.

You are probably only going to get divorced once, so the attorneys stoke anger in one or both of the parties to drive litigation, calls, paper transfers, etc. which drives up both people's attorney fees.

These insurance companies become predatory and keep jacking up rates, knowing most won't shop around.

I've seen my mom's car insurance and health insurance supplemental plans do that.

.

I HAD 2 DAYS IN HOSPITAL AND LOTS OF TESTS FOR MY HEART. At providence Hospital in portland and I didn't pay a penny out of pocket. I have congestive heart failure and it is important to cover the THOUSANDS of dollars that would come from hospital tests and stay.


Get the supplemental medicare, you'll be glad you did !!!

and I pay about 150/month, up from 105 several years ago when I first got it. They've been great and the least expensive I could find. Am in CA.

I have Plan F so everything is covered, and my medical bills have been atrocious (cancer, surgery, etc).

And there's still a premium that's deducted from your Social Security check. If you want full or fuller coverage you have to buy a supplement.

Most are less than $100 a month. They will cover the other 20 percent.

With the extra cost Medicare coverage and my supplemental policy I pay about as much as I did for insurance when I was employed.

sure would enjoy coverages for dental, vision, and hearing w/devices. Pretty sure the teeth are falling apart; wear glasses; and spouse is losing his hearing.

When we both worked, we always tried to participate in the employer-provided plans. During periods of serial unemployment we went without until the ACA came along. We had purchased Medicare supplemental policies for both of us but a clerical error made by the insurer nullified our policies, and they would not reinstate. Wouldn't you know it, I got sick and was hospitalized. Now I have a pre-existing condition.

We finally turned to an ACA policy but my doc failed to let me know she only took that as an out-of-network doc. Fired her and her pills and have lived without insurance or drugs except the never-used Medicare ever since. We had had to opt out of ACA previously and were tax penalized for two years because who could even afford premiums on decent coverage ACA policies on low-wage part-time work, or short-term W-9 that employers offered the older employee or the early SS-eligible seniors. Hah, couldn't pay taxes on filing, and they docked the SS to the fullest extent for the taxes: 15% of SS benefits, so it will be a long time before those are repaid. Makes me feel like a "bad" person, but I'm just a poor person caught in the GOP web of greed.

Couldn't pay Stafford school loans approved while we were employed and never imagined the recession to come. Without employment and with inadequate retirement benefits/savings to pay, we waited in vain for the "payment book" supposedly in the mail, but we never heard from the lender until we did. UGH! Now on a payment plan.

Then the Great Recession caused us to decide to retire at minimum age just to survive in place and continue w/federally extended unemployment and it's requirements to report on the search. Recruiters advised that few, if any, over age 40 in IT were being hired W-2 but perhaps W-9 gigs so we tried. I got laid off from a W-2 after six years at the first practice as they contracted out and automated their in-house medical transcription department. Lost the next W-2 FT job after I cleaned up the backlog over a 90-day probation period, and then we sucked it in with frugal living.

My dog died; more vet expense. More grief! Seeing the inability to obtain work, I didn't even bother with filing for the pittance of unemployment I'd receive and waited for early SS to kick in. As SS kicked in as well as spouse's federally-extended unemployment, it was JUST enough to get by. SS said it would automatically reduce benefits to fit his capped earnings prior to age 62 through age 66. Alas, they did not do that, so when he finally got some work, they claimed they had overpaid and wanted it all back. I guess, on appeal, hardship was granted???? Still don't really know if that will rear up again.

Finally, he was offered a job with a contractor for the VA. Wasn't IT work, but close enough; more like marketing. Even before on-boarding, the contractor required mandatory attendance, on our own dime, to an OOT "training" session. Hurriedly, he signed employer paperwork to get on the payroll, and off we went. Training sessions days were cancelled as presenter instructors didn't even show up. Go figure! VA budget-burning in play! Car broke down expensively on the way home and took our remaining travel funds. My car, at least, will be considered "vintage" in a few years; 17 years old but well-maintained. It's very lucky not to have been stuck 300 miles from home when it broke down. On our return, within 3 days, he was laid off as the VA changed their T4 plans and "regions" for that position yet again.

