topic Re: Medicare B Question in Community Chat

Medicare B Question

cuddlesmama — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:21:05 GMT

Hello Ladies,

I just applied for Medicare B and just got my card in the mail. I am still keeping my insurance from my job.But I am very confused about the Medicare supplementary health plan. Does everyone have to get this supplementary plan along with Medicare B? I know Medicare B will cost $134. I am trying to find out how much the supplemental will be but my insurance says you have to have both and if not I will lose health coverage and never proceeded to tell me what else does it cover other than if you get sick out of state. My Insurance is with GIC Unicare State Indeminity Plan.All of this is so confusing. I always thought you just get the Medicare (A free) and Medicare B and paid the premiums I never knew you had to buy additional? This is getting expensive!! Help!!

Re: Medicare B Question

maestra — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:25:25 GMT

@cuddlesmama contact your state's dept of aging or SHIIP to reach a case worker. Senior centers often have the toll free /contact info or google. Helped me out greatly.

Re: Medicare B Question

software — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:25:37 GMT

Medicare is the only health insurance I have, so I do have a supplement.

I think your Part B will pay 80%, maybe your employer insurance will pick up the 20% or part of it.

Why do you need part B?

When I was working, all my co-workers signed up for A but not B because they still have employer insurance.

Re: Medicare B Question

Robertak — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:25:45 GMT

Sorry I don't know the answer but understand your confusion, what a total mess it has become. I hope in the next few years before I am of age it gets cleaned up and simplified. Maybe that would reduce the cost too, it has to be expensive to administer these programs and supplements in the state they are currently in.

Re: Medicare B Question

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:29:53 GMT

I thought that you do not need a suppement IF you are still on your employers insurance. I see no need to purchase a supplement if you are already paying for employer covered health care. Can you not talk to someone at your work place?

Re: Medicare B Question

SharkE — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:32:13 GMT

Medicare pays 80%. They take the 134 out of your SS check monthly

If your still working (as my husband is) they will send out bills that covers 3 month periods. You pay for 3 months coverage 4 times a yr.

You don't have to have a supplement, period. If you don't want it.

YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A DRUG PLAN, THOUGH ! Gov. makes you get a drug plan when you start paying for the Medicare Part B premium

If you don't get a drug plan, they penalize you. Drug plans are no biggie I pay 17 a month for mine.

If you don't get a supplement then you pay 20% of all your medical bills and the Medicare Part B deductible which is now 183.00 then they pick up the other 80%. If you don't have a supplement in place then Medicare will tell you what they will pay and what your on the hook for.

I'd ask at the place where you work, but, I didn't think you could have 2 insurances.

I have Mutual of Omaha supplement insurance and they pay my deductible and the other 20%. Not cheap, but, my husband is still working, so, we're able to afford it.

Good luck !

Re: Medicare B Question

SharkE — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:36:34 GMT

I have Mutual of Omaha Plan F Medicare supplement.

That one will only be available till 2020 then it's being phased out.

Mutual of Omaha Plan G Medicare supplement is a tad cheaper, but, they do not pay your 183 Medicare Part B deductible. Yes, they pick up 20% that Medicare Part B doesn't. We have yet to pay anything .

I heard the Medicare Part B premium in 2019 will be going up to 135 a month. Not bad increase, though. We used to pay 1,000 a month for our joint private insurance, so, we're pretty happy campers right now.

Re: Medicare B Question

NicksmomESQ — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:40:14 GMT

If you still have employer based insurance & your employer has atleast 20 employees your employer medical insurance is primary.Medicare would be secondary.

If your employer has less than 20 employees then Medicare is primary & your employer coverage is secondary.Either way you don’t need any other supplements.

You should speak to the benefits manager or representative in your office.I know that’s where my DH got all his questions answered.He opted to just get Part A & put off Part B until he retires.

Re: Medicare B Question

Tadaki — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:40:35 GMT

@maestra wrote:
@cuddlesmama contact your state's dept of aging or SHIIP to reach a case worker. Senior centers often have the toll free /contact info or google. Helped me out greatly.
I have also heard this is the way to get unbiased help. As @maestra said, you will find the program through your state's dept of aging. May be called different things, depending on the state, e.g. SHIP, VICAP.

Re: Medicare B Question

SharkE — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:41:05 GMT

Part A is free

Re: Medicare B Question

shopperqvc — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:41:45 GMT

Medicare does pay 80%, but they pay only 80% of what they approve. If your doctor or hospital charges more than what they approve the doctor or hospital either takes a loss or you pay the difference. It's not 80% of whatever amount they want to charge. If they accept Medicare payments then they agree to the amount Medicare says they can charge. It's confusing, and the wait on the phone with any Government office is a lot of on hold time, and they like to keep transfering you from one person to another. I hate trying to deal with any Government office.

