I will turn 65 in March of 2020.

[redstatebluegirl]

I am finding all of the medicare stuff really hard to digest. I am not a real healthy human, I have high blood pressure and have had one back fusion. I can't seem to get a quote for the medicare suppliment policies without putting in all of my info online which terrifies me. All i want to know is how much per month it costs. I need prescription coverage as well. How do you get the information without a hard sell.

There must be a lot of money in this stuff, there are so many companies out there trying to get my business.

[matt819]

1. Me too

It seems to be more complicated than it needs to be and looks like it’s going to cost more than expected as well. If you find a stellar source for reliable info, please let us know. I’m sure we’re not the only two facing this here.

[thecrow]

3. Then you will have to call each insurance company for quotes

Did you sign up for Medicare yet?
Are you aware that Medicare sucks money from your social security?

[GP6971]

4. Medicare Part B

is currently $135.50 per month and is taken out of your SS.

My wife's Part B supplemental is $128 per month and her Rx is just under $30 per month.

We did our initial research using AARP and then branched out from there. I wound up going with USAA who I've been with for years.

Hope this helps.

[Sherman A1]

9. My plan including Rx's is just the $135.00

I pay no additional premiums.

[Sherman A1]

5. Many of the supplement insurance companies have local or area meetings to explain

the polices and provide you with information on their plans. I attended one at a local restaurant, the coffee and toasted ravioli were on them. I would suggest attending one or more of those if possible.

I found that it really isn't too difficult to digest the information and the company I chose (Essence Health Care) has everything laid out in their booklets.

[lillypaddle]

6. You aren't alone

I was completely overwhelmed as well, and I have executive and accounting experience in my background. I wound up taking the easy way out and called United Healthcare and got coverage which I could afford at the time. Last year I switched to another of their plans, and for $26 a month, get pretty good coverage.

I think they are all pretty competitive.

Good luck to you. If you don't want to do it online, just give them a call.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Look at Medicare Advantage plans.

[Newest Reality]

8. Check around...

to see if you have something like JABA in your area. If so, then you can go in, if you want, and a counselor will assist you with the process and help make it much easier and more understandable. They are usually very knowledgeable and can really clear things up.

The reason I suggest going in to an agency like that is you might feel better talking with someone face-to-face who has your back and can answer questions. That should alleviate your concerns and any confusion about the complicated process and hoops to jump through.

https://www.jabacares.org/medicare-counseling

[lettucebe]

10. You will need a supplemental policy for sure

It can be ridiculously over complicated, so I'd get an agent. You do not pay differently because you use an agent, they are paid by the insurance companies, so use them. They can figure out the best plan in your situation. Some don't cover drugs because not everyone is taking a lot of medications, so it makes sense for that person to have a different plan than one who does need the prescription coverage.

My husband's supplemental insurance costs around $400/mo. Seems outrageously expensive to me, but at the same time he had a hospitalization that cost over $100,000. Had he had to pay 20% of that ($20,000) we'd have been hurting, but he paid almost nothing out-of-pocket. My father had cancer. His last nine months cost nearly half a million dollars but his insurance between Medicare and a supplemental policy ended up with him paying almost nothing. Get the supplement. Some cost zero (my mother's is a zero cost and she has an agent that calls once a year to say whether she should stay with that plan.)

So, my advice is find a local agent (if you want someone you can see in person), or one online. They are not going to suggest a policy that doesn't make sense for you, and again, you do not pay differently for using them.

[Hoyt]

11. The key to avoiding being penalized for a pre-existing conditions is to sign up

for a supplement (or Medicare Advantage if you decide to go that way) when you first turn 65 and are first eligible for Medicare. You have a few months before and even after 65 to make that decision, but don’t push it.

While I generally don’t trust insurance salespeople, if you are confused, it might be the best way to get a quote and some recommendations, even if you decide to look on-line later. Find someone who represents a lot of plans. Also check with senior organizations and friends in your area.

