Posted on 12/17/2017 12:08:56 AM PST by EliRoom8
I need Freeper advice because when I left California to go to the Ukraine I sold my home and gave up my permanent US address. In doing so I lost Kaiser Health Insurance -- it was necessary. Now after 4 years I'm returning and need to get some coverage because I have nothing, zip -- not even Medicare. I'm 67, single, and could afford $750/month. Any ideas would be welcome.
I would try to do some of this sign-up three months early so that it is in effect upon arrival, at least for Medicare. Waiting until June could leave you without coverage for a longer waiting period.
So what you need are:
a.) the various parts of Medicare which will come out of your Social Security assuming you had wages during the previous decade prior to departure.
b.) a supplemental policy like a plan F if you want the most comprehensive and that would be from kaiser, BCBS etc.
c.) a part D prescription drug plan, check any meds you have against the various providers.
He can sign up now, keep on working, but be covered and those benefits keep increasing while you continue to work. I know because that’s what I’ve done. Signed up at 65 and am now 68 and my benefits increase every year. I wasn’t going to fall into the pit of Obamacare and the impact on group insurance.
I so dreaded signing up for social security, but I used the online application which was totally painless. They even sent me a survey after to make sure I was happy. Yours may be more complicated because you worked outside the country, but it will get straightened out.
Welcome home!
1) you have to sign up for Medicare and Social Security. There is a penalty if you don’t. Go ahead and sign up for SS on line. You don’t have to be in the US to get your SS benefits. Lots of ex-pats get it. Sign up for Medicare at the same time.
2). Basic Medicare only covers 80% of covered costs so you need a supplement. Wife and I are on a Plan G (get a broker to explain all the differences-most use a F or G plan). Our cost is $109 a month for the Supplement.
Now, there is the Advantage plans, but a lot of Medicare doctors are not on the various Advantage plans. Also, you have a lot more issues with the ompanies trying to manage your health.
When Obamacare came out my coverage on the Paper Mache plan would have been $8000 per year with the first $10,000 paid by me. There was no drug coverage. It was essentially a catastrophic care policy. I decided to go commando...no coverage. So far every doctor has had a cash price, some of which are very reasonable. I recently had surgery. What would have been $30,000 in a hospital I had done outpatient for a little more than $5,000 paid in advance. (Put it on your credit card and get points or miles.) Costco and several pharmacies have special plans for drugs. Some of my Costco drugs cost me less than they did back when I had insurance.
I recommend you wait until the new insurance laws are enacted. Cross state competition will lower prices further. Put aside cash to pay for emergencies and do not, unless something has been chopped off and it’s a weekend, go to a hospital.
Sage advice, thank you.
bump to Christie.
Other option you have would be contact a health insurance broker to guide you through the maze of insurances.
Since your situation has changed or will change next year, you should be able to get coverage outside the enrollment period.
It certainly won't be $750, but it won't be cheap. To get complete coverage, you start by paying a bit over $100 a month for Medicare. It's deducted from any Social Security you might get. A "Medigap' policy - a policy from a private insurance company that covers charges that Medicare doesn't cover - can cost upwards of $200 a month. Then, most experts also recommend a private drug coverage program. Even if you don't need this now, having it prevents major cost increases in the event you require major drug costs later in life.
The combination of these can approach half of the $750 mentioned, all for our "free" government insurance.
If you are going to move to a third world country, just go all the way.
# 3 gets it & is the answer.
Medicare with Plan F Medicare supplement. F Pays for everything Medicare does not, everything, including the medicare nearly deductible.
For me its 350 a month in New England
Why did you choose G over N
Christian Healthcare Ministries. I have the gold plan which is $150 a month to supplement other insurance I have.
Probably no graceful way to fix your problem w/o going on SS....
Aren’t you going to be living in a gated community soon?
You’ll have free healthcare, dental, meals....
I just visited the local office. Signed up for both. Was there less than 1 hr. total. Folks really helpful. Have since received 2 emails & a phone call confirming sign up.
“I am enrolled in Christian Healthcare Ministries...”
We are CHM members and my Wife had a procedure that, overall, cost $7,900.
Our out of pocket was $390 when it was all settled.
Additionally, we had only joined three months earlier...
Very happy now fours years on with CHM.
Peace to you this Christmas Season.
Hopefully, you will need this information someday.
I have Medicare. It costs (automatically deducted from my monthly payment) $104.00 now, going up to $134.00 Jan 1.
I also have a Medicare Advantage Plan (supplemental insurance) from Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield for which I pay $0,00 (zero) a month for.
For “SOME” prescriptions, I choose to purchase them myself through my “GoodRx” free membership rather than add to my “donut hole” calculation amount.
Donut hole calculations are based on the actual drug cost, NOT what you pay. (Getting OUT of the donut hole is based on your actual expenditures)
Look at it this way, you get into the donut hole based on “retail prices, you get out based on “wholesale prices
If you are 67 sign up for Medicare advantage. Its $105 a month. Aetna has great coverage.
Thank you!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.