Help me pick the best medicare plans.

ordy

US Veteran
Joined
May 20, 2012
Messages
738
Reaction score
946
Location
suburban philadelphia
I was planning on retiring at 66 years of age this coming January. Things at work have changed to the point where I want out ASAP. I've registered with SSA but didn't need insurance since I have it at my place of employment. The reality of medicare is now starting to sink into my thick skull and I'm at a loss as to which plans I should have. I see two doctors twice a year and take medications that are on the expensive side of things. Vision and dental would be a good thing for me. What should I be looking at? Any help is appreciated.
 
Register to hide this ad
If you are already 65 you should already be on medicare, for plan B check into Blue Cross they have several plans to choose from, you can get dental from BC also, it's about 37 bucks a month.
 
If you are already 65 you should already be on medicare, for plan B check into Blue Cross they have several plans to choose from, you can get dental from BC also, it's about 37 bucks a month.

Blue Cross part B will run you a little over $100 a month. Their part D is the prescription meds coverage. That's another $45 bucks a month. Both have deductables,but not very high. If you have high prescription costs,you will run into "the gap" when you reach $2700 of "actual cost" of medicines. Your co-pay will then be about 80% of the actual cost of medicine until you reach an "out of pocket" total of $4700. I get killed when I'm in the gap! :( It is still the most affordable coverage I've found and everybody accepts it. Medicare ain't all it's cracked up to be. Damned government. :mad:
f.t.

Edited to correct bad info. :o
 
Last edited:
FYI
My part-A is free
My part-B is $104 per month

My part- B supplement is about $130
My part- D supplement is about $12

All of the supplemental plans that are offered are very similar. You need to research them and see which one is the best for you.
Keep in mind that there is Medicare and then there is Medicare Advantage.
My wife works in the insurance industry so I lucked out.
 
Last edited:
Part A is free for the vast majority of people.

The Part B monthly premium, again, for the vast majority, is $104.90 per month this year. $147.00 is the deductible for part B.

For the original poster, you should contact SSA to sign up for part B if you are within 3 months of the month you want to quit. You will have to sign a form, and so will your employer, to prove you've had coverage since age 65 - that way there's no increase in the monthly premium for not enrolling at age 65. Just call the SSA 800#, or make an appointment with your local office. I highly advise not just walking in, but it's your time.

As far as a supplement, the links above are good. All the states around here also have a state program called SHIIP - Seniors Health Insurance Information Program (if your state has it, it will be in the phone book or online) I've heard great things about them in NC & VA. They're not there to sell you anything, which is a definite plus.

One last bit of unsolicited advice, since I won't be viewing this thread again. I understand that people like to ask questions where they are comfortable and also that what other people do are none of my business. But I will never understand, given the wealth of information available today, why people get information about x from place y. Yes, there are many intelligent and knowledgeable people here on a wide variety of subjects, but every time I see a thread about something I know a little about, at least half the replies are dead wrong, to be charitable. After all, you wouldn't go to Medicare.gov or AARP to ask about Smith & Wesson's, would you?
 
Well,part A premium is $102 a month. Blue Cross part B will run you about $160 a month. Their part D is the prescription meds coverage. That's another $45 bucks a month. Both have deductables,but not very high. If you have high prescription costs,you will run into "the gap" when you reach $2700 of "actual cost" of medicines. Your co-pay will then be about 80% of the actual cost of medicine until you reach an "out of pocket" total of $4700. I get killed when I'm in the gap! :( It is still the most affordable coverage I've found and everybody accepts it. Medicare ain't all it's cracked up to be. Damned government. :mad:
f.t.
Part A is free.
In my case, if I didn't sign up for Part B, my other insurance would only pay at the rates Part B paid. I have Federal Employees Health Benefits as a retiree and, although it's expensive )at least to me) it pays everything Part B does not. I have no co-pays, co-insurance or deductibles. I do pay $6 for a 3 month prescription for meds but nothing else. The whole works runs me $600 a month to cover me and my wife.
 
One consideration for me is what kind of prescription coverage you want. I'm a person that HAS to have good prescription coverage.

Heard that. My wife's chemo pills (10) are $3000 PER MONTH! Yep, $300 per pill. We met the plan deductible in January and the maximum out-of-pocket in March.

But if I want a four hour woody, it costs what, $5?

Sheesh...:mad:
 
Back
Top