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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,373
Registered: ‎04-04-2015

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage

@Witchy Woman and @Allegheny

 

Glad to help.  I worked in HR for the Air Force - altho never in Benefits so I was thankful to be able to find the info when I needed it.

 

I, also stayed in CSRS and am happy I did.  Am also happy with FEHB.

 

I wish I could say the same for the Long Term Care insurance I bought when it first came out.  We were assured then the price would not go up.  Then it did - and now it's more than doubling.  Not sure what I'm going to do about that.

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,764
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage


@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@Kalli wrote:

@scotnovel wrote:

It seems unlikely that the OP would have only received one notification before being switched.  I personally received several letters from my insurance company over a period of several months before I was eligible for medicare regarding the potential upcoming switch.  I chose to go with a different company and simply called mine to make sure my existing policy was cancelled in a timely fashion.  

 

This is another lesson that we are all responsible for understanding what is happening with our own health care and financial business especially when it is time to get medicare.   


 

 

I don't disagree but sometimes we don't even know that we don't know something.  She didn't know that signing up with a different plan wasn't enough.  She probably thought the rest of the mail was more solicitations.  She made a mistake.  But sometimes we just don't know we're doing something the wrong way.  I know I'd have thought if I signed up for a certain insurance, that that's the insurance I'd have.  I wouldn't have thought the previous insurance had rights to continue considering me their client after I switched.

 

I think there's a reason the previous insurance did what they did...because they CAN.  Not because they should.  There's $$$ involved - that's why they're doing this.   They have the right to send letters and if there's no response, they can continue to believe you're their customer.  It should be the other way around.  

 

What if this was the case with every business you patronize???  


@Kalli

 

Well, let's keep in mind that there's the issue of providing continuity, too.    In many cases, people like what they are familiar with ....  what they know well.  

 

If someone doesn't even bother to review the finer points of their coverage, and whether they need to select each year, or it automatically rolls over, there can be consequences.

 

 


 

Oh, pfft.  My dad's a retired insurance agent, brother's a lawyer.  It's about the $$$.  Continuity is their justification (that they hope we'll all fall for. ) Smiley Very Happy Smiley Wink

 

Anyway, humor aside, I'm glad I read this discussion.  I'm going to be very careful this doesn't happen to my husband who just 2 days ago finalized and submitted his Medicare paperwork.  We thought we were done with all the decisions but I can see we are just beginning.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,970
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage


@Marp wrote:

From:  https://www.medicare.gov/supplement-other-insurance/medigap/whats-medigap.html

 

What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)?
 

A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy, sold by private companies, can help pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

 

Some Medigap policies also offer coverage for services that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like medical care when you travel outside the U.S. If you have Original Medicare and you buy a Medigap policy, Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. Then your Medigap policy pays its share.

 

A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan. Those plans are ways to get Medicare benefits, while a Medigap policy only supplements your Original Medicare benefits.

 

8 things to know about Medigap policies 

 

  1. You must have Medicare Part A and Part B.
  2. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can apply for a Medigap policy, but make sure you can leave the Medicare Advantage Plan before your Medigap policy begins.
  3. You pay the private insurance company a monthly premium for your Medigap policy in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.
  4. A Medigap policy only covers one person. If you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, you'll each have to buy separate policies.
  5. You can buy a Medigap policy from any insurance company that's licensed in your state to sell one.
  6. Any standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable even if you have health problems. This means the insurance company can't cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.
  7. Some Medigap policies sold in the past cover prescription drugs, but Medigap policies sold after January 1, 2006 aren't allowed to include prescription drug coverage. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D).
  8. It's illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy if you have a Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plan

 

THERE IS MORE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE LINKED ARTICLE.


______________________________________________________---

 

Thanks for posting the information Marp! 

 

It is pretty clear that Part B is not a medi-gap plan.   


* Freedom has a taste the protected will never know *
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage


@SharkE wrote:

@wonderfulworld wrote:

I have had traditional BC/BS at almost $900.00 a month for just me, auto deduction from my checking account.. My husband is already on Medicare.

 

I also received the letter about seamlessly being enrolled in their Medicare Advantage plan. I in no way wanted to continue with BC/BS and definitely did not want an Advantage Plan. I had to send them a letter 'opting out' of the Advantage plan.

 

To make sure I did not get stuck with them I cancelled my auto deduction and paid by check for my last several months of traditional BC/BS.

 

I am not receiving social security so I write three checks a month...one for medicare, one to Mutual of Omaha for my Medicare Supplement plan and one to Humana for prescription drug coverage. It is a bit less than half of what I have been paying.

 

 

Heads up: in my recent research I was told that Congress has mandated that Medicare supplement Plan F  be eliminated in 2020. Those who have it can continue but it is anticipated that the price will go up quickly as the number enrolled decreases.

Has anyone else heard this? My husband has F. Our agent recommended plan G for me.


If your talking about Mutual of Omaha Plan F supplemental policy then, yes, it's due to expire in 2020, but, we got grandfathered in, my husband was already in it, I will be in Dec. His rate went down 7% when I got on his plan.

Mutual of Omaha Plan F is the best . What I was told. Plan G is 2nd best and a little cheaper.

 

I can't wait to kick Humana private policy to the curb. No more huge premiums to that lot. Getting old can be a good thing sometimes. LOL

 

My insurance man told me with the election we don't know what's coming down the pike regarding future insurance.

 

All I know is my Medicare Part B will be 120 a month taken from my SS check, another 140 we will pay to Mutual for Plan F, but, we should never see a bill. For the both of us 120x2, then, 140x2 still cheaper then the one policy I have on just me , now.


 

 

As it was explained to me by the insurance agent, each Plan has the same benefits no matter which company provides it, i.e. Aetna's Plan F pays exactly the same as MofA or United Healthcare or company Z you've never heard of's Plan F coverage; this is by law/regulations.

 

Plan F (for all insurance companies) is indeed disappearing in 2020. You can still sign up for it until then, and keep it, but the premiums are going to jump and keep going up, from now until 2020 and on.

 

Plan G (which I also have, on the recommendation of the insurance agent) is exactly the same coverage as Plan F except that the patient is responsible for the yearly Plan B deductible and pays that out of pocket. Since that is currently $166 for me, I felt that was a good deal, as the monthly premium difference between Plans F and G was about $35.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,092
Registered: ‎01-02-2011

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage

Understanding that I need to check out the options myself, I've gained some good insight on this thread from several postersSmiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 36,053
Registered: ‎08-19-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage

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. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,010
Registered: ‎08-29-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage


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. 



@SharkE  Oh, do I ever hear that!  I just happily paid my last private insurance premium before transferring to Medicare.  Between premiums and deductions, but not including co-pays, we've been paying $10K a year just for me.  The combined Medicare premiums for DH and myself will be less than half what we've been paying just for me.   Signing onto Medicare is going to save us thou$ands.  Takes out a lot of the sting about turning 65.  

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage


@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. 


 

 

True, but the typical rate increase PER YEAR for Medicare supplements from the major companies is 5% to at times 10% depending upon the company. And Plan F will go up at *least* that much and more. 

 

They all go up, the agent told me that - but the company I went with averages 2-3% a year - much better than average. So it does pay to shop around.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage


@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.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,574
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

Re: Getting switched with little warning into Medicare Advantage

@Carmie

 

ITA.