even when you have medicare,

the insurance companies make money.

medicare only covers 80%. most people buy a supplemental policy from an insurance company and they're not cheap.

Medicare part D -- prescription coverage. for some reason my mom got it for free the first year, then she got notice from an insurance company that medicare said her income was too high and that she had to pay for it. it was $15.35 a month. she declined it, but they kept sending her bills and late notices. i called and wrote to them several times telling them that she did not want this insurance. that was several years ago. even after she passed last december, we were still getting bills.