Medicare supplemental plan

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Luca1369

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Feb 27, 2008
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Hi all,

   My Medicare kicks in soon and I am trying to decide on a supplemental plan for Medicare Part B.  As I'm heading out on the road in two months, I need something that will work anywhere I go.  Does anybody have any suggestions for plans that they are happy or unhappy with for whatever reason?

Thanks in advance.

Steve
 
We have AARP's Health Care Options as our secondary and so far have been pleased with it.  You can't really have any kind of an HMO when you're on the road.  We also tried Blue Cross/Blue Shield for a while but they raised the rates for customers and simultarneously cut payments to doctors.  Every one of our doctors dropped BC/BS which is why we changed to AARP.  We can use it anywhere in the country.  Of course, out of the U.S. you have to have other medical insurance.

ArdraF
 
Another vote for AARP Health Care Options. We looked into many plans, and we took classes at the Pima Council on Aging in Tucson AZ. Each year, they examine all the plans offered in that area and prepare a chart showing the benefits (or not) of each. Especially for mobile persons, this plan was tops for us.
 
We also use the AARP medi-gap policy. It's administered by AARP but the actual policy is by United Health Care as I recall.
We have used it in several states with no problems.
 
Another AARP Health Care Options subscriber.  Be aware that they have several plans available.  We've been very satisfied with their claims processing.  The only problem is finding doctors that will take new Medicare patients.

Jeannine
 
Jeannine said:
Another AARP Health Care Options subscriber.  Be aware that they have several plans available.  We've been very satisfied with their claims processing.   The only problem is finding doctors that will take new Medicare patients.

Jeannine

Jeannine:

We have had no doctor refuse us as Medicare patients in two years. The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale would not accept me as a general patient for a physical last winter but would to see a specialist. Mayo in Rochester gave Sue a physical last month so it is not a general policy.

We are also satisfied AARP customers.
 
Thank you all.  Looks like I'll investigate the United Health Care plans.

Thanks!!!

Steve
 
We were told by Pima Council on Aging that some providers will accept Medicare, but not Medicare assignment. The difference is that, if they do not take Medicare assignment, they can charge you up to 15% above Medicare's scheduled charge for a given item. With assignment they cannot. It seems to me that quite a few do not take assignment. AFAIK the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale still takes Medicare but not assignment. Nonetheless, I've had excellent care them nearly always.
 
Pierat said:
We were told by Pima Council on Aging that some providers will accept Medicare, but not Medicare assignment. The difference is that, if they do not take Medicare assignment, they can charge you up to 15% above Medicare's scheduled charge for a given item. With assignment they cannot. It seems to me that quite a few do not take assignment. AFAIK the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale still takes Medicare but not assignment. Nonetheless, I've had excellent care them nearly always.

By choosing AARP's Plan F they will pay the overcharges. My wife's physical at Mayo was accomplished at normal Medicare rates except a MRI that was charged at 135.00 higher than the schedule.
 
Jeff,

We've had problems finding doctors that take Medicare assignment in Benson, AZ and Durango, CO.  There are lots of retirees in Benson and few doctors.  When I needed a doctor in Durango, a large HMO had just closed its doors and local doctors were being flooded with new patients.  In both cases, United Health Care told us to go the the emergency room. 

We've found walk-in clinics to be a good place to get minor problems treated. 

Jeannine
 
We have Mutual of Omaha as our secondary.   Turned 65 this spring and really have little background in any of this over 65 stuff.

AARP was cheaper for me (male)
M of O was cheaper for my wife
M of O was cheaper for couple.....7% discount.  

Sorry the below is copied from am Excel file and is a liittle garbled in translation

ESTIMATED IMPACT OF AGING ON PREMIUMS
MALE FEMALE COUPLE(*)
AARP M of O AARP M of O AARP M of O
65 $122.67 $127.51 $122.67 $121.14 $245.34 231.24
70 $175.25 $154.90 $175.25 $140.96 $350.50 275.15
75 $192.77 $192.78 $192.77 $165.80 $385.54 333.48
80 $192.77 $214.11 $192.77 $182.00 $385.54 368.38
85 $192.77 $222.97 $192.77 $200.68 $385.54 393.99
65-85 $175.25 $182.45 $175.25 $162.12 $350.49 $320.45 $7,210 COST
AVOIDANCE



MofO ATTAINED AGE RATING
AARP COMMUNITY RATING

(*)  ASSUMES 7% M OF O DISCOUNT WILL ALWAYS APPLY??

