topic Re: Medicare and moving in Wellness

Medicare and moving

susielong — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 20:02:11 GMT

What happens if you move to another state during the year before open enrollment? Is your plan good where you move, do you have to change, is there a penalty, etc. I'm mostly wondering about the Prescription Plan Part D as that one seems to be the one with biggest issue with moving.

Re: Medicare and moving

phoenixbrd — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 23:39:54 GMT

@susielong Please call Medicare/insurance for answers to your questions. It is too important to rely on opinions....and even then you might want to call and follow-up to be sure the first representative got it right. Best of luck on your move!

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 21:46:42 GMT

If you have Original Medicare and a Supplemental Plan you have no worries. You won’t ever have to do anything as your plan, along with Medicare Part D works in all 50 states. You can move with it as often as you wish. It sounds to me that you have this type of Medicare. Next year during open enrollment you can change your Medicare Part D, if you want to or not. You will never have to worry about changing your medical plan. It is 100% portable.

if you have an Advantage Plan with RX coverage included, you might have a problem especially if you have an HMO. If that is the case, your need to call your insurance company for advice as there might be no network providers in a different area or state.

Re: Medicare and moving

susielong — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:31:44 GMT

@phoenixbrd wrote:
@susielong Please call Medicare for answers to your questions. It is too important to rely on opinions....and even then you might want to call and follow-up to be sure the first representative got it right. Best of luck on your move!

I'm trying to do that, just keep getting the leave your name and number, etc. Hopefully someone will call me back soon. Just thought I would ask on here in case somebody actually worked with Medicare and could help me.

Re: Medicare and moving

151949 — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:46:50 GMT

@Carmie wrote:
If you have Original Medicare and a Supplemental Plan you have no worries. You won’t ever have to do anything as your plan, along with Medicare Part D works in all 50 states. You can move with it as often as you wish. It sounds to me that you have this type of Medicare. Next year during open enrollment you can change your Medicare Part D, if you want to or not. You will never have to worry about changing your medical plan. It is 100% portable.

if you have an Advantage Plan with RX coverage included, you might have a problem especially if you have an HMO. If that is the case, your need to call your insurance company for advice as there might be no network providers in a different area or state.

I was determined to not post on this board ever again - but I had to tell you this is NOT TRUE. After you change your residence to a different county or state you have a certain amount of days to change your supplement or advantage plan or you will be fined. You have to use the ones that are available within your new residence area. I know because my DH didn't comply - because he didn't know - and was fined for it.PLEASE - go to your SS office for info - not this board where you get much faux info. The SS office gave us a book of plans available in our area for him to pick from, once we were informed he had to do so.

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 23:28:34 GMT

@151949I worked for 25 years with Medicare and health insurance, so I know what I am talking about. You don’t

You are 100% wrong. Original/Traditional Medicare is exactly the same in all 50 states. The Supplemntal policies are also work in all 50 states. There is absolutely no need to change your coverage.

All you have to do is notify your insurance company of your new address. They can charge you a different fee for being in a different state, but there is no need to change your coverage. In fact, it will be too expensive, unless your insurance company has an office in your new state. You can’t just change your Supplemental plan, even during open enrollment. Only RX and Advantage Plans can be changed.

Fined by whom? The federal government won’t fine you, nor can your insurance company. That is laughable.

i happen to know that you and your DH have an Advantage plan.. first you had an PPO then to save money and keep your silver sneaker coverage you changed to an HMO. Advantage Medicare is VERY different than traditional/original Medicare. And YES, you do have to change your Advantage plan if you move out of your state or area.

You did not pay a fine, you got stuck with out of network fees with Advantage Plans. I warned you about that, but you didn’t take my word for it. Now you found out the hard way.

Again, for at least the 100th time, Original Medicare is not the same as Advantage Medicare.

The OP should call her Supplemental Insurance Co and they will tell her the same thing I did. She will change her address with SS, so no need to call Medicare.

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 23:33:44 GMT

@susielong if you have Traditional Medicare, or even an Advantage Plan, call your insurance company, not Medicare

Re: Medicare and moving

Moonchilde — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 00:54:22 GMT

@susielong, @Carmie is correct. Do not listen to the Medicare, MA or healthcare advice of @151949.

Call Medicare OR your supplemental company to reassure yourself.

It’s Medicare Advantage plans where you have to stick with what is offered in your geographical area, NOT regular Medicare and regular supplements.

Re: Medicare and moving

151949 — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 17:28:25 GMT

@Carmie So are you saying - for example - if a person has Blue cross supplement living in Pa and it costs $200/month that if they move to Florida where that same supplement costs $250 that Blue cross is going to be content to continue to cover you at that lower cost once they find out you have moved to Fl?

Re: Medicare and moving

Bri36 — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 17:47:48 GMT

@151949 wrote:
@Carmie So are you saying - for example - if a person has Blue cross supplement living in Pa and it costs $200/month that if they move to Florida where that same supplement costs $250 that Blue cross is going to be content to continue to cover you at that lower cost once they find out you have moved to Fl?

Coverage and cost are two different things.

I don't know why you don't know that.

Re: Medicare and moving

Moonchilde — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 18:02:20 GMT

@151949 wrote:
@Carmie So are you saying - for example - if a person has Blue cross supplement living in Pa and it costs $200/month that if they move to Florida where that same supplement costs $250 that Blue cross is going to be content to continue to cover you at that lower cost once they find out you have moved to Fl?

She didn’t say that at all, nor imply it. Apples and oranges. You might have a difference in premium but that doesn’t mean you’re not covered at all.

