[Vanity] Signing up for Medicare

vanity | Ken in Texas

[ataDude]

Huh?

Part A covers hospital costs and is free. Part B covers doctor's and other provider's costs and has a small monthly fee attached ($100-$200). Part D is optional drug coverage and costs from $15 to $50 (est) per month depending on your choices. A supplemental (for Part B) ranges from $100-250 monthly depending on your choices. It covers the 20% estimated that Part B doesn't pay.

[DustyMoment]

We just had a good friend move to Texas and she thinks it’s more liberal there!!!!

If she moved to Austin, she's right, it's VERY liberal. Dallas is a bit less liberal and the valley (farm and ranch country along the Texas-Mexico border) is also pretty liberal. The rest of the state is relatively conservative.

I've been to the western side of Washington state, but never made it east of the Cascades.

Take care< steve, and thanks again, for a good discussion.

[Ben Ficklin]

bert is right. The HMO Advantage Plan is a LOT cheaper($O) than the supplemental policies. The also have PPO and FFS.

Go to the Medicare website and follow the link to the Advantage Plan page, type in your zip code, and they will display all the plans available where you live.

I started with Windsor Care and switched to Humana this year

The copays are important, especially the outpatient surgery copay, but the main number you need to look at is the maximum yearly out of pocket cost.

[bert]

I failed to mention one caveat.

You need to do some study before buying the
United Health care AARP $0 medicare advantge plan.

To get the cost savings you must be in good health. There is an out of pocket requirement

If health is not good, one of the monthly pay plans might be better

But...... and I cannot overstate this benefit. You don’t have to screw with medicare. The insuance plan does all that. From taking care of 4 parents that is a real benefit

Do not be put off by the AARP connection. AARP is merely a major agent that has chosen United as it’s insuror. AARP has no hand in the business other than sales.

[Ben Ficklin]

"You don't have to screw with Medicare"

Correct, the plan administers the whole thing. The $100 that SS deducts and gives to Medicare is passed on from Medicare to the plan operator. You never present your medicare card(number) to a provider. Instead, you use your Plan ID card. You do have to provide the medicare card number to the plan operator at the time you enroll in the plan, so that they can apply for that $100/month from Medicare.

"You need to study before buying"

For sure. Study the supplemental policies, study the advantage plans. The reality is that there are a very limited number of insurance companies offering the zero dollar HMO advantage plan. I live in a rural area and there are only 2 in my area, Windsor and Humana. In the city there are more. There are substantially more insurance companies offering the Preferred Provider advantage plan(PPO) and many, many companies offering the fee for service advantage plan(FFS).

Also, if you are taking a lot of prescriptions, you need to study the companies drug list, regardless of whether it is a Plan or a Supplemental Policy, or a stand alone prescription plan. Supposedly, the drug donut exception ends with Obamacare.

Keep in mind these are yearly plans and you can change them in the fall. If you health starts to decline, you need to re-shop it.

[steve86]

We were discussing trends involving medical providers here last week.

Have you seen this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3053818/posts?page=9

Just thought it might be of interest to you.

Some of the NYT comments are quite interesting.

And yes, my friend did move to Austin (husband is in medical imaging research).