Th issue is that you are restricted to the network, and if you have specialists or ongoing health issues they may not be covered under the Advantage plans. I have regular Medicare and can go to any hospital, use any doctor that accepts Medicare. You will have people at the Advantage program second guessing the treatment protocols far worse than basic Medicare.
In my case with my health issues, the Advantage plan would not be an advantage for me.
I’m going to be checking this throughout the day to see what others have to say. I’m also considering changing plans - but reverse of what the person who posted this thread..
I have spent considerable time going through our drug costs this week and have almost decided to DROP Medicare Advantage, go with Original Medicare and buy a drug plan..
With our prescriptions for COPD (inhalers), we will both end up in the “donut hole” by summer time 2019...(expensive heart meds add it up for me also). So far, I haven’t found a great deal of difference in the cost just going with a drug plan but I’m hoping I’ll run into something that makes sense.
My husband has had several 4-5 day hospitalizations for COPD complications and with Medicare Advantage, the most we have paid for our share was roughly $1,800. 20% on Original Medicare would be more but I have to weigh everything...pro/con. We’ve had Medicare Advantage for years and have not had any complaints but the drug costs warrant another look...
I’m thinking about cutting out the heart meds as I’ve had the condition for 40+ years without any trouble but went along this year with the doctor when he told me I was risking a stroke...put me on blood thinner (Xarelto-no generic) and another drug before eating and before bed to slow down the heart.
Will watch for others experience and advice as the day wears on.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone...
“”The issue is that you are restricted to the network, and if you have specialists or ongoing health issues they may not be covered under the Advantage plans.””
Not true as there is a choice of HMO with restrictions on outside services or a PPO without restrictions as long as the chosen service provider is enrolled in Medicare...
I know it’s no fun checking out each and every detail but it’s necessary. I goofed picking a plan one year and chose an HMO after making sure all our doctors were enrolled in the plan and thinking (stupid of me) we wouldn’t need to add to the list; we already had all we could handle - urologist, PC doctor, pulmonologist but didn’t consider my husband’s oxygen provider who turned out NOT to be in network..Had to change but the change worked out ok...Can’t afford to miss a single step in this important issue.