did you fully consider the coordination of benefits? or a cheaper plan? or the rebate a couple of plans give to medicare customers? or not taking medicare and using FEHB by itself?

I have the Federal Blue Cross standard plan, and that is the only insurance that I have. No Medicare Part B, but Part A is free. There are plenty of preferred providers in the area. The only disadvantage to not having the United Health Advantage plan is that you cannot use The Villages primary care doctors, but you can use their specialists. If I were to buy Medicare Part B, the supplement, and Part A, my premiums alone would exceed my annual Blue Cross catastrophic limit of $5,000. I would suggest that you reconsider dropping the FEHB, especially if your Medicare premium is higher than the basic $135 per month. Mine would be over $260 per month. If you can budget for the possibility of an out of pocket expense of $5,000, everything after that will be covered at 100 percent, including drugs.

We opted for the Unitedhealthcare option 2, we pay the extra $80.00 a month for the coverage. By dropping her from Fed Bluecross/Blueshield my insurance dropped $219.29 a month after paying the $80.00 a month for Unitedhealthcare. My out of pocket for this plan is $1900. For the her prescriptions, I have paid zero dollars since switching plans, where as Fed Bluecross/Blueshield always had a small cost. I will be checking in to other plans for this open season for comparison.

Medicare Advantage vs Medicare W/ Supplement
 

Wife & I have been on both plans over the last 16 years now. Though Traditional Medicare with a supplement is more costly, it is hands down the way to go. We feel you can’t put a price on your healthcare. No copays, paperwork, or referrals which at times cause lengthy delays in getting your healthcare taken care of ASAP. I waited 3 months one time while in extreme pain for a referral to be approved for back surgery, & my daily calls fell on deaf ears. It’s your decision, but for us we would never go back to a Medicare Advantage plan.

Thanks for your input. Would apprecaite if you would share the names of the supplemental company your currently with? My consultant here in Colorado is recommending BC/BS supplemental as it has a traveling component. BTW...BC/BS is our current health insurance provider through my wife's employer.

By law all Medigap (or supplemental) plans have to offer the same coverages. Plan G is Plan G no matter which insurance company you choose. Choose the Medigap policy that has the coverage you want, and shop around for the best price. Prices with each carrier change with your location. I lived in Ohio and purchased Plan G from Americo for $108 per month. I just moved to TV last week, and my premium will increase because of my move. There are independent agents who sell for multiple companies. If you can't find one locally, there is a company in Ft. Lauderdale called National Plan Advisors who represent 28 insurance companies that offer Medigap coverage.