[gomsiepop]

I will be 75 in February and have NEVER, EVER had a problem going to ANY doctor for the past 9+ years. I had The Villages health insurance for a couple of years until their policy of accepting Medicare insurance changed. I chose not to have any restrictions on which doctors I could see.

[Ytepsick]

You're going to be fine. Your research and thoughts are accurate. Find an independent agent, one who is reputable and been doing this for a while. They can walk you through the whole process quite easily. That person would have to evaluate your current drug list in addition to the supplement. Good luck!

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Dontee

Kathy,
I turned 65 in July and started Medicare. The government charges 144.00 a month. I took BC/BS plan G so I could see any doctor I wanted with a cost of 177.99 a month. I also had to find a company selling prescription plans and I selected SilverScript for 25.20 a month. Every doctor takes Medicare and plan G and I’m saving 200.00 a month from my private health care which had a 5000.00 deductible.

To clarify, the Government charge for Medicare Part B ranges from $144 per month to $491 per month, depending on income.

[debron911]

Kathy,
My mother was on a traditional Medicare plan with her employer and cost her $250 monthly. Her medications out of pocket at least $85 a month. I switched her four years ago to a Medicare Advantage plan with United Health Care - The Villages Complete 2 with a monthly premium of $83. She has had four years of many surgeries, ER visits, hospitalizations, etc and I can tell you the plan has been wonderful. I chose that plan because the MAX out of pocket was $1900 with no annual co-pay. There have been some changes and for 2021 The Villages UHC will only be offering one plan. I will tell you no referrals are needed to see a specialist or pre-authorizations to see a specialist. For 2021 the UHC-Villages plan has a max out of pocket of $2900. Primary doctor visits are zero. Specialists are $40 co-pay. It is a HMO but our experience with the Villages UHC has been awesome. There is a co-pay for ambulance and for 2021 hospital admittance co-pay of $250 for the first 6 days. There is a Medicare office in Sumter Landing. They can answer your questions but we have been very impressed with the quality of the plan and a majority of doctors here take UHC. The irony is that my employer plan Medicare Advantage plan with Michigan BCBS is not accepted at The Villages Health. But my plan is a bit better and I never pay a premium. My mother was reluctant to let her employer paid traditional Medicare go but it was a blessing because of all her medical needs after we signed up for UHC. Good luck, Debbie

[tombpot]

Medicare and Plan G supplement with a prescription plan is the way to go. I moved here no problems finding Doctors taking Medicare. Are you in the sign up period, or the open enrollment? Better check your husbands company policy, I know people that were dropped from company if the spouse passes away.

[Fisherman]

Definitely agree.... stay far away from any Advantage Plan. And not sure how old you are, but your supplemental premium is slightly higher when you do not sign up at 65. Some people think they will take an advantage plan at 65 because they are in very good health and want to save money. Then later they decide to switch to a supplemental and at that point they pay a higher premium due to age and any existing major health issues. Currently, can not be denied, but you pay more. I was in excellent health until a CT scan after a fall hiking they found a benign cyst in my abdomen which the hospital bill alone was over $73K, then a skin cancer that requires a plastic surgeon with repair under general anesthesia. I have Medicare, cost depends on your Adjustable Gross Income on your tax return from two years prior, plus Florida Blue Supplemental “F” Plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield) @ $202.30 a month , and I use WellCare Drug Plan for $13.20 a month. Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs by mail order are free. Be sure to select the right drug plan, that is the hard part, but most of them you can enter each drug you may take and they will tell you what tier it falls under and the price. Never had surgery or been hospitalized except giving birth and now two in one year! I have been to the Mayo Clinic and paid zero. I have never found a Dr that did not accept my Medicare or supplemental. The Villages Health System use to accept Medicare & supplementals, then a couple of years ago, letters went out to all their patients saying they would now only accept Advantage plans. People were outraged and many left because they refused to give up their supplemental plans. The only down part of a supplemental is you are on your own for dental and most vision issues. Hope this helps.

[Doloreslv]

Regular Medicare plus a supplement allows you to seek service any where, by your choice

[Doloreslv]

Regular Medicare plus a supplement allows you to seek service any where, by your choice

[Kgcetm]

I too have Medicare and AARP Plan F. I have NEVER paid a dime to any doctor for any service and when I am asked as a new patient for insurance information I'm told "no problem". I was in TVHP from the get go and dropped out after a year. Why anyone would want a PCP in that corrupt medical morass I do not know. I think there are more and better doctors out of the system than in the system.

[Gerrys]

We a on Medicare and an AARP supplemental. We can go to any doctor who accepts Medicare. We don't need a referral to see any Medicare doctor. The supplemental picks up the Medicare deductible. Suggest you call AARP to find the supplemental plan that suits your needs.

[toeser]

Originally Posted by kathyspear

I am currently insured through my husband's employer. Because it is a small company (30 - 40 employees?) my coverage is pricey. Also, like most people with private insurance, my deductible has quadrupled in the last few years. I have been reluctant to switch to Medicare but am currently investigating my options.

It looks as if I can save $200-300 per month on my premiums if I sign up for regular Medicare, a Plan G supplement, and a drug plan. In addition, if I am understanding what I read about Medi-gap plans, I will save several thousand dollars in annual out-of-pocket costs if I dump hubby's coverage.

Assuming that is correct (and please correct me if it is not!), my primary concern is: Will I have trouble finding doctors who accept my new coverage? Right now I can go to any doctor I want. If he/she is out of network I pay a larger percentage but I can still see that doctor.

