer, “co-insurance” is a dirty word. It is cost-sharing between you and your insurance company. They pay part of a particular bill, and you pay a certain percentage of it. For 2024, you will pay 25-percent of the full cost of drugs in the Wellcare plan for that tier. If it is an expensive drug, you could get soaked. If it is a cheap drug, you could save compared to 2023. Note that some other copays are lower for 2024 on this Wellcare plan.
Now it’s time for you to fess up.
The bottom line is EVERY YEAR you really need to check and compare the features and costs of your current plan with what various of next year’s plans offer. This goes for regular insurance plans and any of your Medicare plans — Advantage, Supplement, or Part D (drugs). Remember to also check the drug formulary for changes to what drugs are covered, in which tier they reside, and what any restrictions are.
With the cough and cold season approaching, NyQuil Severe Honey is being advertised on radio and TV. Listen for all the references to honey in this commercial.
In just 15 seconds, the word “honey” or a variation of it is used six times. That might give you the impression this cough remedy contains… honey.
No wonder they say it so many times. Honey is a time-honored home remedy for sore throats and coughing according to the Mayo Clinic.
Even looking at the bottles one might believe there was real honey in it because they show a big honey dipper dripping with the sweet stuff, and one version of the bottle (perhaps an older one) says it is made with real honey.
*MOUSE PRINT:
But looking at the ingredients statement, honey is not listed as an active ingredient. And on the inactive ingredients list, all it says is “flavor” – not honey, not honey flavor, not natural honey flavor… just “flavor.”
*MOUSE PRINT:
So where’s the honey? We asked P&G, the maker of NyQuil. The company did not respond to our questions including how much actual honey, if any, was in the product, and whether they would modify their advertising to not give consumers the false impression that real honey and its medicinal benefits are features of this product?
We have turned over the issue to the National Advertising Division of Better Business Bureau Programs suggesting they open a case about this matter.
