Dejola:
It is a good idea to check with SHINE. Below is a post that asked a smiliar question. I hope it helps you.
2BNTV
Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 324
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by cybrgeezer
This is slightly off the subject, but since someone opened the Medicare bag, here goes:
I am just about to turn 65 (in November) and will lose my employer's insurance Jan. 1 due to hours reduction, so I am looking at various Medicare plans.
I am sure many of you have studied this and can give me an answer to this question -- if you considered a Medicare Advantage plan with little or no premium and an included Part D and decided to go with a regular supplement+D, how did you make that decision?
The advantage plan I'm looking at has a $0 premium and all my doctors plus several local hospitals accept it. What would convince me to go with a regular supplement plan?
Again, I am sure you (some of you, at least) have faced this and come to the decision best for you. I'd really like some input.
As for personal information that matters here, I am single and taking several medications, so a Part D (included or separate) is important. My overall health is good and I have not been an inpatient in a hospital since 1986. I am active in cycling and other activities and have used emergency rooms several times, the most recent 10 years ago. Any of this factor in?
Thanks for any help.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cybrgeezer,
As an independent agent who offers both the Medicare Supplements (AARP), and three of the Medicare Advantage companies, there is no right answer to your question of whether an Advantage plan with $0 premium is the best way to go, or whether there is a convincing argument to go with a Med Supp. It's a matter of your risk tolerance, and peace of mind. The lady who went with the AARP Med Supp wanted to be able to go to any doctor anywhere in the country without having to pay hospital or doctor copays-Peace of mind, no risk. If you stay relatively healthy you will save money with the Medicare Advantage plans. It is important that your doctors (and future Specialists) and The Villages Hospital be in their network (As well as Leesburg and Ocala Hospitals). There are now maximum out of pocket limits in all Medicare Advantage plans this year, so with a catastrophic health event the most you will have to pay out of pocket per year varies from $3500 to $6700 depending on the plan. Hope this helps a litte. If you would like anymore informaton please send me a private message.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cybergeezer;
The above is an excellent answer but one has to consider their family's history of health problems and try to gaze in their crystal ball to figure out for themselves what plan is best for them. If a person expects they will stay in excellent health for many years, the Medicare Complete Plan through AARP Secure Horizon's is a good choice. The Medicare Complete program is geared toward "preventive medicine" type situations. The OOP Expense Max for 2011 is $44oo and catastrophic coverage is $8800. It depends on one's resources whether they afford to absorb this loss if one does get sick.
Going forward, if one decides they will need frequent medical treatment for ailments, they will need the original Medicare plus part D and a Supplemental plan to cover almost all OOP cost. Supplemental Plans cost more in premiums but are geared more towards people who require seeing a doctor on a regular basis and needs to be hospitalized periodically and don't want to absorb these costs or want to have peace of mind for catastrophic coverage.
One can switch from year to year but as we get older, the premiums will be higher for the supplemental type plan.
A friend of mine had paid the supplemental for many years and bemoaned the fact that it was costing her a small fortune in premiums. She switched her and her husband to Medicare Complete to not pay the difference in premiums and shortly thereafter, her husband developed a severe problem that required going to many doctors and hospitals. She switched at the wrong time in her opinion.
IMHO – I am in excellent health and chose the Medicare Complete from AARP.
It is a PPO in CT and when I move to TV, I can stay in tha same type plan. IT allows me to see the doctors I want and I don't need a referral to see a specialists. There are many options and I know my head was spinning thinking of what plan was best for me. One has to take an educated guess and hope their decision will turn out to be correct for them.
There is no clear cut answer because one never knows their future health.
I wish you the best of luck with your choice.
|