Medical Insurance

[PancakeBill]

Help...
What options are there for medical insurance?  At an earlier age than Medicare, what do folks do?  Any organizations like SKP have it?  Good Sam?  AARP has a gap for Medicare, but will they fill the non Medicare folks?  We are covered by by my old comany until Sept, then we have a Cobra option for I think 18 months.  I don't have the cost of that yet, but I do know the rates went way up this year. 

 

[Ned]

Be prepared for sticker shock.  Private health insurance is expensive.  The Escapees do have a program available which we were in for several years but switched to a program from the NASE (National Association for the Self Employed) about 2 years ago.

 

[PancakeBill]

Found one plan ths AM.  360 a month with 2k deductible and office visits not coverred.  I am interedted in the NASE thing.  I'll try looking it up.  Thanks

 

[JerArdra]

ALL,

This is slightly off topic but Ardra and I are going to Canada and the cost for medical insurance for 67 days in Canada was US$550.00.

JerryF

 

[Smoky]

That?s a very good question.

I am covered by the Verizon retiree plan but even that has issues.  They offer several choices and I picked Kaiser Permanente.  The problem I am faced with ATM is that Kaiser is only in about 7 states.  And one of them is Hawaii.  I do not expect to be MHing to Hawaii in the near future.  The nearest one to my new Montana domicile will be Seattle.

For the time being we are keeping the Maryland center as our home center, since we will come through every spring.

But a medical plan for a fulltimer has been occupying a lot of our creative think time.  It will be interesting to read how other fulltimers attack this issue.

 

[Betty Brewer]

Smokey,

Terry and I are covered with Kaiser insurance in California. Like you we make annual visits to CA for the routine stuff.  You can get a claim form kit for travels outside your specific covered region.  Last summer I had a procedure done in  Coure d'Lene, Idaho and did not even have to pay the $10 co pay.  They have a good website and you can make appointments and order prescriptions on line.  They will  also cover any emergency situation you have outside of their covered areas.  I feel fortunate to have this coverage as part of my retirement package.  Good until age 65.  I have heard though,  that if we were to need any long term rehab  (broken hip, knee surgery physical therapy) you would have to go to their  facilities.

Betty Brewer

 

[Smoky]

Thanks Betty that is very helpful.

I did learn that we should get a copy of our medical records before we begin travel.  That is supposed to help if we get service from outside our area.  We have to pay $17.50 apiece for the two of us to get our records.

Like you, we will be switched to a different plan after age 65.  We will hate to leave Kaiser. 

 

[Ron]

We carry our medical records and when ever we vist a doctor we ask for a copy before leaving the office.

 

[Smoky]

Good suggestion Ron on keeping them up to date once you get them.

 

[Carl L]

Like you, we will be switched to a different plan after age 65. ?We will hate to leave Kaiser.

Would you have to? ? I am in the Kaiser Senior Advantage program, a Medicare supplimental. ? It is even better in some respects than our straight Kaiser.

 

[PancakeBill]

For now we are in Blue Cross Coast to Coast.  Good plan but it will eventually end.  Now a question, I guess I should already know, but will Medicare pick up at 62 or 65?

 

[Lorna]

Bill
It will pick up 65.  There is Medicare A & B. One is free, the other is taken out of your SS per month.

 

[PancakeBill]

OK, so short of finding a regular fulltime job, I need to find healthcare for 10 years that is affordable.? Dang...

Got to find that NASE thing.

 

[Woody]

OK, so short of finding a regular fulltime job, I need to find healthcare for 10 years that is affordable.? Dang...

Got to find that NASE thing.

Yep, that is the situation that most of us find ourselves in when we retire prior to age 65. I planned for my retirement for 30 years prior to the exact date I wanted to retire, but who could have imagined, or planned for, the healthcare situation we find ourselves in.
Military and other gov't retirees by and large do not have this problem but who know how long even that will last.

Woody

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

That?s a very good question.

I am covered by the Verizon retiree plan but even that has issues.? They offer several choices and I picked Kaiser Permanente.? The problem I am faced with ATM is that Kaiser is only in about 7 states.? And one of them is Hawaii.? I do not expect to be MHing to Hawaii in the near future.? The nearest one to my new Montana domicile will be Seattle.

For the time being we are keeping the Maryland center as our home center, since we will come through every spring.

But a medical plan for a fulltimer has been occupying a lot of our creative think time.? It will be interesting to read how other fulltimers attack this issue.

Smoky,

MEDICAL----Another reason to be sure to join FMCA!  It is worth the annual dues just for the emergency medical coverage that all members have by being a member of FMCA. The highlights of which include emergency medical air and ground evacuation, Return home of unattended grandchildren and dependent children, RV and automobile return home, Transportation to join a hospitalized member, Transportation home after initial evacuation. There is more to this but it's too much to type out here. I think you can find more information on their web site.

As I said, this one benefit alone is worth more than the annual dues.

 

[Smoky]

Carl:

In my case I have to leave Kaiser after age 65.  The Verizon retirement plan requires us, when we become Medicare eligible, to join a different medical group which specializes in Medicare eligible clients.  The idea is that Medicare benefits are used first and then the other plan kicks in for the rest.  All I can figure is that Kaiser does not want to provide this kind of coverage.

 

[PancakeBill]

Benn getting calls from the NASE folks, getting me quotes now.  Thanks for the lead. 

 

[comMed]

We carry our medical records and when ever we vist a doctor we ask for a copy before leaving the office.

Well, that was the best way you could do. We need to ask a copy of medical records from the doctor. So that we could also compare if there is changes with your medical condition. Medical insurance could also help with the medical cost.

 

[maddog348]

Bill ~

Maddog is on Cobra from work ~ took at 62 will have to figure out something for the o/lap 62/65.  I have the same Kaiser Plan as Carl L. Great so far.
Will be keeping up on this thread.  TakeCare ~ TravelSave ~ HaveFun

Kate

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I am becoming medicare eligibile this year and find it interesting, have been researching and learning.  I've decided to stay on Tom's long as he is working, ours is $141 a month for both with $3000 deductible, any deductible that is less is over $400 a month. Of course if his project ends then I can no longer take COBRA but have to immediately take medicare.  We were like some of you, worried about what we would do if he had to retire after his last project as he was going to be 2 months short after COBRA ran out and before going on medicare.  It is really scarey anymore not having health insurance, can ruin you financially so quick it isn't even funny.

I looked into medicare and not doing it till I have too.  The first year or so is based on your income, so my premiums would be $220 a month for part B, then a supplement beside.  As income falls it will go down but the first year or two could be a killer.

I now have to call medicare and make sure they realize hubby is still employed so when I do take it I'm not subject to the 10% annual increase in premiums because you did not chose to take it when eligible.