Is it silly to be excited to go on Medicare?

[sheilafri]

2300 a month?

Yep. That was for two people age 64 since the beginning of the year. We were grandfathered into a non-conforming individual policy with excellent coverage worldwide. And we traveled a lot pre-Covid.

Oh, and it was a high deductible policy. We all know the American healthcare system is messed up.

 

[DCLMP]

A lot of people don't have insurance and the hospital just eats the cost. It's pretty unfair to the rest of us.

 

[barkley]

A lot of people don't have insurance and the hospital just eats the cost. It's pretty unfair to the rest of us.

people with insurance can qualify for those programs as well. our local hospital/medical groups have a sliding scale that qualifies people for billing write offs who make up to 400% of the federal poverty levels for upwards of 100% of the portion of their bills that their insurance won't cover (including deductibles and copay's) so as of the beginning of this calendar year a household of 2 could make up to $78880 and qualify.

 

[kanerf]

Nope, not silly at all. I can't go on until next year, but I will be looking through all the plans to find one that covers most of my meds at the cheapest cost. A lot of the meds I use now are covered by manufacturer coupons which of course you cannot use with Medicare. I am on an expensive diabetes med that only cost me $10 every 90 days with a coupon but can cost $100s without.

 

[sheilafri]

Nope, not silly at all. I can't go on until next year, but I will be looking through all the plans to find one that covers most of my meds at the cheapest cost. A lot of the meds I use now are covered by manufacturer coupons which of course you cannot use with Medicare. I am on an expensive diabetes med that only cost me $10 every 90 days with a coupon but can cost $100s without.

There is a calculator on the government website that allows you to input your prescroptions and it will show you your costs under different Medicare drug plans. An insurance agent or pharmacy counselor can also assist you in doing this. Caveats: This should be done every year as drug plans can and do change. Also, your first year can be tricky as deductibles go on a calendar year basis so you will likely only have part of the year, depending on your birth month, under the drug plan to meet your deductibles before starting over in January. So I’ve been told.

 

[Denise W]

My mother was super-excited when she got her 1st senior discount. She was not a senior & hadn't asked for it, so.... I'd say "no"! lol

Wow! And your profile says you are 82. How old is Mom?

 

[robinb]

A lot of people don't have insurance and the hospital just eats the cost. It's pretty unfair to the rest of us.

Medicare for all would fix that.

 

[LiDa]

Wow! And your profile says you are 82. How old is Mom?

does it? that's weird

 

[EsseG]

Here's the website https://www.shiphelp.org/ to help you find the Medicare-funded counseling program near you. Mine is through the county extension service, staffed by trained volunteers. I signed up for a group info session 4 months before my 65th birthday, then a one-on-one session with a volunteer. I knew from the group session I wanted Supplemental, not Advantage. Once I understood the A-N plan structure, it was easy to make that choice then compare providers in my state. I went with one with a good track record in my state and an easy-to-navigate website.

Before I made my choice, I called my doctor's billing office to ask if they had a preference on supplemental providers. They said, "Medicare makes it so easy for us. We know what we're going to be paid and when because the Medicare Plans govern payment, not the providers. Choose whoever you like."

The information sessions in my area are once a month, with volunteer appointments available during open enrollment. But demand is so high, those appointments are booked up weeks in advance.

I have friends with long-time insurance agents who told them, "Medicare is just too complicated for anyone to understand and you're getting forgetful, aren't you? I know your husband took care of all those decisions for you; let me do that now and spare you the trouble." and sold them Advantage plans. They have worse coverage at a higher cost than me. I've dragged a few to a information session. Fortunately they didn't have to confront their agents for the switch; it's all done on-line. One got a call from her agent threatening to "tell your kids what you did". Scum.

The website above is not the "counseling" services that offer you a free Medicare seminar with lunch or fill your mailbox with flyers. Those are Advantage plan marketers. The SHIP will be through an Area Agency on Aging or Senior Services or other not-for-profit or government entity. It's unbiased information available to anyone. If it turns out you're eligible for assistance, they'll help but there is no income requirement to access the information.

 

[barkley]

I have friends with long-time insurance agents who told them, "Medicare is just too complicated for anyone to understand and you're getting forgetful, aren't you? I know your husband took care of all those decisions for you; let me do that now and spare you the trouble." and sold them Advantage plans. They have worse coverage at a higher cost than me. I've dragged a few to a information session. Fortunately they didn't have to confront their agents for the switch; it's all done on-line. One got a call from her agent threatening to "tell your kids what you did". Scum.

ymmv on advantage plans. as i've said-ours is excellent. high cost? nope-$35 per month in addition to the standard medicare cost. zero deductible, $4800 per year in network out of pocket max/$10000 combined out of network max. superior coverage to what i had under my non medicare ppo at a much lower cost, and this year that extra $35 is largly offset b/c they added a visa debit card otc program that provides me with $280 in otc products (bought a new humidifier and some odds and ends just today) so in reality it works out to $11.66 per month that i pay in addition to the standard medicare cost.

it pays to research programs within one's own state/region b/c they GREATLY differ in cost and quality.