Community Chat

[kitty60]

It amazes me how little people really know about medicare.  I volunteer with people who have had excellent jobs over the years yet they know nothing about what they have, why they have it or what they pay for it.  People have to realize that supplements to medicare vary..diifferent states may have different plans and what you pay as co pay or deductibles depend on the plan you purchase.

Be informed, read, sit down with an independent agent and make the right decision for you!

[Zaimee]

Plan F no longer an option as of Jan. 2020 unless you were eligible before that date.

[Trinity11]

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@kitty60 wrote:

It amazes me how little people really know about medicare.  I volunteer with people who have had excellent jobs over the years yet they know nothing about what they have, why they have it or what they pay for it.  People have to realize that supplements to medicare vary..diifferent states may have different plans and what you pay as co pay or deductibles depend on the plan you purchase.

Be informed, read, sit down with an independent agent and make the right decision for you!

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Very sage advice as there always is a lot of opinion based info on any thread here about Medicare @kitty60 .

[Carmie]

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@Zaimee wrote:

Plan F no longer an option as of Jan. 2020 unless you were eligible before that date.

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Yes, you are correct. The government no longer allows insurance companies to sell Plans C, H and F ro new members.

These plans picked up the Medicare Part B deductible and H and F also covered the Medicare excess fee for provider who do not except the Medicare allowance and still charge the full amount billled.

This is so wrong.  Supplements are expensive to begin with and seniors cannot get 100% coverage with Supplements plus their Medicare anymore. It makes me sad and Angry.

[agb80]

We signed up for traditional medicare with supplement G.  We both were eligible for F but the premium was raised to such a ridiculous level it was less expensive for us to choose G and that's with paying the $203 per year.  In 2020 I didn't go to any provider so didn't have to pay the deductible, my husband on the other hand did. 

Regarding Advantage Plans the small print clearly states they can change their mind about any given thing they offer at any time.....so we don't trust them.

If we have a catastrophic event we don't want them telling us we have this huge out of pocket expense though they may have told us we wouldn't at sign up. 

At least with our traditional medicare and our supplement, we know what we are getting.  

[reiki604]

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@Carmie wrote:

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@Zaimee wrote:

Plan F no longer an option as of Jan. 2020 unless you were eligible before that date.

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Yes, you are correct. The government no longer allows insurance companies to sell Plans C, H and F ro new members.

These plans picked up the Medicare Part B deductible and H and F also covered the Medicare excess fee for provider who do not except the Medicare allowance and still charge the full amount billled.

This is so wrong.  Supplements are expensive to begin with and seniors cannot get 100% coverage with Supplements plus their Medicare anymore. It makes me sad and Angry.

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I was able to get plan F just under the wire. I am still having plan B and D deducted from my SS check. I have not had to go into pocket for co-pays or deductibles for treatments or surgery

[CelticCrafter]

@Carmie  we were told the excess fees were limited to a certain percentage over the assignment?  Is that true?

[NicksmomESQ]

@Carmie  I would like to thank you for all the Medicare help you have given us over the years. I learned a lot from you.DH & I went on Medicare in May when I turned 65. We transitioned off his employer plan.

  I had a clear understanding of Medicare which impressed our Medicare advisor. I was able to select a plan that works well for us. We are on original Medicare with a plan N supplement & an inexpensive part D drug plan.

  My DH's Cyberknife treatment cost a fortune.All we paid was his $203 deductible.If we had stayed with his employer plan DH would have had an out of pocket of $6500.

[CelticCrafter]

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@NicksmomESQ wrote:

@Carmie  I would like to thank you for all the Medicare help you have given us over the years. I learned a lot from you.DH & I went on Medicare in May when I turned 65. We transitioned off his employer plan.

  I had a clear understanding of Medicare which impressed our Medicare advisor. I was able to select a plan that works well for us. We are on original Medicare with a plan N supplement & an inexpensive part D drug plan.

  My DH's Cyberknife treatment cost a fortune.All we paid was his $203 deductible.If we had stayed with his employer plan DH would have had an out of pocket of $6500.

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@NicksmomESQ that's what we bought, Plan N and the cheapest drug plan we could find.

It's good to know someone else that has the same as us and has put it to the test.

My husband had to have surgery yesterday and this will be the first time using it since signing up.  

So far out of the 4 prescriptions we've had to pick up, 3 were free to us and the 4th one cost $2.13

[gertrudecloset]

All of the lettered plans people are talking about are TYPES OF SUPPLEMENTAL PLANS.  F, K, A, B and so on.

I was not referring to Medicare SUPPLEMENT PLANS.  I'm referring to Medicare.  Medicare C is what is called an Advantage Plan.

Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called "Part C" or "MA Plans," are an “all in one” alternative to Original Medicare. They are offered by private companies approved by Medicare.  If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you still have Medicare.  These "bundled" plans include Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance), and usually Medicare drug coverage (Part D).  SOME MA OR PART C PLANS DON'T COVER DRUGS.

If they don't you can get a stand a lone Part D Prescription Drug Plan.  NOT A PART D SUPPLEMENT PLAN.

THE SUPPLEMENT PLANS ARE LETTERED LIKE THE ADVANTAGE PLANS AND ORIGINAL MEDICARE. 

Original Mediare Part A

Original Medicare Part B

Advantage Plan Part C

Medicare Drug Coverage Part D.

Not all Medigap policies will be sold in every state.  Medigap is also known as a Supplement plan.  They too are lettered like Plan F, K, and they each have differing monthly costs and structures for your needs. 

Example for my area of a Supplement Plan A

Medigap Plan A

Plan DetailsView Policies

Monthly CostPremiums range from $169-$331 for a 65 year old Female that doesn't use tobacco

Doesn't include:
$148.50 Standard Part B premium

Medigap Plan B

Plan DetailsView Policies

Monthly CostPremiums range from $226-$510 for a 65 year old Female that doesn't use tobacco

Doesn't include:
$148.50 Standard Part B premium

Medigap Plan D

Plan DetailsView Policies

Monthly CostPremiums range from $391-$502 for a 65 year old Female that doesn't use tobacco

Doesn't include:
$148.50 Standard Part B premium

You can not have a Medicare Advantage Plan and a Medigap (supplement plan at the same time).  It's illegal.  You can only purchase a Medigap plan when using your stand alone TRADITIONAL Medicare.  Those monthly premiums you pay will help offset some of the 20% out of pocket costs that Medicare doesn't pay.  That's what the premium is for.  No one's gonna pay for your 20% share for nothing.  Either you pay a premium for it monthly or your income is so low that you get Special Needs plans that cover more for you.  It is not free.  You might not have to pay a dime, but SOMEONE IS PAYING IT FOR YOU.  If you live below the poverty line with a State that offers Medicaid then your state can supplement your Medicare with Medicaid.  This is all based on income.  Some people meet the qualifications, but their state Medicaid will tell them to spend a certain amount first, then they will pick up the rest.  It's called a "draw down."

The best thing to do when you're ready to get Medicare is to peruse the Medicare.gov website.  You can create an account, look at plans and speak to insurance agents of the particular plans your'e interested in. 

I do it every single year.  This way there is not cost to you.  I am not eligible for a Medigap/SUPPLEMENT policy (OF ANY KIND) as one must be a certain age (65) to purchase.  That's the law and it does not depend on your State.  It's a Medicare rule.