Medicare and moving - Page 2

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@151949 wrote:
@Carmie So are you saying - for example - if a person has Blue cross supplement living in Pa and it costs $200/month that if they move to Florida where that same supplement costs $250 that Blue cross is going to be content to continue to cover you at that lower cost once they find out you have moved to Fl?

She didn’t say that at all, nor imply it. Apples and oranges. You might have a difference in premium but that doesn’t mean you’re not covered at all.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

Maybe I'm misunderstand but in her long thread, @Carmie does say they can charge you different fees depending on what state you live in. So no she's not saying the cost would be the same.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

Let me clarify. If you had Blue Cross in PA and moved to let’s say, New Jersey, you could keep your BC coverage located in PA, you might also be given the option of transferring to BC of NJ, but you do not have to transfer your coverage.

Blue Cross has many different companies even in the same state. Here in PA, we have five Blue Cross plans. The only thing they have in common is that they belong to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Kinda like McDonalds. All operated owned and operated separately.

The Federal Medicare Law says that you can be charged a different rate if you move to another state, but personally I know many people who have moved and kept their same out of state insurance plan with no increase. There is no law to prevent this.

Just because they can charge you more, doesn’t mean they will.

Many people have no idea that Medicare pays the providers a different amount of money in every state. NY and CA have a high cost of living, so Medicare pays the providers more in those states. I think that is why the Medicare law allows insurance companies to charge more in some states if you move. It’s a law on the books, but I don’t think it’s applied all that often.

This ONLY applies to Medicare Supplemental Insurance and not Advantage Plans or Plans for people who do not have Medicare.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@151949 wrote:
@Carmie So are you saying - for example - if a person has Blue cross supplement living in Pa and it costs $200/month that if they move to Florida where that same supplement costs $250 that Blue cross is going to be content to continue to cover you at that lower cost once they find out you have moved to Fl?

Yes, I am saying that. The Blue Cross Companies are individually owed and operated under the BC/ BS Association. There are many, many people from PA living in Fl full time and their insurance plan is in PA. They can do this if they have Supplemental Insurance.

But, you can’t live in FL and call BC of PA and buy insurance. You have to first purchase it in your home state when you are 65 or disabled and are first eligible for Medicare.

i forgot to say that Blue Cross in PA has no idea what FL Blue Cross Charges for the same coverage and they can’t can’t even see Enrollment records of anyone other than their own subscribers.

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

Maybe this is not the same but here goes. My primary residence was (it is now Az. as of 10/1/17). For the year 2017 I had BC/BS of Illinois purchased through the Marketplace. When I signed up in 11/16, I explained that I split my time between Il. and Az. I had to sign up with a policy called "Multi-state plan" to the cost of $1,367. monthly. This outrageous premium with a 1,700. deductible covered me in any state.

Now, I just signed up last week for BC/BS of Az. as we sold our Il. home. The ONLY plans available from the Marketplace in Az. are 4 BC/BS HMO's! I took the plan for 1,038. a month.

So, the point is that peoples biggest gripe from O'care is that we COULD NOT purchase insurance across state lines. Get it? You must go along with your legal state of residence.

This is coming from a former "snowbird". I should say that DH has Aetna Advantage with Medicare Parts A&B through retired city of Chicago. When I turn 65 next year, I will be eligible to get insurance through them.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@Gooday wrote:
Maybe this is not the same but here goes. My primary residence was (it is now Az. as of 10/1/17). For the year 2017 I had BC/BS of Illinois purchased through the Marketplace. When I signed up in 11/16, I explained that I split my time between Il. and Az. I had to sign up with a policy called "Multi-state plan" to the cost of $1,367. monthly. This outrageous premium with a 1,700. deductible covered me in any state.
Now, I just signed up last week for BC/BS of Az. as we sold our Il. home. The ONLY plans available from the Marketplace in Az. are 4 BC/BS HMO's! I took the plan for 1,038. a month.
So, the point is that peoples biggest gripe from O'care is that we COULD NOT purchase insurance across state lines. Get it? You must go along with your legal state of residence.
This is coming from a former "snowbird". I should say that DH has Aetna Advantage with Medicare Parts A&B through retired city of Chicago. When I turn 65 next year, I will be eligible to get insurance through them.

The title of this thread is MEDICARE and moving, not Having Insurance and Moving. The point is that it’s NOT the same with Medicare coverage as it is for regular health insurance. So no, your situation does not apply here. “The Marketplace” has nothing to do with Medicare. Get it?

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@Gooday I hear your situation. No insurance is a day in the country, be it private, O care, Medicare, etc. It's good to see the experiences of other posters because one type of insurance will be dropped and another type picked up, as in your experience.

I hope your experience with your DH's Medicare Advantage has answered some questions for you for next year. Most important is that whatever insurance you have will employ people who can answer your questions professionally and with knowledge.

Good luck.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Gooday I can understand your frustration. The insurance on the marketplace stinks except for the people who are low income members and can get the government subsidy.

Right now our current government is trying to change the insurance laws so that insurance can be purchased across state lines for everyone. It keeps getting turned down. I think this would reduce the cost if there was competition.

Smaller insurance companies complain that they will lose subscribers and be put out of business by the big companies who can afford to be competitive.

it’s a fine line. What could happen is once the big companies reduce their rates to the point of taking a loss, the smaller companies won’t be able to compete and will go under. Once the smaller companies are out of the picture, the bigger companies are free to raise the rates. The insurance commission must approve all rate increases, but the insurance companies will be able to show they they lost money and will get the increase.

Hang in there. It will be much better when you are on Medicare.

OfCourse · ‎08-26-2017

You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@OfCourse wrote:
You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!

Many small business join their local small businessman association and get lower rates.