topic Re: Medicare and additional insurance in Community Chat

Medicare and additional insurance

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:01:37 GMT

If you are on medicare with a suppement...do you also purchase Vision insurance? My husband and I have dental and vision insurance, but I am wondering if the vision is necessary.

He does have an eye condition that is not overly serious, when he sees the eye doctor they bill his medicare and supplement policy. I am just not sure paying the the vision is necessary.

I probably should go thru my paperwork from this year to see what was billed to our vision insurance...but thought I'd ask for any advice/input. thanks

...

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Effie54 — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:03:26 GMT

Well yes! Vision is necessary. Many times eye disease doesn't develop until our latter years. My ophthalmologist told me that everyone, yes everyone in their life will have cataracts. There are many undiagnosed I diseases out there, and of course he would want insurance, Medicare supplement to pay for surgery, and medication if needed. It's one of the most halves on the Medicare plan.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

kaydee50 — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:15:56 GMT

We've been going to LensCrafters for our eye exams ($59 as an AARP member) and they usually offer significant discounts on their glasses.

Having said that, we plan to switch to United Healthcare's Advantage PPO for next year which includes free eye exams, and covers most of the expense of eyeglasses. It also includes a dental plan, both of which are important to me at this stage of life.

Good luck making a decision!

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:26:48 GMT

@Effie54 ...my queston was if having an additional vision policy was necessary.

Cataract suregery would be covered under your supplement and medicare since it is medical.

I do realize the VISION policy cover exams and glasses.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Mistreatedbycs — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:41:16 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

I can't answer your question specifically only you can, you know what the concerns are regarding your husband and yourself

but

I can answer the question on insurance.

Why do we have insurance? To pay for catastrophic losses if any occur. You might not have any but the chance you may have one in your lifetime is monumental. The costs are astronomical and it could financially wipe you out, that's why we have insurance. Do I like to pay those fee's, no, but I'm sure glad when I need to file a claim, I do have someone to file it with.

If you are willing to gamble that nothing will happen and are financially sound to afford to take risks, then you don't need it.

I couldn't understand why my mom for years and years were paying those insurance premiums but the last 8 years of her life, I am so happy she did, everything was covered 100% and if she didn't have that insurance, she would of been wiped out financially.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:53:59 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs Oh I understand the need for insurance, I am just not sure we NEED vision insurance. The cost is not high - it's not about the money, it is more of a curious quesion.

I don't get new glasses every year or have my eyes examined, yearly.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

gidgetgh — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:01:12 GMT

@Mom2Dogs - I understand your question. I have been on Medicare for exactly 1 year.

I have Medicare and a supplement only.

I did not choose to get a separate vision plan. I pay for my eye exam and glasses (which are very expensive) out of pocket.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:03:29 GMT

@gidgetgh Thanks for the reply...you are correct, glasses are very expensive!

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

millieshops — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:12:23 GMT

@Mom2Dogs No probably about it. Do your research.

years ago I heard an insurance agent lament that too many people spend more time deciding which pair of trousers to buy than they do when they buy insurances.

Doing my insurances right saves me money month after month. What will work for your family depends upon your own needs, maybe not even close to min3 or anyone else here today

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:16:47 GMT

@millieshops ...I am only asking about VISION INSURANCE...

NOT a supplement which I have.

I am aware of the importance of insurace.

H Re: Medicare and additional insurance

patbz — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:19:37 GMT

DH and I don't have vision insurance and we both had cataract surgery ( out of pocket total for both of us less than $500). Opthamalogist is no cost to us due to Medicare and we buy glasses from zennioptical online for less than $120 per pair including frames and progressives. Also don't have dental insurance which so fine for me but DH has cost thousands over the years but I checked and even with dental it would have cost us close to same. We use care credit to pay that money over time with no interest.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

CelticCrafter — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 17:46:13 GMT

@Mom2Dogs this is just my opinion but if your husbands eye exams are covered by Medicare because he has a condition and it were me I would drop it.

There is always some place that is giving deals on glasses should he need them.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

geezerette — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 18:03:24 GMT

It really depends on your own situation and what type of vision plan you're talking about.

For myself, when I checked what the vision plans cost and what they actually covered, I figured I'd be just as well off paying myself. Yes, the glasses I normally end up with are very expensive, but a vision plan would only cover part of their cost. I'd still be liable for the rest, along with all the premiums throughout the year for the plan itself. The cost came out about the same for me.

You may find it a better buy for your situation, depending on what type of plan is available to you.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

millieshops — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 20:52:03 GMT

@Mom2Dogs sorry I wasn't. clear. Even for vision insurance, it pays to check -- what you need and what the plan actually pays.

My vision insurance was not in my main policies - it was separate. All my medical vision bills were paid through those main policies. Even in the years I can cataract surgeries and during years I had several other surgeries, the vision policy was essentially worthless to me.

It covered about the equivalent of a co-pay for one pair of glasses every other year.

I assume there are better policies, but you have to need what they pay. Mine didn't and once I wasn't working and required to carry it, I cancelled.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

gertrudecloset — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 23:03:12 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

I don't have vision insurance. The premium on a monthly basis is the cost of an eye exam and some of the cost for the glasses and lens. You can only go once a year or in some cases less. Of course, if you have a medical need the costs could add up if you don't have one.

Do what's best for your household.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Mistreatedbycs — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 03:17:04 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

Coming from an optometry family, it very important to get your eyes examined every year.

As you get older, the muscles weaken and more can go wrong.

It's not a matter of getting new glasses every year but getting an exam to make sure that you are not getting cataracts or any other eye disease.

Better to catch something before than take care of it when it's too late.

Just my two cents.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

CalminHeart — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 11:27:21 GMT

I alway carry vision insurance. I'm lucky that my vision and dental could be elected through my employer pension plan. If not, I'd have to find other coverage. I hope these are added to Medicare soon.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

Cats3000 — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 17:45:10 GMT

@Mom2DogsWe have Medicare and Medigap policies. They pay for the majority of our medical care. I had a Cataract removed; between the 2 policies, the procedures were paid in full. Some of the regular vision examination procedures are covered by Medicare, others ar not. We pay out of pocket for the ones that are not.

We do not have dental insurance. We found that you have to go to one of these franchise dental groups to get coverage. We wanted to stay with our current dentists.

Re: Medicare and additional insurance

ROMARY — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 20:14:16 GMT

I like L*nscr*fters.

I haven't been there since the C epidemic, but last time I was there they had a section of glasses including lenses for something like $99.

I believe the exam was $79 ?.

Anyway, I could have had a free exam at my HMO's exam offices, but decided that I'd do everything at L*nscr*fters, for convenience. They are very quick re: grinding the lenses, etc. No two or three week wait. Etc.

That was at that time. Who knows about now.