I gather I will need to find another primary care dr if I make the switch because I have been seeing someone with TVHS. I have no attachment to that person, though, and have no problem with going elsewhere. BUT I'm terrified that something BAD will happen, everyone will say, "Oh, you MUST see Dr. So-and-So, he is the expert on that problem!" But Dr. So-and-So won't take Medicare patients.

Advice? Comments?

Thanks in advance.

kathy

I suspect you will have plenty of choices, but the doctor I wanted for primary care would not accept new patients on Medicare, even though I had a referral from one of his patients who is a doctor also.

[Villages Kahuna]

You don’t have to change doctors. The Villages Health accepts Medicare Advantage plans offered by both United Healthcare and Florida Blue. Both programs include drug coverage and have zero premium. Both have $2,900 per year maximum out-of-pocket expenses. Medicare Advantage plans also offer a wide variety of additional benefits at no cost such as drug, dental, eye care and hearing aids. Both plans include a free membership to the MVP health clubs. That benefit alone is worth more than $50 a month each for my wife and myself.

I was paying a multiple of the Advantage plan $2,900 max out-of-pocket with premiums for both my wife and myself for Medicare parts A, B and D, and a Plan F supplement. I can see any specialist of my choice. The FL Blue policy has Shands, Moffitt, and several other highly-rated hospitals “in network”. Only the Mayo Clinic is out of network. I don’t think Moffitt or Shands are in network with UHC, at least they weren’t last year and this year.

To learn more, each Villages Health facility has an office that is staffed with both UHC and Florida Blue agents who will explain their programs to you and arrange your enrollment in the program you choose.

Anyone with employer-provided retiree health insurance has probably faced the same issues that you described. When my coverage for my wife and myself was going to cost almost $800 a month for Medicare A and B, an AARP Plan F supplement plus the cost of a Part D drug plans, the need to seek an alternative became obvious. Now I realize how much I wasted paying all those premiums that increased so much each year. It became pretty obvious that when my employer, one of the largest banks in the world, negotiated with the health insurance companies, their retirees weren’t exactly at the top of their list of importance.

My doctor at The Villages Health went to undergraduate college with the president’s doctor, with Med school and residency in New York. But he is an MD, not like the prez’s DO.

[champion6]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I have Medicare and Freedom Health as a supplemental. Freedom has a zero dollar premium. I love my doctors. Primary care visit have no co pay and specialist at $20.
All of the medications that I take have no co pay.
I get $75 a month in over the counter products.
There is a maximum $3,000 per year out of pocket expense.
I am very happy with it.

You have a Freedom Health Advantage plan. Freedom Health doesn't offer any Medicare Supplement plans.

The coverages you described are that of an advantage plan, not of Medicare + a supplement + a prescription drug plan.

Your Freedom Health plan has a zero dollar premium because you are paying a Medicare Part B premium and Medicare is paying Freedom Health.

Bottom line, I glad you are happy with it.

[jrieker68]

Originally Posted by Fisherman

Definitely agree.... stay far away from any Advantage Plan. And not sure how old you are, but your supplemental premium is slightly higher when you do not sign up at 65. Some people think they will take an advantage plan at 65 because they are in very good health and want to save money. Then later they decide to switch to a supplemental and at that point they pay a higher premium due to age and any existing major health issues. Currently, can not be denied, but you pay more. I was in excellent health until a CT scan after a fall hiking they found a benign cyst in my abdomen which the hospital bill alone was over $73K, then a skin cancer that requires a plastic surgeon with repair under general anesthesia. I have Medicare, cost depends on your Adjustable Gross Income on your tax return from two years prior, plus Florida Blue Supplemental “F” Plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield) @ $202.30 a month , and I use WellCare Drug Plan for $13.20 a month. Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs by mail order are free. Be sure to select the right drug plan, that is the hard part, but most of them you can enter each drug you may take and they will tell you what tier it falls under and the price. Never had surgery or been hospitalized except giving birth and now two in one year! I have been to the Mayo Clinic and paid zero. I have never found a Dr that did not accept my Medicare or supplemental. The Villages Health System use to accept Medicare & supplementals, then a couple of years ago, letters went out to all their patients saying they would now only accept Advantage plans. People were outraged and many left because they refused to give up their supplemental plans. The only down part of a supplemental is you are on your own for dental and most vision issues. Hope this helps.

I have the same plans - Florida Blue Plan F and Wellcare. Don't hesitate to get a different drug plan company. I was paying $77.20/mo. for Florida Blue drug plan and only $13.20 now with Wellcare. Don't pay anymore with Wellcare for drugs and I think it's actually less.

[Villagesgal]

I have medicare and AARP United Healthcare Plan F. Other than my premium I pay nothing, everything is 100% covered, do deductible, no copay. First time ever in hospital for minor operation, first time ever in ER, first time ever mri, paid not one penny. I have wellcare prescription plan, all generic, I pay nothing. I have children in 4 different states, have had to see drs there, no problem and no copays. Best is that I know exactly what my medical expenses will be each year, just premiums, so can easily budget never having to worry about a yearly maximum out of pocket. I attended a SHINE presentation, then a one on one. They will go over everything with you. They do not sell any insurance product. They give you all the information you need to decide what's best for you. I have had no problem at all finding doctors or hospitals who accept my plan, seems like they all accept my supplement. Depending on your birth year you may still be able to get Plan F if you were born in 1954 or earlier, if that's the case, you might consider going with that. Call SHINE, good luck. I don't think you can go wrong with Plan F or G.
I pay $182.70 per month for AARP United Healthcare Plan F, which is $2,192.49 per year, much less than most Advantage Plan yearly deductibles, and 13.00 for Wellcare drug plan for $156.00 per year, take 6 prescriptions and pay -0- per year for them.