Community Chat

[DiAnne]

Besides the premiums going up my doctor was telling me that many specialists are refusing to treat Medicare patients.  She was saying it is becoming a big problem for her to refer patients.

[Hippiified]

@Carmie 

Sorry, I sorta got it backwards. It’s that your premium cannot go up by more than your SS went up. And it only applies to about 70 % of people.

You must have been enrolled in Part B before 2017 with premiums deducted from your Social Security check.

Also, it does not apply to the higher income brackets.

https://medicare.net/medicare-hold-harmless-clause-and-cola/

[Carmie]

@Hippiified   I am new to Medicare for myself.  I just went on it in May.

I have worked in health insurance since 1988, so I am familiar with Medicare and insurance.

What you are referring to is the " hold harmless rule."  This rule protects people who already have Medicare Part B.  If the Medicare Part B premium goes up and there is no COLA for Social Security for that year, the Medicare premium will stay the same until a COLA has been received.

However, all new Medicare enrollees will pay this higher premium immediately.  When the COLA is received, everyone has to pay the higher rate immediately.  The COLA might not 100% cover the price increase.

This has happened last year when the COLA was received.  There were was a lot of complaints from people on the boards.  They were paying the lower cost for Medicare for quite a while and the cost increase ate up social security raise.

[Hippiified]

@Carmie   Right.

[bathina]

My husband and I pay $930 a month for our coverage and still have to cover $6000 of initial expenses. We are constantly paying out of pocket for medical expenses and we're both healthy and take no meds. I'm not dreading 65 like I used to. $145 sounds like a bargain to me.

[cherry]

I think medicare and the post office ,are 2 of the most valuable assets, the taxpayer has

[SharkE]

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@bathina wrote:

My husband and I pay $930 a month for our coverage and still have to cover $6000 of initial expenses. We are constantly paying out of pocket for medical expenses and we're both healthy and take no meds. I'm not dreading 65 like I used to. $145 sounds like a bargain to me.

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I feel your pain, hubbo and I couple of yrs ago were paying over 1,000 for insurance can't remember the deductible at that time, but, we went out to a 'fine' restaurant when we both turned 65 and celebrated our good luck.

Makes living expenses so much better ! I'm on SS and have been for few yrs he is going to be on it at 70 next month. So, we're set !

@bathina 

[CelticCrafter]

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@Zaimee wrote:

Check out Medicare.gov

Part A no cost

PartB 135.50 or higher depends on income.       See chart

supplement optional

part D prescription plan optional

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Optional until you need it and can be turned down for a supplement or charged a higher premium because of existing conditions.  A supplement does not fall under the annual open enrollment period.

Part D if you don't sign up for it the first time you are eligible for it and do so at a later date you will be charged a penalty for the rest of your lifetime.

[Carmie]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

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@Zaimee wrote:

Check out Medicare.gov

Part A no cost

PartB 135.50 or higher depends on income.       See chart

supplement optional

part D prescription plan optional

---

Optional until you need it and can be turned down for a supplement or charged a higher premium because of existing conditions.  A supplement does not fall under the annual open enrollment period.

Part D if you don't sign up for it the first time you are eligible for it and do so at a later date you will be charged a penalty for the rest of your lifetime.

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No one can be turned down for supplemental insurance or charged more for it because of pre-x conditions as long as they purchase the insurance within their 6 month Medicare Part B enrollment period.

If this clause didn't exist, healthy people in their 60's would not buy a supplement or RX insurance until they were older or were sick enough to need the benefits.

BTW, there are many people who only have Traditional Medicare and no supplement.  Most of them do okay.  Medicare B is the same or better coverage than most working younger Americans have.  It is considered excellent coverage if you only have to pay 20% coinsurance and small deductibles....and the price can't be beat.

[Zaimee]

If you have coverage by your or spouse’s insurance at 65 you can wait to apply for Part B , supplement, and part D  without penalty. 

I was supposed to retire 3 years ago but received 3 years of extension (Fla. teacher 44 years). My  Cobra insurance would have been about $9000 a year with $4000 deductible plus same for husband. We are both now 66. Just received my Medicare card last week and will put it to use next week!