There's nothing left now but SS and low-wage greeter type work. Over time, he's been laid off from low-wage jobs three times as we've scrambled to pay bills: meat market clerk, convenience store clerk, grocery clerk, now storage unit clerk versus the rising costs of those "bills" like food, insurance, car repairs/gasoline. He continues to look for better paying work with seamless paydays that would allow us to pay those bills without late fees, eat, maybe get insurance, health and life, while I remain available at home for elementary-age grandchild care. The kids, two daughters, one never married, one with SIL" do help out some, but it's a daily STRUGGLE to live like a normal human being, but still feel we need to cut more expense from the "budget". Though SS is near the "average" paid, it's just not enough because housing is still a rising expense in my city/state. We'll never quality for SNAP at this rate, not even if we separate or divorce. Something has to radically change. Don't really want to sell my remains to a body parts vender.

Retirement Plan B to be as expensive as possible to TPTB is in place - First order of business: F' the GOP at every level of government!

Like in Canada, and many other countries.

You still need supplemental coverage for dental, vision, chiro etc. But no copay or deductible for office visits , surgery, etc

You're dealing with the kind of stresses that many more fortunate people, who've personally been able to live the American Dream and think that it's equally available to everybody else regardless of health or circumstances, close their eyes to and would never believe are happening in this country.

Are listed in the back of your Medicare book. Many areas the cost is zero.

Check them before you do anything. Then call a Government Agency. There is plenty of help connected with the ACA, too.

if I go tot he hospital or emergency room it will bankrupt me like I did with my employer based insurance.

Many seniors go for an Advantage plan or some other sort of supplemental coverage. Even with those, you will still be out of pocket for all sorts of things, just as in employer provided health care.

Any more questions as to why we need a true universal coverage?

My Advantage plan has a $0 premium. It covers most things fairly well. Explore what is available in your area.

that's almost a no-brainer. Unless it doesn't cover things that you need often.

At this point, all I want is an annual physical to get me the 'scripts I need for a couple of maintenance drugs, one of which is very cheap. Also, it would be really nice if my local hospital takes it without a lot of hassle.

Most of my drugs are included, some have $10-15 copays. There are modest copays for specialist doctors. The dental coverage is fairly limited, enough for cleanings, X-ray, occasional filling but still on the hook for crowns. The plan also includes a Silver Sneakers membership to lots of gyms and health clubs.

Far from perfect, but not bad.

and having dental coverage is good. Is vision covered, too?

Have had cataract surgeries and a detached retina. Had a hundred or so copay there. You get one set of glasses after cataract surgery. Think that might be a general Medicare benefit like most of the immunizations.

including pupilary distance, then I can go online to get glasses. Appreciate your responses!

a close second.

and some needed procedures like tooth extraction. Though they say they have an allowance for crowns, they call any work like that “cosmetic.” They are also restrictive about where you can be seen.

I think perhaps one might at much greater cost get a better dental plan, but the ones included or 10 dollars a month are not so hot nor are the providers.

My small company had dental coverage for many years. It paid up to $2500 per year with a 50% copay for crowns, and such. It had a six month waiting period for that coverage. The dental insurance option was $17 a month.

The dental coverage under my Advantage plan is nowhere near as good. It has an annual cap of $600 or $700.

dental. Same kind of deal you had.
Well, 600 or 700 is some help but not for real dental work. I got tired of inferior work I had under my dental and went out of pocket. Believe it or not some folks are resorting to YouTube to make their own caps.

No one does.

But now she's discovered that her radiation treatments aren't covered by part A, and she doesn't have the thousands of dollars to pay for them -- so she's trying a Go Fund Me, and putting off the treatments till she raises the money.

Too bad she also assumed she would stay healthy.

but I don't need to pay hundreds of dollars a month for a Cadillac plan, either.

And I figure if I get the Big C, then, as Joe Biden would say, "My time's up."

of my 65th birthday and got a supplemental plan ASAP. Everything has been covered. Without it, I would be bankrupt by now and unable to afford life-saving treatment.

