[cindyfeh]

Originally Posted by Heyitsrick

Be careful with that. If someone opts for a Medicare Advantage (aka MA) plan, the options to "change plans" as you get older to a traditional supplemental plan are quite limited. You have the first year you're on an MA plan to decide whether you want to stay on it. If you renew your MA going forward, you're pretty much stuck ** on MA plans going forward.

What's the problem with that? Well, it depends upon the MA plan, of course, but many of these MA plans are offered because of low or NO premiums, plus the prescription drug plan as part of the MA. Some have free gym membership, some have some limited dental coverage and hearing aid coverage. BUT, become an in-patient in a hospital? You could end up with HUGE premiums for the first few days as an in-patient.

How do I know this? Some doctor's office in TV told my Mom that she needed a particular MA plan to continue seeing the doctor she was seeing. She ultimately had three different in-patient hospital stays one year. That was 9 days of NO coverage (first 3 days of in-patient not covered) for these hospital stays - thousands of dollars in charges that we had to essentially beg the hospital to dismiss out of monetary hardship for Mom.

Bottom line - as mentioned earlier, you don't get something for nothing. "Healthy" seniors love MA plans - until they're not so healthy. It's the restrictions on switching from an MA plan to a supplemental plan that really bite.

To be clear, it's not that you can't switch to a supplemental plan after being on an MA plan for more than the first year. It's that you don't get the underwriting pass that seniors going on a supplemental plan normally get. In other words, the supplemental insurance company will want to assess your current health, and force you to get a physical to ascertain what condition you're in. They can deny supplemental coverage to you, OR make you pay a ton of money.

We got lucky with Mom - her MA plan was a "regional" TV MA plan. One "out" for people wanting to switch away from MA back to guaranteed acceptance Medicare supplemental plans - e.g. plans "G" or "F", etc. - was that if your MA plan is regional and you move outside that region, you can still get guaranteed acceptance back in a traditional supplemental plan; no physical exam required, for example. She moved out of TV to Crystal River. Her TV doctors did not cover that region, so she was able to get back on supplemental Plan G, thankfully. You might not be so lucky if you go with an MA plan and then need much more intensive healthcare coverage while you get older.

Here's a snippet about the risk of going MA:



Entering and Leaving Medicare Advantage Plans

I'm sure someone here will say something to the effect of "I have full in-patient coverage on my MA plan!" or words to that effect. Just make sure you read all of the plan's policies before signing on so you don't find yourself in a money hole later.

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Yes, sorry. I should have been mire specific. Being able to change from G to N etc. is on the United Health Plan with an AARP supplement. Changing from an Advantage Plan to a Medigap/ Supplement Plan, you would incur underwriters that can refuse to take you or raise your premiums if in poor health.