Do You Need Medicare?

[GrayGoose]

How about Medicare?

[zcaveman]

At age 65, Medicare became my primary and my retirement health insurance became my secondary.

So yes, I need Medicare.

[dillywho]

May I remind you, too, that Medicare is not free. We all pay a monthly premium just like any other insurance.

[nkrifats]

To receive Tricare For Life with the Military. I am required to have part B, and yes I pay for the Part B. In fact my Part B cost within 10 a month what I was paying at work for my Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

[retiredguy]

My wife is not old enough, but I am and had to take Medicare as my primary.

What I am concerned with now is that Obama's healthcare plan will totally gut Medicare and replace it with government-managed care and rationing.

[Niels]

My wife and I have access to a good health plan in retirement. However, when we become 65, we are required to take Medicare which will become our primary plan and our employer's plan will be secondary.(like several other people mentioned above).

Therefore, I would say my wife and I need Medicare.

[conn8757]

I wll be so happy to get on it in 3 years - woo hoo! We pay an outrageous amount for health insurance (retiree) with a high deductible.

[zcaveman]

I wll be so happy to get on it in 3 years - woo hoo! We pay an outrageous amount for health insurance (retiree) with a high deductible.

After you get on Medicare, you will still need a secondary carrier to pay what Medicare does not cover. But do not worry. As you approach 65 you will get a lot of mail from health insurance companies that want you to pick them.

In my case, my retirement health insurance became my secondary with a lower monthly premium. But the wife being under 65 has my retirement health insurance as her primary with a different premium and a different deductible plan (no more co-pay).

[drdodge]

I do not pay for part B medicare. I have Freedom Health and they reimburse me for part B

[Ooper]

Nope... not yet!

[billethkid]

Not just yes!!!!!!!
But :cus: yes!!!!!!!!!!

btk

[Cliff]

I certainly do need Medicare. I gave the best years of my life in the military based on a promise from the US Government that I would have free medical and dental care for me and my spouse for the rest of my life. Low and behold in 1982 they changed their minds and said "Ooops, wrong. You and your spouse will have to find your private medical insurance or use medical facilities based on a space available basis for your medical care." After law suits by former military started to overwhelm the politicians, they came up with Tricare for Life which paid the remainder of what Medicare would not pay (20 % of the Medicare allowed amount). My medical insurance is no longer free because I have to pay for Medicare for myself and spouse. Bite the bullet here. Now they are considering making us pay for our Tricare for Life. Look only a little into the future and see those military men and women who are fighting for you all over the world being told that they have to pay for their own medical insurance in Military Medical Facilities while they recover from their war wounds. How much more will the Military take before it says "To hell with you. Go fight your own wars." I don't have many years left so I will probably survive no matter how much they want to lie and cheat me out of what I deserve. But, what about our sons, daughters and grandchildren. Would you want them to enter the service of your country knowing how the elderly retired military have been screwed?"