Getting switched with little warning into Medicare... - Page 13

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

From what I've been told I wouldn't want one of those Advantage plans.

I realize not everybody can afford the others, but, we're staying with the F plan for as long as we can.

IamMrsG · ‎08-29-2010

@SharkE wrote:
From what I've been told I wouldn't want one of those Advantage plans.
I realize not everybody can afford the others, but, we're staying with the F plan for as long as we can.

@SharkE I know someone who is a medical insurance recovery specialist. In simplistic terms, her job is to help doctors recoup denied claims by finding errors in their paperwork. She teaches college courses for doctors in the art of filing insurance claims.

Anyway, (I told you that so I can tell you this...), I made my insurance decision away from Advantage Plans based on just one thing she told me, "I've sat in too many meetings where medically untrained Advantage Plan office staff were making medical decisions for clients based solely on costs. They deny treatment for patients they've never laid eyes on--and could not diagnose if they did--just to save money."

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

That's what I've heard all along. I knew if I bought it up in to much detail I would be bashed by others who have it. My agent, who, seems to know what he's talking about he's our ages in his 60's and doesn't need our business told us of cases where people didn't fare so well.

Some people came to him crying because they couldn't afford a 20.00 increase in their premiums, etc. All kinds of different situations out there. We can afford better plans and our whole idea is to protect our assets from medical ruin.

Yrs. ago my mother in law yelled at her son "they will take your house" LOL Don't know how accurate that is , but, don't want to find out either. In this country you either pay insurance from the cradle to the grave or go on Medicaid.

Isobel Archer · ‎04-04-2015

@151949 wrote:
@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.

If you are referring to the Long Term Care increase - yes I guess I did not do my homework since I stupidly believed the government assurances that the rates would not increase. The premiums were based on age and acturial tables. and we were told it was like buying life insurance where the premiums do not increase over time. This turned out to be a lie. But, I guess in your view, I somehow should have known this.

Sort of like some people believed - if you like your insurance/doctor, you can keep it apparently.

However, I am at a loss - and maybe you can advise me - as to how I could have avoided the increase in Medicare due to paying it from other than social security.

Actually, to be honest, I think a more appropriate response from you would be to thank those of us subsizing your medicare payyments so that you don't have to pay the increase.

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

I think what she refers to "Long Term Care' is not a Gov. thing . It's when U buy your own John Hancock policy. Most people can't afford it. Has nothing to do with Gov. Medicare, SS, etc.

Private pay

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@SharkE Thanks for this claification. I don't think she has any idea at all how insurance works for the vast majority of people who are not government employees and tries to project her experience onto everyone when her's has little to do with the rest of us. For instance - people who work for the government get to make choices - most people who work for private companies are told this one option is what we offer - take it or leave it.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@SharkE wrote:
From what I've been told I wouldn't want one of those Advantage plans.
I realize not everybody can afford the others, but, we're staying with the F plan for as long as we can.

For us it wasn't about not affording a plan F - it is about not wanting to spend our money foolishly to buy it when we don't feel we need that much expensive coverage. There is such a thing as over insuring yourself. Some day we may feel it is time for us to buy into that - but not right now.

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

We're insurance poor. Home, car, medical, on and on. Never ends.

If we could get back all the money we've spent on it all of our lives I could buy out QVC and have change left over. LOL Rename Q

'QSharke' LOL

SharkE · ‎08-19-2010

Plan F won't be offered any more after 2020. Who knows what is coming down the pike after the first of the yr. Even my insurance man is shaking in his boots. We're grandfathered in. He's (insurance man) got 4 yrs till he can get on Medicare. My sister who is 63 can't age fast enough to get it too. I'm signing up in Sept.-Oct.

Soon as I get my confirmation from the Gov. We're going out to a ritzy place and toasting each other. Both of us will be set then.

Happy Dance

Happy Dance !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Witchy Woman · ‎03-15-2010

@Isobel Archer

Don't want to get into all the other stuff, but wanted to mention to you that I opted not to buy the government's Long Term Care coverage. DH and I spent months talking to private carriers and finally settled on one.

If it is any comfort, ours has increased too. Cannot tell you how much, but it's gone up. In all honestly, I cannot remember much about the marketing of the government plan because we opted for our own coverage. If they told you it wouldn't increase, and it did, that's unfortunate for sure.

As to the Medicare increase, there's just nothing we can do about that. As Feds who do not get SS, we are stuck. No amount of "homework" can change that.

Just wanted you to know you were not alone in increasing costs. You can always switch to another LTC plan, but, as you know, they are pretty pricey at this point. Heck they were pricey when we first purchased them. But, we are alone (no children) and I worried endlessly about how we would cope in our old age. This, at least, gives me some comfort.

Now, whether it will ultimately help us when we get old remains to be seen.