Originally Posted by Penglobal (Post 1975063)

Hello -
After delaying for as long as I can, ( I've been 52 for a while), I'll be turning 65 in a few months and seeking guidance on the best possible medical insurance plan used by fellow Villagers without factoring-in cost.

My COBRA ends when I turn 65 and I am seeking a similar medical insurance plan comparable to my COBRA plan which essentially covered everything including prescription drugs, treatment from almost any physician with minimal out of pocket cost.

Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by santiagobob (Post 1975307)

I have Medicare and a supplement policy with AARP United Healthcare. My plan has no co pays, deductibles and pays everything that Medicare does not cover. I have had 5 surgeries in the last 10 years including 9 days in ICU in U.F. Shands hospital and I have never paid a dime for any of these procedures. I can go anywhere and make my own appointments without a referral.I do pay a monthly premium, but one stay in a hospital Is worth a years premium
Bob B.

Originally Posted by santiagobob (Post 1975307)

I have Medicare and a supplement policy with AARP United Healthcare. My plan has no co pays, deductibles and pays everything that Medicare does not cover. I have had 5 surgeries in the last 10 years including 9 days in ICU in U.F. Shands hospital and I have never paid a dime for any of these procedures. I can go anywhere and make my own appointments without a referral.I do pay a monthly premium, but one stay in a hospital Is worth a years premium
Bob B.

Originally Posted by eweissenbach (Post 1975430)

My wife and I took care of my father for three years in our home prior to his death. I took care of all his finances and he had AARP UHC plan F and it paid for everything without question. When I turned 65 I signed up for AARP/UHC as did my wife when she turned 65. I have had the normal health issues, but my wife has had dozens of hospitalizations, in Kansas City as well as in the TV area, and we have never paid a cent out of pocket. There are probably cheaper plans out there, but the peace of mind we get that we are 100% covered is worth more than the premiums we pay (which are hundreds of thousands less than what the insurance has paid.)

Originally Posted by champion6 (Post 1975457)

Both of you forgot to mention that you also have a Prescription Drug Plan which covers most, but not all, of the cost for your prescriptions. I have the same combination as you do: Medicare + AARP medicare supplement + PDP.

Originally Posted by Penglobal (Post 1975063)

Hello -
After delaying for as long as I can, ( I've been 52 for a while), I'll be turning 65 in a few months and seeking guidance on the best possible medical insurance plan used by fellow Villagers without factoring-in cost.

My COBRA ends when I turn 65 and I am seeking a similar medical insurance plan comparable to my COBRA plan which essentially covered everything including prescription drugs, treatment from almost any physician with minimal out of pocket cost.

Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by tuccillo (Post 1975364)

I am guessing you have UHC, via AARP, Plan F. If you live in Sumter County you can save yourself money by switching to Plan G ( no underwriting required). The Part B deductible (about $200) is covered by Plan F and not Plan G but the Plan G premiums are about $360 less. All other aspects are identical.

Originally Posted by heims01 (Post 1975482)

I have the UH drug plan with a monthly premium of over 100 dollars. The real question is why can't Medicare negotiate prices for drugs. That's very big part of health care costs for many of us on Medicare today. That's a conspiracy worth looking into. Any of you on Eliquis or
Humira ? That's a real dent in the annual budget!

Originally Posted by Eg_cruz (Post 1975526)

Plan F is no longer
Plan G is now the new F but the cost is moving up
Look at Plan N $40-60 less a month depending on your age…..yes you have co-pays to dr visit but if you go to the dr 3-4 times a yr you will be saving money, hospital coverage in Plan G and N are the same

Originally Posted by santiagobob (Post 1975307)

I have Medicare and a supplement policy with AARP United Healthcare. My plan has no co pays, deductibles and pays everything that Medicare does not cover. I have had 5 surgeries in the last 10 years including 9 days in ICU in U.F. Shands hospital and I have never paid a dime for any of these procedures. I can go anywhere and make my own appointments without a referral.I do pay a monthly premium, but one stay in a hospital Is worth a years premium
Bob B.

Originally Posted by Eg_cruz (Post 1975526)

Plan F is no longer
Plan G is now the new F but the cost is moving up
Look at Plan N $40-60 less a month depending on your age…..yes you have co-pays to dr visit but if you go to the dr 3-4 times a yr you will be saving money, hospital coverage in Plan G and N are the same

Originally Posted by 72lions (Post 1975563)

Nobody only goes to a health care provider 3-4 times a year! Plan G + UHC is by far the best option for the OP (and me).

