[Caymus]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Does the plan G supplement through Florida Blue limit you to a local network of Florida Blue approved health care providers? I need to wade through the quagmire of alphabet soup supplement options and find the best choice that will allow us to be in network at both our Florida and Massachusetts homes. I would greatly appreciate feedback from those who have navigated the best Medicare and supplement options that allow a national network of health care providers.

Do you know if it would reduce the chance of a snowbird to claim Florida residency if you chose a Massachusetts Supplement Plan? I read that some states check medical usage to force residents to continue to pay state income taxes.

[bagboy]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Does the plan G supplement through Florida Blue limit you to a local network of Florida Blue approved health care providers? I need to wade through the quagmire of alphabet soup supplement options and find the best choice that will allow us to be in network at both our Florida and Massachusetts homes. I would greatly appreciate feedback from those who have navigated the best Medicare and supplement options that allow a national network of health care providers.

I'm not limited to a network anywhere. I suggest contacting Ken Laws with Benco Insurance, a Florida Blue representative. He is a straight up guy, super nice, and very informative.
Ken Laws BENCO INSURANCE, LEESBURG, FL contact, rating, reviews, and quotes...

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Caymus

Do you know if it would reduce the chance of a snowbird to claim Florida residency if you chose a Massachusetts Supplement Plan? I read that some states check medical usage to force residents to continue to pay state income taxes.

My sister in law is a financial advisor for high net worth individuals and has clients who have been put through extremely extensive audits by high income tax states trying to continue to pry state income taxes from them despite claiming Florida as their primary residence. They pull things like cell phone records, credit card purchase records, medical records etc….. If/when states go to putting devices in automobiles to track mileage for tax purposes that will be another hook they try to put into people. That being said, I’m not overly worried about being audited given the size of our retirement income as I doubt I will be a high priority on their radar. Plus, my intention is to spend over 50% of the year in the Villages, get a Florida drivers license, get the Florida homestead exemption, have a car registered in Florida, and register to vote in Florida. They can pull my credit card records and phone records and it will show where I spend over 50% of the year. We still intend to have a residency up north so using northern medical providers should not be an issue, especially given the HUGE difference in the quality of health care between Massachusetts and the greater Villages area. Plus, I am hoping to find a Florida supplemental plan that has a national network so I can use my existing providers up north and still be in network. That’s what I am currently trying to figure out given all the various supplemental plan options.

[melpetezrinski]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I’m still several years away from qualifying for Medicare - until then, I am also stuck with the horrible and expensive Obamacare. From the research I’m starting do, I think I will be going with traditional Medicare and add a supplement when the time comes, vs having my medical managed by an insurance company through an “advantage plan” - Will be great to get off of Obamacare and see my monthly medical premiums dramatically reduced when I turn 65.

Why are you "stuck" with Obamacare? Don't you have other choices for health insurance?

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by melpetezrinski

Why are you "stuck" with Obamacare? Don't you have other choices for health insurance?

If a person is not eligible for Medicare and doesn’t have insurance through an employer or a business they own, you are pretty much stuck with Obamacare. You don’t necessarily have to buy your insurance through a state exchange, but the law requires all policies to be priced based on Obamacare, so what’s the difference?

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by bagboy

I'm not limited to a network anywhere. I suggest contacting Ken Laws with Benco Insurance, a Florida Blue representative. He is a straight up guy, super nice, and very informative.
Ken Laws BENCO INSURANCE, LEESBURG, FL contact, rating, reviews, and quotes...

Thanks : )

[mtdjed]

Your Medicare cost is somewhat set. It is added coverage that you can manage by alternatives. One option is to select a Medicare Advantage program which might be next to zero in some cases. But you have to study details. Limited networks of providers is typically one issue. As you enter the Medicare system your health may be great. But things change over time for some of us. The supplement plans definitely will cost more, but as described in posts there is some flexibility to choose options.

Another consideration is possible benefits that you obtained from your employer.

In my case, my former employer pays $1000 per year toward my insurance. So, if I have an Advantage plan at no cost, no payment.

Also, some Advantage plans and supplement plans offer some incentives such as Health Club dues. My wife and I both use Genesis which used to cost $55 per month for each of us. That cost went away when United Health care picked it up.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I'm nervous about leaving ACA. My deductible is insane $9100 per person - but the premium is only $185/month because we are a modest-income household. Plus Florida Blue gives us those silly rewards so I actually only pay around $50/month averaged out. That's for the two of us. We have co-pays, but they're mostly negligible. I pay less than $5/month combined, for three different prescriptions that I take daily.

We'll have to pay the part B cost no matter which route we take, and that'll mean paying monthly more than triple what we're paying now. Yes we won't have to pay IF we have this or that medical need. But with no medical needs at all, it might be more than we can afford.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

If a person is not eligible for Medicare and doesn’t have insurance through an employer or a business they own, you are pretty much stuck with Obamacare. You don’t necessarily have to buy your insurance through a state exchange, but the law requires all policies to be priced based on Obamacare, so what’s the difference?

That is inaccurate. The law you refer to as ObamaCare established that qualifying health care coverage had to provide certain minimum benefits and importantly, very importantly could NOT USE your health care status in setting premiums. You can go outside this huge benefit to you and pay based on your age and after the insurance company gets all your lab work and your doctor's notes to underwrite you individually.

Can I buy health insurance outside of the Marketplace that meets all ACA standards? | KFF

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[Bridget Staunton]

Thank you I am glad you hit on RMD which is based on your income. Hurts especially when your single

[bowlingal]

I don't care how expensive the F plan is. It is still better than the Medicare Advantage Plan. I don't pay for a freaking thing with the F plan.

[msilagy]

There is a simple answer - CHANGE plans - they all have the same coverages according to the Letter, example G, H, but have different premiums. I have gone from Mutual of Omaha, to World Life Omaha (to reduce premiums) and finally now I'm with Aetna. My premium is $161.00 plan G per month. I work thru a broker and when the premium gets to high he switches me to the same Plan G, just with a cheaper premium. I am 75.

[Rzepecki]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Does the plan G supplement through Florida Blue limit you to a local network of Florida Blue approved health care providers? I need to wade through the quagmire of alphabet soup supplement options and find the best choice that will allow us to be in network at both our Florida and Massachusetts homes. I would greatly appreciate feedback from those who have navigated the best Medicare and supplement options that allow a national network of health care providers.

Contact SHINE and get unbiased insurance information from their volunteers. They visit rec centers on a regular basis.

[westernrider75]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

I’m still several years away from qualifying for Medicare - until then, I am also stuck with the horrible and expensive Obamacare. From the research I’m starting do, I think I will be going with traditional Medicare and add a supplement when the time comes, vs having my medical managed by an insurance company through an “advantage plan” - Will be great to get off of Obamacare and see my monthly medical premiums dramatically reduced when I turn 65.

Unfortunately, my health insurance coverage dramatically increased when I retired. I guess I should have appreciated those $127 per month premiums I paid while working.

[Wondering]

Originally Posted by tjdmlhw

In 2018 when I first retired and started using Medicare, my Medicare supplement plan with Humana was $141 a month. On the anniversary month in 2019, it increased 5%. Every year since then it has increased 10% and now my premium is $211. A 50% increase over 5 years.

I'm curious as to what others are seeing. Is this normal?

Switch to a Medicare Advantage plan and get a discount off the premium.