Wellness

[Nightowlz]

I don't know where to post this so if it needs to be moved go ahead & move it.

DH will be turning 65 soon so now we get lots of phone calls every day so much I turned the ringer off. LOL!!! Now I have to go thru caller id to see if anyone I know actually called. We also get garbage in the mail almost every day.

Are all these calls scams plus the mail too or do we need to look at the mail? DH just throws it in the trash? I'm not answering the phone since I doubt they would be calling.

He knows he has a certain amount of time before & after he turns 65 to enroll I guess online.

Thanks for any replies. I will come back later to check. I need to clean house now.

[jackthebear]

I never got any calls or junk mail

go to Medicare.gov and it will help you 

from what I remember you can sign up on line to "register " then you pick your plan

just don't forget to sign up in the allotted time 

[Mz iMac]

Soon if not already, your DH will get a booklet called Medicare & YOU 2020.  The booklet is customized to your State.  It will have all the supplemental insurance companies that are allowed to do business in your State.

Your hubby is doing the right thing in trashing the junk mail.  Some are legit & some are scams.  Only deal w/the companies that are listed in the Medicare booklet.

Hope your hubby did not throw that away!

[Estates]

@Nightowlz  My hubby just turned 65 in July.Everyday was an onslaught of mail and calls. I think a fellow even came to our house and left a sticky note that looked like something the post office would leave that required a trip to the post office.

I got him enrolled in Medicare via their website and signed him up for a  supplemental policy as well. It is very easy and tons of good info on medicare.gov.

I was just telling my husband that it's ironic now that he's all signed up,all the mailings and calls have suddenly stop.Does all that come from one universal place????

[Carmie]

I have worked in healthcare insurance for over 25 years, so, I know my way around Medicare.

When you are within 6 months of turning 65, the calls and junk mail begins.  It is relentless and nerve racking.

By law, no insurance companies are supposed to be contacting you by phone unless you have asked them to...by filling out a card for more info for instance.

No one should entertain these brokers who are breaking the law.  I tried to block their phone numbers, but they just call on another line.

Brokers and companies who send info in the mail are working within the law.  If you are not interested, just trash the mail.

Your husband will have to choose between enrolling in Traditional Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan.  If he chooses Traditional Medicare, he might want to get a Medicare Supplement plan. He must choose a supplement plan within his open enrollment period, along with a separate RX plan.

If he chooses an Advantage plan, he will not need a supplement and it probably will include an RX plan.

I suggest you look at what is available and ask a ton of questions before he actually turns 65.  The decisions he makes can be permanent and must not be chosen lightly.

Good luck with the phone calls and try to keep your sanity, they will drive you crazy.

[Still Raining]

I never got any calls, but I still get junk mail.  Guess it is going to follow me to the grave.  Picks up in the fall.

[SilleeMee]

I just turned 65 this year and was bombarded with phone calls but not much mail. Medicare does not call you unless you have made an appointment with them, which I did when I enrolled. The Medicare dot gov website is very helpful and it might help answer some question you might have. Good luck.

[Carmie]

@Estates   The calls will probably happen every year again when there is an open enrollment period for people who want to change their Advantage Plans or RX insurance.

It seems you just can't avoid these annoying calls.

[Estates]

@Carmie  Thank God for caller id!

[gidgetgh]

I start Medicare on October 1st.  I got tons of phone calls and mailers. Tons.

On the calls, I either hung up or didn't answer and all mailers went directly in the trash. I signed up for my supplement and prescription plan through my husbands employer because that's where my benefits come from.