Insurance is vital. So sorry for your friend, that's heartbreaking

That means the copays and deductibles are higher.

It is all there.

The premium is nearly $200 for each of us but it pays a good chunk toward prescriptions, dental and eyeglass coverage. There's always that sneaky thing called "co-insurance" too.

can be good for some. But you must stay with in plan services. If you travel a lot or have a seasonal relocation, they don't really work. Also, they are allowed to cancel you for cause. Traditional plans can't do that. We all have to do our homework before we sign up for Medicare.

even out of country. If you get a plan that services many states, you can while traveling get full care I believe. As you say, one must be careful.

I think AARP provides some good advice about plans.

.

Fucking ten grand a year! They really took advantage of her.

.

Most medigap plans are a fraction of that. Many are less than $100 a month.

.

Needless to say, I was really pissed off at them for screwing an elderly woman like that.

.

and they helped me find a plan that was reasonable. My husband and I each pay for a supplemental plan once a year.

It is Medicare D, the prescription plan, that screws me. I will be looking for a better plan during open enrollment.

I worked with a non profit consultant to find plan and couldn't believe the range in premiums for the same coverage.

$150/month with HealthNet - am also in CA, 68 yo.

copays and deductibles.

The exact same plan costs $89 a month if you live in Fresno.

All Medicare gap plans are required to cover the same benefits, no matter who you choose, whether the lowest premium by some unknown company to you, or the highest premium to BCBS, they all cover the same benefits, so choosing a plan, just because you have always had them, is not to your benefit.

.

And we've already paid almost $11K in co-pays this year. And that's not including office visits co-pays.

Both of us are retired but hubby thought keeping our lower premium BC/BS was a better deal than signing up for Medicare. Perhaps we should rethink this.

Does that 11,000 USD also include all pharma costs, or is that just for medical services?

How high are you deductibles on healthcare and then on meds?

Finally, what out your monthly premiums?

Your example is PURE wealth extraction by a broken AND predatory health care system. It would NEVER happen in the other nations I have lived in.

I so hope you can sort this all out.

Not trying to ignore you but am trying to decide how much personal info to make public and how to exactly state it.

Back soon.

No worries...and I'd like to explain, just a bit later. Tiny hint: seeing my eye surgeon later this morning.

OPM advised signing up for Medicare Part A and that Fed Blue would act as a kind of supplemental insurance.

Republicans and the insurance industry blew about 1000 holes in Medicare.

Not all employer based insurance plans are comprehensive either. My insurance is pretty good, but only covers a fraction of the cost of hearing aids, and has deductibles for services. Some plans offered by my employer have up to 5000 deductibles. I pay almost 6000 per year to cover my family on my plan.

Medicare can be fixed. Those who profit off of healthcare want you to believe that Medicare is inferior because they want you to continue to be beholden to an insurance driven, profit driven system.

I did not know that but I'm not surprised.

Not one bit.

Although back when it first started, medical costs were a whole lot lower, and so people tended to experience less out of pocket costs.

And few employer based insurance plans have ever been comprehensive. I once made the mistake of reading the actual coverage provided by my husband's work based plan, and was shocked at how little really was covered. If any of us had gotten seriously ill we'd have been out of luck.

The very best thing about Medicare is that its overhead costs are incredibly low. No profit motive. No high salaries to top people. Sometimes people who claim we can't possibly afford some sort of Medicare for all act as if there are no costs to the current for-profit system.

Look at difference between your straight Medicare and the Medicare Advantage plans. With the plain Medicare like you have it usually means the extra cost of buying an additional supplemental insurance to pick up the uncovered gap

You can switch plans at certain times of the year if you see that it would be more useful to your situation. If you like a particular clinic they should already have staff to help you then sign ups roll around.

When I think about Medicare for all plans, I think Medicare Advantage would be more workable in providing good coverage while still giving people a choice of providers.

You have to select it when you are eligible for Medicare, and you cannot choose it later or go back to it without having a process that may end up costing more than if you bought it right from the start.

