Medicare

[boykinlp]

For everyone who is on it, it is enrollment/checkup time until December. I have been satisfied with my program that I have used, but thought that I would do a checkup with them this year. There are many of these folks that advertise on the TV channels that I watch. I was wondering if any of you fine folks have used one of them.

I don't want to call one and then be on a call list for the rest of my life. I just want to make sure that I am currently in the right plan for me. I know some offer things that others don't. I hear some have a cap on what you spend each year, and some zip codes pay a decreased amount for their plan.

Any advice is appreciated.
Larry

 

[NYlakesider]

For everyone who is on it, it is enrollment/checkup time until December. I have been satisfied with my program that I have used, but thought that I would do a checkup with them this year. There are many of these folks that advertise on the TV channels that I watch. I was wondering if any of you fine folks have used one of them.

I don't want to call one and then be on a call list for the rest of my life. I just want to make sure that I am currently in the right plan for me. I know some offer things that others don't. I hear some have a cap on what you spend each year, and some zip codes pay a decreased amount for their plan.

Any advice is appreciated.
Larry

The amount of money spent to be on the TV and newspapers is very high. To me reading between the lines tells me the more they spend advertising the less that have to give you benefits!

 

[SMSgt]

Does Medicare itself even advertise?

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Not sure if actual Medicare advertises on TV,
But they are online-
Find a Medicare plan

 

[Onomea]

We have had good luck with a Medicare broker, someone who is independent of any one provider and who can recommend a Medicare Advantage provider based on coverage of your doctors, your prescriptions, your county of residence and your other preferences/requirements. Our broker was recommended to us by my wife's primary care doctor's clinic.

Here is some info on Medicare brokers: Medicare insurance brokers: What they do and how to find one | HealthPartners Blog

The broker, a good one like ours anyway, will sift through the various Medicare advantage plans offered for your county of residence, and recommend some candidates for your consideration.

In our case, it was important to us to be able to go out of network easily if needed, get coverage when we travelled, and to have our insurance be acceptable to major cancer centers of excellence around the country.

Good luck!

 

[Huskerguy]

Don't confuse Advantage plans with Medicare. My best advice is find a local provider that will sit down with you so you understand all of the ins and outs. From my limited knowledge, an Advantage plan is outside of Medicare and you are actually opting out of Medicare Part B and going with insurance. Advantage plans do not work in my area, no networks of providers so we just get supplementals which work great.

 

[sophie]

Don't do it if you haven't already. Regular Medicare Plan B and a good supplement policy works really good. Depending on your medications requirement, get a drug plan accordingly. Works for me real good.
Just my two cents.

 

[Pisgah]

I am getting an average of 16 calls a day from Pakistani experts wanting to sell me coverage. I'd be glad to have one or 50 call you, but my suggestion is to find a local broker who will go over what is available with you.

 

[H Richard]

Stay away from those National TV Ads. Look for a "Local" agent specializing in Medicare Insurance. They can do a analysis and possibly save you money.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Cancer benefits sounds interesting.

 

[Onomea]

Cancer benefits sounds interesting.

Dunno if that is a reference to my post above or not, but, if it is, I just meant that I confirmed, by calling them up, that my particular Medicare Advantage plan would work at the Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson, and Sloan Kettering.

 

[Kevin J.]

Don't do it if you haven't already. Regular Medicare Plan B and a good supplement policy works really good. Depending on your medications requirement, get a drug plan accordingly. Works for me real good.
Just my two cents.

Same here.

Also most don't realize that once you go the route of an Advantage part C plan you leave Medicare B and are on private insurance (think HMO). You have will have to go through underwriting if you want to return to traditional Medicare B with a Medigap plan and, depending on your health, the Medigap carriers can deny you at that time. Where as if you sign up for a Medigap plan as soon as you are eligible for Medicare the Medigap companies can not deny you regardless of your health conditions.

In All But Four States, Seniors on Medicare Can Be Denied a Medigap Policy Due to Pre-existing Conditions, Except During Specified Windows of Opportunity | KFF.

 

[ladder13]

I don't even look at any supplements.

Same employer provided insurance for 40 years. Go anywhere in the 50, no questions asked.

When I moved to NC, and handed over my card to the office staff, they said "you'll never see anything like that again, the gold standard".

And they reimburse Part B payments for both the missus and I. She can keep the insurance when I croak.

 

[Kevin J.]

I don't even look at any supplements.

Same employer provided insurance for 40 years. Go anywhere in the 50, no questions asked.

When I moved to NC, and handed over my card to the office staff, they said "you'll never see anything like that again, the gold standard".

And they reimburse Part B payments for both the missus and I. She can keep the insurance when I croak.

We had the same until the Obama care changes. I still get reimbursed for the part B expense for both the wife and I as part of my retirement package...

 

[Pisgah]

Cancer benefits sounds interesting.

A come-on not worth the cost. Puts "money paid to YOU" in your pocket, but does not pay for treatment.