Re: Medicare B Question

Pearlee — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:42:19 GMT

@SharkE wrote:
Medicare pays 80%. They take the 134 out of your SS check monthly

If your still working (as my husband is) they will send out bills that covers 3 month periods. You pay for 3 months coverage 4 times a yr.

You don't have to have a supplement, period. If you don't want it.
YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A DRUG PLAN, THOUGH ! Gov. makes you get a drug plan when you start paying for the Medicare Part B premium

If you don't get a drug plan, they penalize you. Drug plans are no biggie I pay 17 a month for mine.

If you don't get a supplement then you pay 20% of all your medical bills and the Medicare Part B deductible which is now 183.00 then they pick up the other 80%. If you don't have a supplement in place then Medicare will tell you what they will pay and what your on the hook for.

I'd ask at the place where you work, but, I didn't think you could have 2 insurances.

I have Mutual of Omaha supplement insurance and they pay my deductible and the other 20%. Not cheap, but, my husband is still working, so, we're able to afford it.

Good luck !

@SharkE Not necessarily. I have chosen not to take SS benefits yet, but I am over 65 and have Medicare. So nothing is taken out of a SS check that I don't get, since I plan not to take my SS benefits until age 70 when I'll get 8% more than I would have at age 65. So I pay for my Part B.

Re: Medicare B Question

SharkE — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:44:05 GMT

Read paragraph 2 where I said my husband is not on SS so he pays 4 times a yr for 3 month inclements. He is doing what your doing retiring at 70.

I'M THE ONE WHO IS ON SS AND I PAY FOR IT MONTHLY OUT OF MY CHECK

@Pearlee

Re: Medicare B Question

Pearlee — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:46:48 GMT

@SharkE wrote:
Read paragraph 2 where I said my husband is not on SS so he pays 4 times a yr for 3 month inclements. He is doing what your doing retiring at 70.
I'M THE ONE WHO IS ON SS AND I PAY FOR IT MONTHLY OUT OF MY CHECK

@Pearlee

@SharkE I'm not retiring at 70. I'm already retired from the retirement system I worked under which wasn't SS, although I am still entitled to get some SS from other jobs I've worked. I'm choosing not to collect my SS benefits until age 70.

Re: Medicare B Question

Hooty — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:53:55 GMT

@Pearlee, if you are not going to apply for SS until age 70, then you will have to pay out of pocket for medicare when you reach 65, they will send you a bill!

Re: Medicare B Question

bluehost — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:59:51 GMT

You DONOT have to have Part D, drug plan. It is NOT mandatory My suggestion, get accurate information & call medicare: 1-800-633-4227)

Re: Medicare B Question

2blonde — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:05:16 GMT

@cuddlesmama I don't understand. If you're still working and fully covered by your employer's insurance, why are you even signing up for Medicare? I'm 69 and still working full time, but I work for a large organization and am still fully covered by their Medical Mutual plan. Whenever I actually leave my employment, then I will have to sign up for Medicare within a short period of time (I think it's 60 days). It's cheaper for me to pay my employer's low premiums than to move into Medicare now, and MM pays 90%, rather than 80%.

Re: Medicare B Question

bluehost — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:25:41 GMT

Pearley, your information is not accurate for everyone. Medicare takes out a different amount depending on when you became eligible for Medicare. Part D is not mandatory and yes, you do get penalized if you don't sign up for it. But not everyone pays $17/month. It depends on other factors.

Please consult Medicare for accurate information

1-800-633-4227

Re: Medicare B Question

cuddlesmama — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:30:10 GMT

@2blonde wrote:
@cuddlesmama I don't understand. If you're still working and fully covered by your employer's insurance, why are you even signing up for Medicare? I'm 69 and still working full time, but I work for a large organization and am still fully covered by their Medical Mutual plan. Whenever I actually leave my employment, then I will have to sign up for Medicare within a short period of time (I think it's 60 days). It's cheaper for me to pay my employer's low premiums than to move into Medicare now, and MM pays 90%, rather than 80%.

I just retired

Re: Medicare B Question

geezerette — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:44:15 GMT

The best place to find out your answer would be to contact your (previous) employer.

It sounds like you’re saying that your employer is telling you that you need to have Medicare A & B along with a Medicare supplemental policy to keep your employer health insurance. While I've not dealt with this personally, everyone else I know that has retired with employer health insurance has that employer insurance as their Medicare supplemental policy. In some cases, the employer will pay for a supplemental policy instead of offering their own. I’ve also heard of some individuals having multiple employer polices, although these are becoming more rare. But I’ve never heard of anyone having Medicare, a private supplemental Medicare policy and employer health insurance.

Whatever the case, you need to find out for sure quickly, because if you do need an additional policy, there is a time limit for automatic acceptance for Medicare supplemental policies.