Good luck.

[CountAllVotes]

12. You need supplemental coverage

I was in the hospital 10 years ago and had 3 surgeries in one year.

The cost was close to $1,000,000++.

Luckily, the supplemental plan (which costs abt. $500/mo.) paid for it!

I hate thinking about not having this as I'd be broke, flat broke!

[redstatebluegirl]

13. Thanks everyone, lots of good advice here.

[littlemissmartypants]

14. I would definitely try AARP. Their supplemental policies are very good but you have to join AARP.

There are other benefits of joining but you may be looking for different coverage. I just know that they have worked for me. There are other benefits that you may not want or need but I would definitely check them out.

Here's a link that may be helpful:

Top 10 Medicare Supplement Companies in 2019

https://boomerbenefits.com/top-10-medicare-supplement-companies/

Good luck. ❤

[Lulu KC]

15. With you! I think I'm gaining clarity

As a friend said, "They should have had us do all this when we were 40 and might have known what they were talking about."
It's almost like they're playing us to make us feel like we are becoming demented! But when I describe it to my younger friends, their eyes glaze over, too.

Things I have figured out, if they are helpful:

1. All those cards and letters we receive were ordered by law--they come from people who are authorized to "educate" us.
2. Of all those, my husband and I were led to EnlightenU, which really did feel educational. No idea if they're national or not.
3. We attended a 2-3 hour workshop. For us, it seemed like advantage plan is a no-go, supplemental is better.


Best wishes! You can do it!

[Desert grandma]

16. It IS very confusing.

I would highly recommend that you stay with Original Medicare and purchase a supplement. You have to be careful with the supplement policies. Most of them will increase every year as you age in addition to inflation costs. I would recommend that you first look at "Issue Attained" policies. The premiums are locked in based on your age when you are ISSUED the policy. Age ATTAINED policies are those that are based on the persons age, and they can increase annually as you get older. AARP has "Community rating". which starts off at a lower premium but also increases over time. Here in my state there were only 2 "age issued" policies. (Most of these policies are AGE ATTAINED'). One never responded to my calls. The other, Transamerica, was very customer friendly. Originally, my husband and I chose USAA, which was an 'AGE ATTAINED " plan and increased the next year. That's when we began looking at alternatives. What these plans do not tell you is that the only time you can join one of them without going through underwriting is when you first turn 65. If you attempt to change plans after that time, they are allowed to deny you coverage or set premiums according to your health status. If you try to change after you first get on Medicare, companies can and do ask for health history and can require release of information to obtain medical records. Thus it is important, IMO. to choose wisely the first time. In our case, we wanted to switch supplement policies. We got around the "underwriting requirement" by belonging to one of their "preferred groups". My husband was a member of VFW and American Legion, both of which are preferred groups. My friend, who also wanted to switch to Transamerica was able to do so with her having a JC Penny's credit card. In both of our cases, we had to answer only 3 health questions which we all could say no to. Our plan with Transamerica has gone up only a few dollars in the 4 years we have had it. All of these supplement plans can increase depending on the medical inflation costs in the area for the particular plan you choose (F, G, N, M etc) but the "age attained" will also increase due to age.

Once you decide on a policy carrier, you will need to choose a plan within that carrier. They are labeled by letters of the alphabet. Each one covers different things that original Medicare does not cover. Plan F covers the remaining 20 percent of any costs covered by Medicare. While it does sound tempting, Congress passed a law which will make that plan F go away in a year or two. While people already in that group will be grandfathered in, the pool of eligible people in the pool will shrink, leaving older and sicker people in the pool, which would probably increase costs for people in that group. We chose plan G which covers everything after the deductible (currently $185) for Medicare part B coverage. We pay the first $185 each year, and the plan pays everything else. The other fact I liked was that this plan allows us to go to places like the Mayo Clinic and it will still cover the cost after the first $185.