It is the gold standard. The coverage it provides is standardized by law,not the creative process of an ins co.

Advantage plans may turn out to be junk. Extremely variable in terms of coverage.

Check it out. Medigap Plan F.

If you have plan F because you signed up for it some years ago, you can continue with plan F. For now.

If plans F and C are unavailable, check out plan G.

But get something, because basic Medicare can leave you with some big bills.

...check there first.

They can only sell or advise on Medicare and related insurance policies.

My agent was wonderful. There was a one hour introduction and explanation, with handouts to take home.
There is a difference between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplemental. They explained everything and answered everyone's questions. No pressure, just education.

When I went in for my personal appointment she showed me the rates, decuctables, co-pays for agencies they work with. It came up as a spreadsheet format which made it easy to compare side by side every insurance company even if a company had several options.

With the Open Enrollment coming up find one of these agents now. Find out when they have group meetings and
get educated. You may have what is best for you but there maybe something better. Either way you will have information so you sleep better.

of G and N(?), that's why they are going away. Switched from Medicare Advantage to Medicare+supplement and it's been much better and cheaper.

will decrease and premiums will rise on this plan. Your better off going with the new G plan and paying the $185 deductible for the year.

It was the best. I had it, but let it lapse. Couldn't get it back.

That is why the premiums will eventually go up, because the pool will get older and sicker, and with no new enrolees they will be paying out too much, so premiums will definitely go up.

fix the problem with Medicare lack of coverage.

And PartD.

Anyway, thanks for posting bringing this to everyone’s attention in case anyone wasn’t aware of this.

My own sister who is approaching 65, didn’t realize until a few years ago that you have to pay premiums for Medicare.

Part B (dr visits, etc) has a premium. Part D (drugs) also has a premium.

And boy is she bitching about what a rip off she thinks it is. She has a Medicare advisor, too. She thinks she should get dental, vision, and stuff like that for free. But right now her work gives her a 0 premium plan with a high deductible, which to me is practically worthless. She bitches about that, too. You just can't please some people.

All I hear is "I've been paying into this all my life, and this is all I get?" etc. etc. I tried telling her that medical care costs are through the roof but it goes in one ear and out the other.

only covered 80% of in-network charges, and only 60% out-of-network. This was true until the high deductible was spent on covered charges, then for a bit it would be 100% in-network. Since I rarely hit the full out-of-pocket, my coverage was effectively 80%.

I don't see why this is a problem with Medicare

coverage for crappy employer coverage due to stupid loophole built into
ACA.

Now tell me who has CHOICE now... no one does unless you are in the 1%!

..my parents had that and medicare and their medical expenses were covered almost 100%..of course its still a monthly premium.

differences between those too

That is what a supplemental plan is all about or an advantage plan, and there are differences between those featured also, where one can very likely limit your choices where you can go

Depending these auxiliary plans, one may need a drug, dental, or eyeglass plan. That may add additional premium cost

Even without the Basic Medicare, you also have to pay a premium for Part B

Where are the people with 100% coverage? Are they the same people who have full private sector pensions?

after hitting the deductible.

The plan is less than $50/month, the deductible is $2,000 - and if you open an HSA the employer kicks in $500. So her total medical cost for the year is under $2,100. (Her billed expenses are >$200,000 each and every year - so quite a bargain.)

She works at a competitor to Whole Foods - so not some fancy-pants job. She earns less than $20/hour. NO full private section pension, but a match for her 401K contributions up to 5%.

with supplemental insurance is best. Unfortunately for my dad, who is a dialysis patient, is not eligible for a supplemental advantage plan.

there are too many options with too many pitfalls even with Medicare, much less private insurance.

Right now I'd stay on my private insurance as long as I could continue working past 65, just because it appears better than what I could get with Medicare and some form of supplemental policy. I do have much better insurance than I've ever had before.