Re: Medicare and moving

Lipstickdiva — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:13:11 GMT

Maybe I'm misunderstand but in her long thread, @Carmie does say they can charge you different fees depending on what state you live in. So no she's not saying the cost would be the same.

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:29:27 GMT

Let me clarify. If you had Blue Cross in PA and moved to let’s say, New Jersey, you could keep your BC coverage located in PA, you might also be given the option of transferring to BC of NJ, but you do not have to transfer your coverage.

Blue Cross has many different companies even in the same state. Here in PA, we have five Blue Cross plans. The only thing they have in common is that they belong to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Kinda like McDonalds. All operated owned and operated separately.

The Federal Medicare Law says that you can be charged a different rate if you move to another state, but personally I know many people who have moved and kept their same out of state insurance plan with no increase. There is no law to prevent this.

Just because they can charge you more, doesn’t mean they will.

Many people have no idea that Medicare pays the providers a different amount of money in every state. NY and CA have a high cost of living, so Medicare pays the providers more in those states. I think that is why the Medicare law allows insurance companies to charge more in some states if you move. It’s a law on the books, but I don’t think it’s applied all that often.

This ONLY applies to Medicare Supplemental Insurance and not Advantage Plans or Plans for people who do not have Medicare.

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:44:59 GMT

@151949 wrote:
@Carmie So are you saying - for example - if a person has Blue cross supplement living in Pa and it costs $200/month that if they move to Florida where that same supplement costs $250 that Blue cross is going to be content to continue to cover you at that lower cost once they find out you have moved to Fl?

Yes, I am saying that. The Blue Cross Companies are individually owed and operated under the BC/ BS Association. There are many, many people from PA living in Fl full time and their insurance plan is in PA. They can do this if they have Supplemental Insurance.

But, you can’t live in FL and call BC of PA and buy insurance. You have to first purchase it in your home state when you are 65 or disabled and are first eligible for Medicare.

i forgot to say that Blue Cross in PA has no idea what FL Blue Cross Charges for the same coverage and they can’t can’t even see Enrollment records of anyone other than their own subscribers.

Re: Medicare and moving

Gooday — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:19:18 GMT

Maybe this is not the same but here goes. My primary residence was (it is now Az. as of 10/1/17). For the year 2017 I had BC/BS of Illinois purchased through the Marketplace. When I signed up in 11/16, I explained that I split my time between Il. and Az. I had to sign up with a policy called "Multi-state plan" to the cost of $1,367. monthly. This outrageous premium with a 1,700. deductible covered me in any state.

Now, I just signed up last week for BC/BS of Az. as we sold our Il. home. The ONLY plans available from the Marketplace in Az. are 4 BC/BS HMO's! I took the plan for 1,038. a month.

So, the point is that peoples biggest gripe from O'care is that we COULD NOT purchase insurance across state lines. Get it? You must go along with your legal state of residence.

This is coming from a former "snowbird". I should say that DH has Aetna Advantage with Medicare Parts A&B through retired city of Chicago. When I turn 65 next year, I will be eligible to get insurance through them.

Re: Medicare and moving

Moonchilde — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 20:01:56 GMT

@Gooday wrote:
Maybe this is not the same but here goes. My primary residence was (it is now Az. as of 10/1/17). For the year 2017 I had BC/BS of Illinois purchased through the Marketplace. When I signed up in 11/16, I explained that I split my time between Il. and Az. I had to sign up with a policy called "Multi-state plan" to the cost of $1,367. monthly. This outrageous premium with a 1,700. deductible covered me in any state.
Now, I just signed up last week for BC/BS of Az. as we sold our Il. home. The ONLY plans available from the Marketplace in Az. are 4 BC/BS HMO's! I took the plan for 1,038. a month.
So, the point is that peoples biggest gripe from O'care is that we COULD NOT purchase insurance across state lines. Get it? You must go along with your legal state of residence.
This is coming from a former "snowbird". I should say that DH has Aetna Advantage with Medicare Parts A&B through retired city of Chicago. When I turn 65 next year, I will be eligible to get insurance through them.

The title of this thread is MEDICARE and moving, not Having Insurance and Moving. The point is that it’s NOT the same with Medicare coverage as it is for regular health insurance. So no, your situation does not apply here. “The Marketplace” has nothing to do with Medicare. Get it?

Re: Medicare and moving

Cakers3 — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 20:55:15 GMT

@Gooday I hear your situation. No insurance is a day in the country, be it private, O care, Medicare, etc. It's good to see the experiences of other posters because one type of insurance will be dropped and another type picked up, as in your experience.

I hope your experience with your DH's Medicare Advantage has answered some questions for you for next year. Most important is that whatever insurance you have will employ people who can answer your questions professionally and with knowledge.

Good luck.

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 20:18:11 GMT

@Gooday I can understand your frustration. The insurance on the marketplace stinks except for the people who are low income members and can get the government subsidy.

Right now our current government is trying to change the insurance laws so that insurance can be purchased across state lines for everyone. It keeps getting turned down. I think this would reduce the cost if there was competition.

Smaller insurance companies complain that they will lose subscribers and be put out of business by the big companies who can afford to be competitive.

it’s a fine line. What could happen is once the big companies reduce their rates to the point of taking a loss, the smaller companies won’t be able to compete and will go under. Once the smaller companies are out of the picture, the bigger companies are free to raise the rates. The insurance commission must approve all rate increases, but the insurance companies will be able to show they they lost money and will get the increase.

Hang in there. It will be much better when you are on Medicare.

Re: Medicare and moving

OfCourse — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 20:25:05 GMT

You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!

Re: Medicare and moving

Carmie — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 20:29:49 GMT

@OfCourse wrote:
You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!

Many small business join their local small businessman association and get lower rates.