Notes from my Excel file.

Attained-age policies are popular because consumers like their low initial rates, says Tom Gilsdorf, Medigap product manager for Mutual of Omaha. In fact, they're so popular, they dominate the Medigap marketplace. With a few exceptions, Mutual of Omaha, a major seller, offers nothing else. The exceptions are for issue-age policies the company sells in states that require it or that have banned attained-age pricing.
This year, Mutual of Omaha held its premium increases to 6.5%. The company sells Plans A, C, D and F. Depending on the plan and how old you are, a proportion--15% to 45%--of the hike is determined by age. The remaining increase is a response to the rising cost of medical care. For instance, if you buy a policy at age 65, your initial premium is frozen for two years. From age 67 through age 80, the premium will be adjusted upward by 1% to 3% annually for age.

site:http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Insurance/P45537.asp         Community-rated policies are similar to issue-age versions, except that everyone in the same area pays the same price regardless of age (AARP, however, generally provides a discount -- up to 20% -- until about age 68). Once you buy, premiums will not rise simply because you get older.
Archer of the Medicare Rights Center says, "In 13 years, I've heard fewer than five complaints about medigap policies, because they work automatically. If Medicare pays 80%, then medigap kicks in 20%."


The above and $1.25 will get you a coffee.  The results may screwed by where you live in the U.S.
 
Thank you all very, very much for your response to my post.  You have given me great insight into where I need to go.  My initial estimate was much higher than the AARP plan that Len and Jo outlined. 

All in all I am confident now about going ahead and picking a plan that will be right for me.  Again, THANKS!!!

Steve
 
I just signed up for Medicare too.  Went with Medica Advantage plan MA-PDP (Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug Plan) in which I will have PFFS (Private Fee For Service) coverage.  The company's name is Medica.  Cost is $23/month besides the $96/month for Plan B that everyone pays.  This is a Plan C which has coverage for Plans A, B and D.  I understand we can change to a different plan every year during the Open Enrollment Period.  I've just told you everything I know about Medicare.  ::) ::)
 
we got a plan from mutual of amaha. It pays EVERYTHING medicare doesnt pay. We love it.

What are the monthly charges for that? 

Our $23/month charge with Medica has been reduced to $0/month for 2010.  So now all we pay is the $96/month for Plan B which everybody pays.
 
From the Medicare website:  Most Medicare beneficiaries will continue to pay the same $96.40 Part B premium amount in 2010.  Beneficiaries who currently have the Social Security Administration (SSA) withhold their Part B premium and have incomes of $85,000 or less (or $170,000 or less for joint filers) will not have an increase in their Part B premium for 2010.

I don't see $104/month mentioned anywhere.
 
rsalhus said:
Our $23/month charge with Medica has been reduced to $0/month for 2010.  So now all we pay is the $96/month for Plan B which everybody pays.

Rolf, do you have a "supplemental" plan or do you have an "Advantage" plan?  There is a difference and usually a substantial difference in cost.
 
Lou, I (we) have an Advantage plan but I thought it was also considered a supplemental plan since it is in addition to the standard medicare plan.
 
An Advantage plan assumes responsibility for your Medicare coverage and replaces it.  It is different from a supplement which supplements, but does not replace, Medicare.
 
One could get lost in the terminology and semantics, but my understanding was that, with the Advantage plans, your carrier gets paid most, if not all, of your Plan-B premium from the SSA to file and administer your medicare coverage for you.  They generally offer some additional perks as an incentive to choose their service, (such as small copay's in place of percentages) but are only required to provide the same level of service as standard Medicare.  Most have a drug benefit option for a premium.

Medicare Supplements are simply additional (secondary) coverage that you can buy (like an HMO) for a negotiated premium from most health care insurance companies.  They have NO claim on your Medicare part-B premiums nor do they get involved with Medicare.

I may be misinformed, or simply misunderstanding this, since "senior moments" and "brain farts" are getting more frequent lately.

Hopefully some one will correct anything that I stated in error.
 

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