Community Chat

[Tinkrbl44]

@Carmie

I said the concept was similar ....  I thought that was pretty clear.

[Isobel Archer]

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@151949 wrote:

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@SharkE wrote:

I don't know of any insurance that won't jump up LOL

I'm just happy I won't be paying over 500 a month just for me any more.

They told me last yr. (Humana) that I was good till nov 2016. I kept mouth shut , but, thought, I'll be gone next yr. my fine friend. 

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I started medicare Aug 1,2010 and still pay exactly the same premium for my advantage plan I have paid since then - $0 /month . I and many other people only pay what is deducted from our SS check for medicare - in my case - and most people's case - that is $104/month. So anyway - no -ALL INSURANCE does not "jump up". And I am content with my insurance coverage - it is much better than we had when we were covered by my DH's company.

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Actually Medicare did go up from $104 this past year.  You didn't have to pay the increase since the law says if it's taken from SS and SS does not increase, SS beneficiaries are "held harmless" and do not pay the increase.

Those of us who don't get SS however, DID get to pay higher rates - to offset those of you who don't have to - and those of us Fed retirees didn't get a COL increase either.  No doubt it will increase again.

[151949]

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@Isobel Archer wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

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@SharkE wrote:

I don't know of any insurance that won't jump up LOL

I'm just happy I won't be paying over 500 a month just for me any more.

They told me last yr. (Humana) that I was good till nov 2016. I kept mouth shut , but, thought, I'll be gone next yr. my fine friend. 

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I started medicare Aug 1,2010 and still pay exactly the same premium for my advantage plan I have paid since then - $0 /month . I and many other people only pay what is deducted from our SS check for medicare - in my case - and most people's case - that is $104/month. So anyway - no -ALL INSURANCE does not "jump up". And I am content with my insurance coverage - it is much better than we had when we were covered by my DH's company.

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Actually Medicare did go up from $104 this past year.  You didn't have to pay the increase since the law says if it's taken from SS and SS does not increase, SS beneficiaries are "held harmless" and do not pay the increase.

Those of us who don't get SS however, DID get to pay higher rates - to offset those of you who don't have to - and those of us Fed retirees didn't get a COL increase either.  No doubt it will increase again.

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My point was - my premium from the ins. company has remained $0 for the entire 6 years. My amount deducted from my SS has slightly increased - about $6/month over the 6 years.

[Isobel Archer]

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@151949 wrote:

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@Isobel Archer wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

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@SharkE wrote:

I don't know of any insurance that won't jump up LOL

I'm just happy I won't be paying over 500 a month just for me any more.

They told me last yr. (Humana) that I was good till nov 2016. I kept mouth shut , but, thought, I'll be gone next yr. my fine friend. 

---

I started medicare Aug 1,2010 and still pay exactly the same premium for my advantage plan I have paid since then - $0 /month . I and many other people only pay what is deducted from our SS check for medicare - in my case - and most people's case - that is $104/month. So anyway - no -ALL INSURANCE does not "jump up". And I am content with my insurance coverage - it is much better than we had when we were covered by my DH's company.

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Actually Medicare did go up from $104 this past year.  You didn't have to pay the increase since the law says if it's taken from SS and SS does not increase, SS beneficiaries are "held harmless" and do not pay the increase.

Those of us who don't get SS however, DID get to pay higher rates - to offset those of you who don't have to - and those of us Fed retirees didn't get a COL increase either.  No doubt it will increase again.

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My point was - my premium from the ins. company has remained $0 for the entire 6 years. My amount deducted from my SS has slightly increased - about $6/month over the 6 years.

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Got it.  Just saying - mine went up $17.80 in the first year I was on it - an almost 18% increase.  And apparently, the initial idea was to make it over $140, but the Fed unions got this "compromise."  Again, not looking forward to what happens in the future - especially after  my Long Term Care (which when I bought it was sold as - your premiums are based on your current age and will never increase) just more than doubled.

[151949]

@Isobel Archer  The point is that just because YOUR insurance jumped up does not mean ALL insurance has jumped up. It is on the consumer to shop diligently and carefully each fall during the sign up period for what they can afford that will fill their needs. That is the point of the yearly sign up. Whining about how much more you have to pay does nothing - do your homework and save yourself some money or don't - but don't complain when you have to pay because you did not do the work. 

[151949]

Many people buy way more insurance than they actually NEED because they want that 100% coverage. There is a cost to that and , according to some posters here , that cost is going to rise dramatically. People need to be honest with themselves about how much insurance they actually need and how much they can afford vs just wanting to automatically have 100% coverage.

[kdgn]

Isobel and 151949: I believe you are both talking about the same thing, just in different terms.

A Medicare Advantage plan accepts the Medicare payment as payment in full. If your Medicare payment is $104 then that is what they accept. So technically premiums don't go up because you will not have to pay more than what the Medicare payment is. However, if your Medicare payment increases then the Advantage payment increases by the same amount.

What Isobel is referring to is this: Those of us who do not receive SS but do receive Medicare now pay more a month than those who have their Medicare payment taken directly from the SS check. Not only that but I have to write a check every 3 months-not once a month. 

So if you have $104 taken from your SS check to pay for you Medicare Advantage plan, those of us who don't have SS will be paying more for that same plan. I can't remember the exact amount but it's more than your $104. 

[SharkE]

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@151949 wrote:

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@SharkE wrote:

I don't know of any insurance that won't jump up LOL

I'm just happy I won't be paying over 500 a month just for me any more.

They told me last yr. (Humana) that I was good till nov 2016. I kept mouth shut , but, thought, I'll be gone next yr. my fine friend. 

---

I started medicare Aug 1,2010 and still pay exactly the same premium for my advantage plan I have paid since then - $0 /month . I and many other people only pay what is deducted from our SS check for medicare - in my case - and most people's case - that is $104/month. So anyway - no -ALL INSURANCE does not "jump up". And I am content with my insurance coverage - it is much better than we had when we were covered by my DH's company.

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Your SS will go up to the present rate of 120 . My sister is older then us and her and her husband are still 104 too, but, don't despair they will gradually lift that to where everybody is paying the new rate of 120 a month.

I'm not complaining 120 a month is better then Humana's rate. LOL

[151949]

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@kdgn wrote:

Isobel and 151949: I believe you are both talking about the same thing, just in different terms.

A Medicare Advantage plan accepts the Medicare payment as payment in full. If your Medicare payment is $104 then that is what they accept. So technically premiums don't go up because you will not have to pay more than what the Medicare payment is. However, if your Medicare payment increases then the Advantage payment increases by the same amount.

What Isobel is referring to is this: Those of us who do not receive SS but do receive Medicare now pay more a month than those who have their Medicare payment taken directly from the SS check. Not only that but I have to write a check every 3 months-not once a month. 

So if you have $104 taken from your SS check to pay for you Medicare Advantage plan, those of us who don't have SS will be paying more for that same plan. I can't remember the exact amount but it's more than your $104. 

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Not all advantage plans are premium free. Before we moved to Florida my DH had a BC/BS advantage plan in Pa that he had to pay $54 /month premium in addition to what was taken from his SS for medicare. It would be a good idea to know the facts before you decide to correct others.

[kdgn]

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@151949 wrote:

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Not all advantage plans are premium free. Before we moved to Florida my DH had a BC/BS advantage plan in Pa that he had to pay $54 /month premium in addition to what was taken from his SS for medicare. It would be a good idea to know the facts before you decide to correct others.

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You do understand that with some Advantage Plans there are different levels?  Not all insurance companies offer different levels but others do. 

Friends pay above the basic advantage plan monthly.