Link to the official "Medicare and You 2023", recommended!

[CoopersDad]

My wife and I are just back from a two hour meeting with our local HICAP office.
HICAP (the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program) is, I think, unique to California, a non profit organization with offices in each county.
I suspect each state has a different Medicare "Navigator" program.

They explained the various Medicare parts, then got into the differences between Medigap and Advantage plan forms of supplementing the missing parts, and did so without showing any bias.

Here is a link to the Medicare and You 2023 handbook, we were given a print copy.
https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10050-medicare-and-you.pdf

My wife and I are probably going to select a higher-end Medigap plan.

[Skittles]

1. excellent info

thank you

[Rebl2]

2. My doctor warned

me off Advantage plans a couple years ago because they won’t pay for some of my medications. We had no plans to do so because my husband, even though retired, kept employer health insurance. It’s expensive, but even Medigap insurance likely won’t pay for some of my medications.

[CoopersDad]

5. It seems that Advantage plans are least trusted.

I'm in this group to continue to research but we will probably go with a Medigap plan of some type, and not an Advantage plan.

[TexasBushwhacker]

8. Medications are covered by Medicare Part D

Not by regular Medicare or Medicare supplement insurance.

I first got Medicare when I was disabled and had been on SSDI for a year. I was 55. Needless to say, I was broke, so a Medicare Advantage plan that didn't charge an extra premium worked well for me.

I still have a disability, but I've been able to work full time for the last 3.5 years. I could change to regular Medicare, but then I would have to pay for Part D for medications, plus a Medigap plan. I live in a big city, so finding doctor's in my MA network hasn't been a problem.

[Rebl2]

9. I don't have part

D because I discovered even if I had a supplement I would have to pay a few thousand for one medication I take. The supplemental insurance company I talked with said stay on your husband’s health insurance because it is better than a Medicare supplement or part D. Found that interesting.

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Different Part D plans can have different formularies

https://www.medicare.gov/drug-coverage-part-d/what-medicare-part-d-drug-plans-cover#:~:text=All%20plans%20must%20cover%20a,plan%20has%20its%20own%20formulary.

As long as you have coverage through your husband's insurance, you should be okay for now BUT rules can change.

https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs/avoid-penalties#:~:text=Part%20D%20late%20enrollment%20penalty&text=You%27ll%20pay%20an%20extra%201%25%20for%20each%20month%20(,more%20without%20creditable%20drug%20coverage).

[cilla4progress]

3. I'm in Washington, and yes,

there are volunteers here who helped us navigate it 2 years ago when we turned 65. I had a million questions and they never lost patience with me! And were highly knowledgeable.

We made the choice you are contemplating: Medicare and a gap policy. State Farm was least expensive, and, if memory.serves, all gap policies must have same coverage; so may as well go for cheapest! We already are insured with them so it worked out well.

[Deuxcents]

4. I heard on Thomm Hartmann's show today

That’s there’s a bill about saving Original Medicare by taking out the “Medicare” verbiage on these Advantage plans b/c of the confusion n misinformation. People aren’t made aware that once you opt out of the medigap, it’s nearly impossible to return to Medicare and lots of people are unhappy. I forget what the bil’s name is..Save Medicare.. or something on that order n it’s gaining lots of support so let’s hope some progress can be made on this and soon.

ThomHartmann.com

[MichMan]

7. That would be interesting because the government calls them Medicare Part C

On the official government website and publications. Not only do they call them that, but they also rate them (one to five stars) and allow people to apply from the website.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. I get a copy mailed to me each year. In fact, I just threw 2023's in the

recycle bin.