The point of reforming the system to switch to Medicare for All, and getting rid of the confusing options, is to give piece of mind that you're already on the best plan with the lowest overall cost.

for Medicare, I got an information packet that told me all about it and I got a lot of insurance supplemental offers telling me even more. An agent came and spend an hour and a half going over everything I needed to know to make sure I got what I needed in supplemental coverage. All at a very small fraction of my share of the cost I paid for BCBS through my job.

my first year using Medicare, I didn't sign up for supplemental insurance. the 80% covrage was enough for me, with deductable less than $200 it was the best insurance I ever had. I chose to ignore all the literature.

Found out the second year, supplemental is REQUIRED, thanks to Part D passed by GW Bush and company, wth plenty of Democratic help, an unpaid for mandate. I've been paying a penalty for seven years ever since for not carrying supplemental insurance that first year.
If you qualify, Medicaid can be your supplemental. I did not and for that, I'm grateful. The penalty is small, but I'm still paying it. My supplemental runs about $100/month (with penalty) with a $500 deductable.

Supplemental ins. I have it now and I’m paying the penalty

to purchase secondary insurance to cover those changes. We pay for a higher end policy through a private company. Cost two of us, with relatively good health, about $11,000 a year when you include what Medicare takes out of our ss and drug coverage. Not cheap, nor free! Don't think most really know what Medicare for All means.

If so you should know medicare for all proposals differ from traditional medicare in various ways, depending on whose plan you're talking about.

Don’t realize that it’s not a freebie. A premium comes out of your SS and you have to get supplemental ins and drug coverage. That last one only helps a little. I had to get an epipen which I’ll probably never use for the bargain price of $400. Having said that, I love the program though there was a time in my life when I couldn’t even afford Medicare. I favor the public option. I think forcing people to give up insurance they like would be a disaster. It would be like fighting the ACA all over again only this time without control of both houses. Totally unworkable.

Medicare is full of old sick people.
Lots of young healthy people in private plans.

Also a good percentage of younger people are on employer-based health insurance not private insurance—those are two different things.

that covers that 20% or sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan that handles it all.

I have one that pays $100 on my $135 Medicare premium so that I pay $35/month, and I don't need a supplementary plan. The downside is you have to deal with the same damn insurance companies that you did during your employment years.

Medicare seems to require an advanced degree just to understand the choices. I think unfondly of the Republicans who "reformed" it. Before anyone says, "But now there's drug coverage," sure there is. Just not for any drug I take, even if I'm allergic to the one they cover.

Due to my husband's 23 year service with the Military...4 years Active Duty in the USAF 1962 to 1966, as well as 19 years with the MN Army National Guard(2), MN Air National Guard(17)1980 to 1999. Seldom do we have a bill for out of pocket when there have been Surgeries or recommended tests, procedures to open up my husband's coronary artery where there was a vein graft from a Bypass back in 1991.

I am undergoing another Eye Surgery on 9 August. This time in the right eye where I have been blinded by a Cataract for 30 years that decided to slip out of place in late April that needs to be removed.

It is good yo have a supplemental plan to pick up that 20%.

from cradle to grave when it comes to healthcare. Just another overindulgence for wall street insurance companies.

I think my husband pays $135 a month.

Tim Ryan continually discussed how his Ohio Auto Union workers wouldn't stand for taking away their private plans because they had negotiated them along with pay raises.

It is generally true that the UAW had some of the best insurance in the country, often with full coverage paid by their companies. These and the plans given to corporate executives are the "Cadillac" plans many refer to. Other unionized workers usually had plans that cost more out-of-pocket and ordinary workers had a mixed bag of plans before ACA.

The interesting thing is that in the last 40 years, union membership and union shops have plummeted across the country and some of the lifetime coverage counted on by their retirees has been negated by mergers and bankruptcies. So, while the Union argument can be valid in specific locations, it in no way represents the broad range of Americans.

Bottom line, universal coverage will be a boon for us all, but is likely to come with the same kind of confusion we see with Medicare plans right now.

