[Rainger99]

Should getting healthcare be this complicated?? Whether it is pre-Medicare or Medicare??

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Should getting healthcare be this complicated?? Whether it is pre-Medicare or Medicare??

Absolutely not, but you know what happens when the Government gets involved with anything.

[Babubhat]

Florida blue via healthcare.gov. Decided to take social security early and pay the premium for 2 years. Deferring lots of taxable income was no longer an option. Accepted by villages health without issues

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

If he's not available you can ask for Leonel Barron - he just helped me figure out which of the Florida Blue options were best for us. Turns out we've been paying WAY too much for a Silver plan that doesn't cover as much as a cheapo Bronze plan covers. That's on the exchange with our tax credit, based on our income.

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.

Don't miss the Political Forum. The smartest thing they ever did was let it go by the wayside. It was BRUTAL!

[Rainger99]

I am on Medicare but wife is not eligible. Can someone give me a ballpark estimate of how much insurance would cost for her? She is in good health. Thanks.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Nucky

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.

Don't miss the Political Forum. The smartest thing they ever did was let it go by the wayside. It was BRUTAL!

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!

[ewstanley]

I've been paying my own medical insurance since moving here in 2011. It is expensive and with the expansions healthcare professionals will be very in short supply.
I will be happy to be getting Medicare soon.
I have Florida Blue Cross Bronze.
Good Luck.

[Cobullymom]

I'm under medicare age and found Dr's easily in the area, with not the greatest insurance company. Premiere Medical has numerous offices in TV. Believe me TV HC isn't that special, and there is lots of offices with primary care MDs just outside TVs I found a wonderful one in Belleview, being on the Northside, on the South end there is several in Sumterville, Leesburg, and Wildwood. I'm a 29 yr retired nurse and I'm very picky and I've managed to find Drs and have major surgery without much trouble. Just don't focus on TV healthcare.

[bowlingal]

Florida Blue ( blue cross/blue shield) is available. There is a stand alone Florida Blue store on CR101 on the left side in a strip mall down the block from CVS located on 466

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

I am on Medicare but wife is not eligible. Can someone give me a ballpark estimate of how much insurance would cost for her? She is in good health. Thanks.

Hard to say. If you go to the Florida Blue website, you can get a pretty accurate estimate. Personally, I retired at 56, I'm now 63, and my 2023 premium will be $17,600 for the year with a $7,000 deductible and no pre-existing conditions. (Bronze plan). I was self-employed, so no employer benefits, don't qualify for "Obamacare", and even if I did, I wouldn't accept it.

[LoisH]

I am 58 and was fortunate to be able to keep my health insurance (Humana First Local) at the group rate. Finding providers took a long time though. I go to Leesburg, Clermont,
Ocala Family Medical, and still have a couple doctors down in Clearwater.

[Dantes]

Ocala family health

[PoolBrews]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I would contact SHINE and see if they can help you. They offer free, unbiased advice.

SHINE - Home

Looking at their site, it appears that SHINE only offers medicare assistance.

[LLJorgs]

There are Florida Blue brokers offices located next to many (perhaps) all The Villages Heath locations. Just walk in and they were very helpful finding, reviewing/comparing plans that met our needs. Wonderful experience!

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Hard to say. If you go to the Florida Blue website, you can get a pretty accurate estimate. Personally, I retired at 56, I'm now 63, and my 2023 premium will be $17,600 for the year with a $7,000 deductible and no pre-existing conditions. (Bronze plan). I was self-employed, so no employer benefits, don't qualify for "Obamacare", and even if I did, I wouldn't accept it.

My situation is chicken s&$t compared to the numbers that you laid down.

Paying for medical coverage thru an employer or the exchange is just sickening. The coverage is for my wife and you know what will happen if I go the cheap way. We’ll get bombed with Doctor Bills.

I think I’ve made mistakes over the last two or three years by not giving more than just a glance at the Bronze plans. I know better and could have investigated much deeper. That’s water under the bridge. This new decision is the one that really counts.

When I compare two different Bronze plans a the same Silver plan we’ve had for about 8 years I can’t believe what I’m looking at. Bronze it is……. I think! Lol