What I learned from this activity is that all plans and all types of coverage within each plan require a lot of research to determine which one is best for you. There is much to consider which is not advertised. The one thing I would add, is my own advice to stay away from Medicare Advantage Plans. These plans require you use "network" doctors and facilities, and have co pays which can add up quickly if you have a medical event. Good luck to you! It is confusing, but we love being on Medicare which gives us choice in that we can see any doctor that takes Medicare, and we have fixed costs because we have no co pays after we pay the first $185.00.

[unc70]

17. Can always change plans the next fall

Don't worry too much about choosing your initial supplement or Advantage plan; you can always change plans in the fall of each year. The plans available to you vary a lot based on the state and even the county where you live.

It is very important to check that the doctors and hospitals you are likely to use are part of the plan you choose.

[Desert grandma]

18. Yes, True

But you will have to submit to the new supplement carrier's underwriting policy if you try to switch after you are first eligible for Medicare.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

19. Luckily you have plenty of time.

You might also ask people you know and who likewise have various health issues what they are doing, what Advantage plan or what supplemental insurance they've chosen.

It is all a bit confusing, I know. There's a publication from the Government called Medicare and You, and you will probably receive a copy of it fairly soon, if you haven't done so already. Every year they send out an updated copy to everyone on Medicare. Plus, all of the sellers of supplemental policies are eager for your money, so they will be sending you stuff a couple of months before your birthday.

Hang in there!

[Canoe52]

20. We found an independent insurance agent in our area that specializes in secondary insurance for

Medicare. Explained it all out, suggested plans that worked with our medical needs.
He also has a free seminar every fall to talk about changes in Medicare and how you might want to change your secondary to match your changing heath needs.

[Nitram]

21. Where I live there is a local non-profit which provides MediCare counseling and advice for free.

The counselors are retired business people. I'd try a google search for something similar in your area. It is a very complex system and greatly varies from state to state. See a lot of time and frustration iff you can get some professional assistance.

[llmart]

22. When I was getting near Medicare age, I was overwhelmed too.

However, five years later I can tell you that I was overthinking it too much. You tend to do that with all the info you start getting when you are turning 65. I have always been really healthy and fit my entire adult life. I'm now 70 and still take no meds and have no chronic conditions. I started out just getting a lower level Advantage plan. I figured once I was 70 I would go with a supplemental plan. At 69 I had a strained ligament in my left knee. No big deal, but I needed physical therapy and the copay was $40 a visit/3 times a week. Fortunately, I could do the prescribed exercises at home, so I stopped physical therapy after two weeks. It healed but it was a wake up call that as healthy/active/fit as I was, these things happen and I didn't like the uncertainty of what else might happen. So, instead of waiting until I was 70, I switched to a supplemental plan at 69 and boy, am I glad I did. I have wet macular degeneration in one eye and have had to have monthly injections for a year. Those injections cost over $2,000 for each injection and that doesn't count the doctor's visits! Because I have the supplemental plan, I haven't had to pay one penny except for my $183 annual deductible.

I am so glad I got the supplemental. It costs me $135 a month plus I pay $28 per month for a drug plan (I take no drugs). This is through AARP/United Healthcare. It has paid for itself many times over. I can't even imagine what I would have done without it.

I am not a risk taker and like certainty, so this was perfect for me. I'd rather pay the monthly premiums than worry about how much something is going to cost if I do need care. Yes, you have to be a member of AARP, but their annual membership is really insignificant - about $12 a year.

I will admit that sometimes I get a bit peeved that I pay $28 a month for prescription drug coverage when I don't take any drugs, but like the medical care, who knows if I may need it someday? The peace of mind is worth a lot to me.

Just my two cents.

[redstatebluegirl]

23. Thanks this is good information.

I seem to be getting everything my father had, no matter how I take care of myself. I am hoping my supplemental is not through the roof. My husband is still working, he is younger than I am so he will be working for another 8 years, maybe 10 if he decides to teach longer and they let him.

I am no risk taker either so I get that.

Thank you!