Community Chat

[Carmie]

There are two types of Medicare Advantage Plans.  one is an HMO. with this type you must use an in- network doctor and you must get referrals to see a specialist.  They are very restrictive 

Th either type is a PPO.  With most PPO Advantage Plans, you can use any in network doctor.  Some allow out of network doctors as well.

It depends on where you live as to how good your plan is.  states like Florida have some great Advantage Plans.  Here in PA, most of the are not so good and have many restrictions and they are costly. They have high deductibles and copays as well.

The Advantage Plans in PA have not gone down in price.  They go every year just like the Traditional Plans.

Many Advantage Plans in PA have gone belly-up and the seniors have to scramble to get a new one.  They are not available in all areas.

The article posted states the Medicare Part B premium has gone up for 2020 and everyone will have to pay the higher fee.  It doesn't matter if you have Traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage.  It will take a big bite out of everyone's COLA.

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Foxxee wrote:

They dollar retirees every year, but over a period of time it becomes significant.

This is sneaky of Medicare to raise rates that use all or much of the COLA increase.  I've been watching my parents' Medicare and COLAS for quite some time and Medicare has been doing this for quite some time.  

Interest rates for 10 years on safe CD's, preferable for many seniors than volatile stocks, since the crash in 2008 have been next to nothing.  Then, when rates began going up because the Federal Reserve raised their interest rates, the feds began decreasing them again with CD rates following suit. 

Banks say CD interest rates are based on whether they need money or not.  I haven't seen that to be the case.  They follow the Federal Reserve.  

Seniors can't live on SS alone...they supplement it with interest from their savings investments.  With nothing coming from savings, how do they pay for Medicare and supplemental insurance, food, utility, gas, property taxes, etc. increases?  They must dip into their actual savings.  When that's gone, what do they do?

But, seniors never speak up to those who can do something about this.  Senior organizations like AARP are doing nothing to help them.

Remember, our government has billions to give to other people.  Had the government not stolen 2 trillion dollars from SS over the years, there'd be enough for higher COLAS.  The SS system of determining COLA needs to be changed to be fair.  

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@Foxxee 

It was never meant for SS to be anyone's sole source of retirement income.   The government has borrowed and paid back from SS a few times, but it does need some revamping.   I doubt anything positive will happen  to SS for at least 18 months.   JMO

[ann1989]

A woman I know with an Advantage Plan told us that they denied her a mastectomy but approved a lumpectomy. 

Another who lives in the state of Washington said that her Advantage Plan leaves her with a huge out of pocket owed when she has been hospitalized.  She said she had to beg for a reduction and preferably a complete write off.  She said one time $5000 was written off. Problem with that is someone else will have to pay for it.  The Advantage Plans can't sustain itself by writing off everyone's out of pocket expense. 

[Cats3000]

We got a "double-whammy" because our income went up.  We have to pay surcharges on Part B & Part D.  The amount we'll receive is less than last year.

[tobes]

@Tinkrbl44 Make sure your physician is listed on your insurance plan.  I have an AETNA PPO Advantage Plan that allows me  to see any physician anywhere in the US as long as the physician is on the AETNA plan and this plan that I have allows me to see a specialst without a referral.  Premium for this is zero.  I would think that the AETNA plan includes a long list of physician who accept their plan

[Mindy D]

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@ann1989 wrote:

A woman I know with an Advantage Plan told us that they denied her a mastectomy but approved a lumpectomy. 

Another who lives in the state of Washington said that her Advantage Plan leaves her with a huge out of pocket owed when she has been hospitalized.  She said she had to beg for a reduction and preferably a complete write off.  She said one time $5000 was written off. Problem with that is someone else will have to pay for it.  The Advantage Plans can't sustain itself by writing off everyone's out of pocket expense. 

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When one is in the process of choosing between available Advantage Plans, one must look at the online information about each plan and then compare and contrast this information. Some Advantage Plans have higher annual out of pocket costs than others. Some require clients to obtain referrals before seeing a specialist. In my case, I chose a plan with a lower annual out of pocket, but I had to trade off the fact that I’m required to get referrals for specialists. In my husband’s case, he did just the opposite. He chose a plan with no requirement for referrals to specialists but with a higher annual out of pocket. I have a Blue Cross Plan; there were different options from Blue Cross. My husband has United Healthcare’s Preferred Partners Plan. My husband’s plan discontinued it’s use of our closest hospital after he signed up. My plan has this hospital and one specialist I see. My husband’s plan does not include this specialist. Both of us pay nothing for the plans. We do pay the Medicare Part B fees.

I found the supplement plans to be too expensive for the two the two of us. I know these plans have the advantage of use anywhere in the country and the advantage of not owing anything after hospitalization. That’s why the premiums are higher for them. 

Comparing plans requires time time and diligence. I compared all the providers, medicines costs and hospitals allowed for each plan I was considering. The plans are all available on the Medicare site. After I compared plans, I called Blue Cross to speak with a Blue Cross dedicated agent to sign me up. This agent knew about his company’s own plans. My sign up was easy because I was well prepared. I also made pdf  copies of the online plans and filed them on my iPad for future reference. 

For 2020 the Medicare.gov site is set up differently than it was last year. Information about plans is depicted differently form 2019. Just three of many different Blue Cross Advantage Plans for comparison. 