I retired at age 62 and since I was under the 100% Federal Poverty Level I qualified for Wisconsin's Medicaid for adults with no children called BadgerCare. It paid for everything and I got to pick my own doctor. There was a $1.25 copay for prescriptions.
Three years later I'm going to be 65 so here comes Medicare which I paid into for decades while I worked. Surprise! Suprise!, they want to take $135/month out of my small SS check to pay for Part B and then come the deductibles and copays. My deductibles, if I needed the care, would have amounted to half of my SS for the year.

Fortunately I qualified for a Medicare Advantage Plan (https://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-change-plans/types-of-medicare-health-plans/medicare-advantage-plans/how-do-medicare-advantage-plans-work).
I'm sure you've seen all the tv ads for them.
I'm with United HealthCare and the only thing I pay is $3.40 for each 90 day prescription.
I have dental and vision coverage as well and they'll pay $200/year towards glasses.
Since I still qualify for Medicaid, it pays for what Medicare does not pay, and the state pays the $135/month for Part B.
On top of it all I get $200/quarter that pays for over the counter medical needs through their catalog or at Walgreens.

If I had even $50 more a month in income I would be screwed with my pants on so I'm best off staying poor.

That’s why you have to have a supplemental. They usually pick up the other 20%

I had back fusion a few years ago and our out of pocket was around $7000. My father in law has medicare plus a gap plan and it covered almost all of his recent heart surgery.

paperwork? SSA gave me a bunch of info about Medicare, Part A, Part D and other parts as well as info about Medicare Advantage and Medigap. You didn’t look at the tables showing coverage and out-of- pocket costs?

My Dad raved about Medicare — even after having had what I always understood from my parents comments was pretty darned good health insurance provided by his employer (bargained health plan via Teamster’s Union). Even knowing that, I took the time to look at out of pocket costs and have been very happy in the 3+ years i’ve been on Medicare.

Medicare is a solid low cost health plan. It does require a supplemental plan to cover the copays and deductibles if you want to avoid those. But try doing that through private insurers — won’t even come close.

On employer-provided commercial insurance.

That's with the usual deductibles, per-year out-of-pocket, etc., in place.

The Federal government negotiates rates with providers given their massive patient base. So you will often get a much better deal on a procedure through Medicare than you would with other commercial insurance. But it won't be free, or even low-cost.

because 20% of my recent $120k hospitalization would be $24,000 and that I do not have.

Then everyone got in on the racket. What the Feds should have done was slowly close that 20% gap over the last FIFTY FOUR YEARS. But nope,left it the same so you still have to deal with an insurance company.

And BTW,most people thing that Medicare is free after paying in all your working life---ROFLOL,wanna bet?

but, yes, medicare part b has premiums of about $134 per month, has an 20% copay, and does not include any drugs (part d). it does not cover "long term care" (which is Medicaid. after you meet the means test)

it is still the best insurance in the usa.

to cover what Medicare does not include.

I wish Dems would STOP talking about Medicare for all because it means we still would need private insurance plans in order to cover costs of having comprehensive health care in this country.

The Dems need to, instead, focus on universal health care single payer coverage that is a national health insurance program.

I'm lucky to have a BCBS Federal supplemental policy that I was eligible to continue as part of the survivors benefit of his Federal pension when my husband died. Between Medicare and that supplemental policy, I have had no out of pocket additional costs(beyond the premiums) for two joint replacement surgeries since I've been on Medicare.

The state of Wisconsin pays my $135/month for Medicare part B. I am under Medicare Advantage program with United Healthcare, pay no monthly premiums and what Medicare does not cover, Medicaid picks up. I do have a copay of $3.40 for prescriptions.
But nobody really tells you about this if you are poor, you need to find it out for yourself.
If my monthly income were $50 more I would be screwed with my pants on, so this is one case where it pays to be poor.

And when BS talks about how his Medicare for all bill is comprehensive, and will cover glasses, dental and hearing, why the fuck doesn't anyone ask him how much the Medicare premiums will go up?

BS and Elizabeth Warren know better, they are both of Medicare age.

Medicare premiums + deductible + 20% uncovered hospital expense does not = free.

Then add a supplemental policy for Rx and/or a supplemental medical plan. I swear, what is it people don't get?