Quote:
Originally Posted by Nucky
(Post 2158444)
Oh boy, do you speak the truth! I'm having a hard time going for a Bronze plan for my wife but the facts are, the plan is much better than the Silver Plan that they seem to push on us every year. The Silver plan is about double what it was last year. That's a no go for us. It's been smooth sailing for us since this coverage was available. This is the first year I'm struggling to decide. They text and email and now call daily. I guess it's better than letting me forget. I'm not rushing into this decision.
Thanks for sharing OBB. I'm not the only one in the Bronze Boat vs Silver Boat.
I got my butt handed to me back in the day when the Political Forum was up and running. I was always honest about what was going on and others felt the need to criticize instead of helping. It was a long time ago and the ones who buried me are mostly not around anymore for whatever reason. The ones who helped us became good friends. Life is good. We'll figure this out. :mademyday:
Don't miss the Political Forum. The smartest thing they ever did was let it go by the wayside. It was BRUTAL! :faint:
|
When we lived up north we qualified for free health care via the medicare expansion, after beloved spouse's department closed down, he was out of work and no one would hire him as a new employee for even close enough to what we needed to make ends meet. I was working two part time jobs. His social security wouldn't come for another two years.
Same situation, one year closer to his social security check but not there yet, and we were here in The Villages, having to pay for health insurance for the first time ever in our adult lives (since we both had our own employer-provided health insurance before we met, and between the two of us we always had employer-provided benefits for both of us while we were married). Florida doesn't participate in medicare expansion, so we had to pay for the privilege. So much for a lower cost of living here compared to the north.
Fast forward to this past year, and his SS checks started, and our premiums have been $436/month. We earn less than $40,000 after taxes between social security, pension, and one of us working part time. I can no longer work due to arthritis and bursitis. But neither of my illnesses are considered "disabilities" so I'm also not eligible for social security disability.
I'm due for a hip replacement which will set me back $15,000 AFTER I satisfy the deductible and out of pocket max. PLUS $436/month premium.
So I'll go with the bronze plan, get the 0 deductible, $9100 out of pocket max, 900 pay for ambulance, 1000 for emergency room, and tiddly winks of copays that go toward the out of pocket max for usual and customary visits to doctors. And then I'll get my hip replacement. My total cost will be around $10,000 out of pocket in total, instead of $15,000. Plus my premiums will only be around $150/month. Which gets off-set by the Florida Blue rewards program where you plug in how many days you ate vegetables or got enough sleep or exercised or whatever, and get points toward dollars off the premiums. And then - MY social security will start next year, so my premiums wil go up again. I did some math, estimating tht my premiums wil go up to around $500/month once get my first check. The MdStategroup are pretty terrific though. Very happy to receiieve help from them and recommend them to anyone else seeking information agojt florida BLure. i realze my typing might not be o good right now, sleep meds are kickng in. so goognidht!