 

 

BlueMedicare Premier (HMO)Plan ID: H1035-025-0

Star rating:

This plan got Medicare's highest rating (5 stars)

$0.00

Medicare Advantage with drug coverage monthly premium

Doesn't include:
$144.60 Standard Part B premium

$0

Health plan deductible

The amount you must pay each year before your plan starts to pay for covered services.

$0.00

Drug deductible

The amount you must pay each year before your plan starts to pay for covered drugs.

$2,500 In-network

Out-of-pocket max

Once you spend this amount for covered services in a year, your plan pays 100% for your care.

BlueMedicare Choice (Regional PPO)Plan ID: R3332-001-0

Star rating:

3.5stars

$47.90

Regional PPO monthly premium

Doesn't include:
$144.60 Standard Part B premium

$950 annual deductible

Health plan deductible

The amount you must pay each year before your plan starts to pay for covered services.

$250.00

Drug deductible

The amount you must pay each year before your plan starts to pay for covered drugs.

$10,000 In and Out-of-network
$6,500 In-network

Out-of-pocket max

Once you spend this amount for covered serv

BlueMedicare Classic (HMO)Plan ID: H1035-019-0

Star rating:

This plan got Medicare's highest rating (5 stars)

$0.00

Medicare Advantage with drug coverage monthly premium

Doesn't include:
$144.60 Standard Part B premium

$0

Health plan deductible

The amount you must pay each year before your plan starts to pay for covered services.

$0.00

Drug deductible

The amount you must pay each year before your plan starts to pay for covered drugs.

$5,000 In-network

Out-of-pocket max

Once you spend this amount for covered services in a year, your plan pays 100% for your care.

 

[Foxxee]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

---

@Foxxee wrote:

They dollar retirees every year, but over a period of time it becomes significant.

This is sneaky of Medicare to raise rates that use all or much of the COLA increase.  I've been watching my parents' Medicare and COLAS for quite some time and Medicare has been doing this for quite some time.  

Interest rates for 10 years on safe CD's, preferable for many seniors than volatile stocks, since the crash in 2008 have been next to nothing.  Then, when rates began going up because the Federal Reserve raised their interest rates, the feds began decreasing them again with CD rates following suit. 

Banks say CD interest rates are based on whether they need money or not.  I haven't seen that to be the case.  They follow the Federal Reserve.  

Seniors can't live on SS alone...they supplement it with interest from their savings investments.  With nothing coming from savings, how do they pay for Medicare and supplemental insurance, food, utility, gas, property taxes, etc. increases?  They must dip into their actual savings.  When that's gone, what do they do?

But, seniors never speak up to those who can do something about this.  Senior organizations like AARP are doing nothing to help them.

Remember, our government has billions to give to other people.  Had the government not stolen 2 trillion dollars from SS over the years, there'd be enough for higher COLAS.  The SS system of determining COLA needs to be changed to be fair.  

---

@Foxxee 

It was never meant for SS to be anyone's sole source of retirement income.   The government has borrowed and paid back from SS a few times, but it does need some revamping.   I doubt anything positive will happen  to SS for at least 18 months.   JMO

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@Tinkrbl44 

Without going into all the detail, simply, SS assets must be invested...it does, in U.S. bonds.  The government, as with any money received from the sale of its bonds, uses that money.  It is unable to pay SS if it wanted to cash them in. It doesn't pay anything unless SS cashes in some bonds.  

It's similar to putting money in bank savings accounts.  The bank uses that money, but must be able to pay if the customer wants to withdraw some or all of it.  

Quite a few use the word "stolen" when referring to the government's use of SS bond reserves.  But, in the end it IS stolen, because it will most likely never be able to pay for those bonds if cashed in.  

Some of that money the U.S. is using is going towards groups of recipients on welfare.  Why is the govt using SS money for welfare recipients, many who aren't even American citizens?  

I hear more everyday retirees being forced out of their homes.  They can no longer afford school and property taxes.  As for school taxes, some of them never had children, but must pay for others' children.  Imagine being forced out of your home because of others' children.  That might sound like a terrible thing to say, but it's reality. 

On top of that, these same seniors are paying state, local, and federal taxes, some that also goes towards welfare.  Some of these seniors are not eligible to receive welfare, maybe by only $10.

Currently SS is just taking in enough to pay recipients.  Surely, they should be able to cash in some of their bonds for the $2.9 trillion, but the money is not available to pay it.  

Besides SS, the government has taken money from Medicare, no intentions to pay it back.  They just took it.  

Do you think the government has been treating seniors fairly considering they paid into this insurance policy called Social Security and many welfare recipients have never paid anything into anything and aren't even citizens?  

[ALRATIBA]

I Recently spent 3 days in the hospital. I have regular Medicare and retirement benefit supplement. Haven’t seen the bill yet, but my supplement is supposed to pick up after Medicare with a small co-pay.

[ALRATIBA]

@Tinkrbl44

I agree. I worked until I was 68 to maximize my SS, and for the prior 15 years saved/invested as much as I cloud to have “comfortable “ retirement. I worked in financial services and learned a lot about planning for retirement.

SS is only 1/3 of my monthly income and so far after 9 years I still haven’t had to touch my savings.