Community Chat

[Stray]

Don't opt out of the plan totally....all it takes is one illness and the cost of medications can really hurt you financially....we never know what will happen as we age...

in my town, our local pharmacist sets up a table and assists his clients re choice of plans and best coverage based on their medications which is really quite helpful. 

Since you have no prescribed meds, opt for the cheapest premium but don't opt out.  My husband was perfectly healthy one day and critically ill the next day ....just the cost of IV medications and supplies while at home were phenomenal but with insurance, we paid a total of $60.  

[Tenners]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

@Tenners, the ppo you mentioned ,is through AARP,correct?

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Yes, that's correct.

[Tenners]

Yes, it is through AARP.

[Tenners]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

There is part A,B C,&D,  d is drug coverage, we have to choose that ,coorect, What does every one do about A& B,  you have to buy insurance to take care of the20% that A does not pay, how much is taken out of for part A, from ss?Not sure if i made any sense.

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Part A Medicare is Hospital Benefits, like when you are admitted to a hospital.  There is no monthly premium for Part A Medicare.  You sign up as soon as you are eligible for Medicare.

Part B is Medical Benefits, like when you go see your PCP (Primary Care Physician) or go see your specialist, like a cardiologist, for example.  Medicare Part B costs me $126 a month.  It's not free.  Everybody who signs up for Part B pays a monthly premium.  It's automatically taken out of your Social Security.  

The following info depends on the state and county you live in.  These plans are not the same everywhere and monthly premiums vary.

You can buy a Supplement plan to offset some of the charges Medicare doesn't pay for in Plan B.  You will have to pay a monthly premium for your Supplement Plan.  You need to compare plans to see which one fits you best.

Plan D is Prescription Drugs.  There are several Supplement plans out there to choose from.  Again, you'll pay a monthly premium for these plans. You need to compare plans too for best fit for you.

Another option if you don't like any of the Supplemental Plans for Medical and Prescription Drug coverage is to buy a Part C Medicare Advantage Plan.  Almost all of these plans provide both Medical and Prescription Drug coverage in the same plan.  Some have monthly premiums, some do not.  Some are HMOs and some are PPOs which will have physician networks.  You pay more per visit if you go to a doctor who is not in your network.  I got a Medicare Advantage plan that is a PPO with no monthly premium.  

Bottom line is if you are confused and have a computer the info is out there and there are people who can explain it to you.  I went through AARP and signed up for one with United Healthcare.  There is no way out of doing some research.  Just make sure what you pick is accepted by your doctor(s) and your drugs are covered too.  I emphasize this because my cardiologist's office told me my doctor accepted an HMO I was really interested in, but when I questioned United Healthcare, it turned out he does not accept the HMO but he does accept the PPO.  So I got the PPO.  I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of surprised patients out there with the HMO when they are not covered.  Not everyone in the doctor's office is an expert when they advise you on insurance matters.  Best to check with the insurance company and go with what they say.  After all they are the ones who will either pay or deny your claim.