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Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

I'm home, but what a drive! UNGH!  From Ventura all the way home the traffic was bumper-to-bumper or close to it; traffic close to home added 45 min. to the trip at least. Had to swing by my place, take stuff out of rental car, put in my car, take rental car back, wait for drive home, schlep stuff from my car upstairs, then collapse.

 

No food in the house, so Pop-Tarts for "lunch." Don't want to go back out right now. Will order dinner delivered - NOT paid for with my debit card :-(

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

@GingerPeach wrote:

Good morning, everyone.

 

I'm like you, @Moonchilde, it seems.

I prefer the supplemental plan to the Advantage plans.  I don't like being in an HMO.  I prefer the choice.

 

At one point in my career, one of my employers offered Kaiser (a West Coast HMO) as their best option and the rheumatologist there was luckily someone who actually worked with a patient.  But years later when I considered rejoining, he'd retired and the new one was one of those "bully" doctors and, as the head of the dept, was the last straw in my deciding to leave HMOs behind.

 

  


@GingerPeach, I have been under HMO docs for quite a few years, due to cost. While I don't always like it, I just deal with it :-(  I also had Kaiser for one year - couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

 

I would be happy to have a Medicare Advantage plan because they are all-inclusive (and cheap), but the insurance companies just do not offer them where I will be living. I can't get one. The local doctors there cobbled together something they CALL a MA plan, but they charge large co-pays for office visits and their premiums are as much as the Medigap plans, which have no co-pays, so I decided heck no.

 

I also had to get a separate Part D Rx plan with separate premium :-(

 

There is one thing I'm hesitant about - a plan that does not pay for "excess charges" vs one that does. The medical group I will be using does not do excess charges, but I don't know if specialists in the area do or not, and really no practical way to find out.  Sigh.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,415
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

I guess I misread your posts that you weren't shopping for such a plan.

 

In any event, I do not like HMOs.  The program might be OK (in Kaiser, for example, the x-rays and prescriptions were all in the same complex -- under "one roof" almost), but I never liked the quality of the doctors.

 

While I was working, PPO plans worked better for me (except with that one company that did not offer them), and now that there is Medicare, the supplemental plan works.

 

Insurance was always so much simpler with an employer.  You just sat at your desk and checked off the boxes you wanted.  The employer had done all the research so, even though your plan choices were limited to those options, you didn't need to search through multiple sites to decipher differences.

[was Homegirl] Love to be home . . . thus the screen name. Joined 2003.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Can We Talk?

[ Edited ]

OMG ordeal! Trying very hard to be diligent, proactive, and make the best choices for down the road apiece, balancing cost/future benefits/future deductibles, etc. I have literally spent 5 straight hours either on the phone or online, researching. I finally just electronically signed a supplement policy. Whew! I hope it's time well spent. At least it's a load off my mind.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

@GingerPeach I was looking a couple of months ago and mentioned MA plans, but quickly found out (and mentioned) that there is only one crappy not-really plan where I'll be living, not any insurance company-based plans at all available to me for MA no matter whether I want one - I can't have one.

 

The downside is with Medicare supplements (vs MA), Rx plans are separate with separate premiums. But it is what it is. I learned a LOT today.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,416
Registered: ‎11-03-2013

Just wanted to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and safe New Year!

 

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

DD was in a car accident the other night, in the middle of a freeway pile-up, she was not driving.  Taken to the hospital, CT scan.  She has a concussion and a few other injuries, none serious but painful.

 

She has been home for a couple of days, some improvement today.  I've planned a day of getting her mind on fun and began with playing the Seinfield/Obama video for her, we laughed.  New books for her to look at and DH will pick up new movies at Redbox. 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,416
Registered: ‎11-03-2013

Oh @Noel7 I so hope your daughter is ok . . . this is certainly no way to ring in 2016 . . . prayers to you and yours that you have a lovely evening and positive thoughts to your daughter that she will be feeling better very soon!

 

Peace and good health to you and your family in 2016 @Noel7!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@momtochloe wrote:

Oh @Noel7 I so hope your daughter is ok . . . this is certainly no way to ring in 2016 . . . prayers to you and yours that you have a lovely evening and positive thoughts to your daughter that she will be feeling better very soon!

 

Peace and good health to you and your family in 2016 @Noel7!


**********************************

 

@momtochloe

 

Thank you, mtc, good thoughts and prayers are appreciated.  I was just sick at heart when I got the call, thankfully she was near a hospital and they took good care of her.  The bruises and painful back and knees showed up the next day.  She's in good spirits today.

 

I wish you and yours all the best in the coming new year, too.  Health, wealth and happiness Heart