Originally Posted by Penglobal (Post 1975063)

Hello -
After delaying for as long as I can, ( I've been 52 for a while), I'll be turning 65 in a few months and seeking guidance on the best possible medical insurance plan used by fellow Villagers without factoring-in cost.

My COBRA ends when I turn 65 and I am seeking a similar medical insurance plan comparable to my COBRA plan which essentially covered everything including prescription drugs, treatment from almost any physician with minimal out of pocket cost.

Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by Penglobal (Post 1975063)

Hello -
After delaying for as long as I can, ( I've been 52 for a while), I'll be turning 65 in a few months and seeking guidance on the best possible medical insurance plan used by fellow Villagers without factoring-in cost.

My COBRA ends when I turn 65 and I am seeking a similar medical insurance plan comparable to my COBRA plan which essentially covered everything including prescription drugs, treatment from almost any physician with minimal out of pocket cost.

Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by tuccillo (Post 1975364)

I am guessing you have UHC, via AARP, Plan F. If you live in Sumter County you can save yourself money by switching to Plan G ( no underwriting required). The Part B deductible (about $200) is covered by Plan F and not Plan G but the Plan G premiums are about $360 less. All other aspects are identical.

Originally Posted by eweissenbach (Post 1975430)

My wife and I took care of my father for three years in our home prior to his death. I took care of all his finances and he had AARP UHC plan F and it paid for everything without question. When I turned 65 I signed up for AARP/UHC as did my wife when she turned 65. I have had the normal health issues, but my wife has had dozens of hospitalizations, in Kansas City as well as in the TV area, and we have never paid a cent out of pocket. There are probably cheaper plans out there, but the peace of mind we get that we are 100% covered is worth more than the premiums we pay (which are hundreds of thousands less than what the insurance has paid.)

Originally Posted by KRMACK55 (Post 1975577)

Plan F is no longer being written to anyone going on Medicare as of 2020. Those who had it prior are grandfathered in by social security. Only portion is plan F or go cheap and pay big time here

Originally Posted by KRMACK55 (Post 1975574)

If you live here full time those days are over. Villages likes to force feed United healthcare under the guise that your 147- part B will go to them then you will have deductibles to meet but it operates like an HMO - you will have to purchase dental and drug separately. If you had health ins in another state where you could choose who to go without a referral those days are gone. There is a crisis of not enough staff nurses and doctors.

Originally Posted by cindyfeh (Post 1975589)

I do. As you get older, you can change plans. Your decision is not written in stone. As for now, it is cost effective to be on Plan N.

Originally Posted by cindyfeh (Post 1975589)

I do. As you get older, you can change plans. Your decision is not written in stone. As for now, it is cost effective to be on Plan N if you are healthy.

Originally Posted by Heyitsrick (Post 1975609)

Be careful with that. If someone opts for a Medicare Advantage (aka MA) plan, the options to "change plans" as you get older to a traditional supplemental plan are quite limited. You have the first year you're on an MA plan to decide whether you want to stay on it. If you renew your MA going forward, you're pretty much stuck ** on MA plans going forward.

What's the problem with that? Well, it depends upon the MA plan, of course, but many of these MA plans are offered because of low or NO premiums, plus the prescription drug plan as part of the MA. Some have free gym membership, some have some limited dental coverage and hearing aid coverage. BUT, become an in-patient in a hospital? You could end up with HUGE premiums for the first few days as an in-patient.

How do I know this? Some doctor's office in TV told my Mom that she needed a particular MA plan to continue seeing the doctor she was seeing. She ultimately had three different in-patient hospital stays one year. That was 9 days of NO coverage (first 3 days of in-patient not covered) for these hospital stays - thousands of dollars in charges that we had to essentially beg the hospital to dismiss out of monetary hardship for Mom.

Bottom line - as mentioned earlier, you don't get something for nothing. "Healthy" seniors love MA plans - until they're not so healthy. It's the restrictions on switching from an MA plan to a supplemental plan that really bite.

To be clear, it's not that you can't switch to a supplemental plan after being on an MA plan for more than the first year. It's that you don't get the underwriting pass that seniors going on a supplemental plan normally get. In other words, the supplemental insurance company will want to assess your current health, and force you to get a physical to ascertain what condition you're in. They can deny supplemental coverage to you, OR make you pay a ton of money.

We got lucky with Mom - her MA plan was a "regional" TV MA plan. One "out" for people wanting to switch away from MA back to guaranteed acceptance Medicare supplemental plans - e.g. plans "G" or "F", etc. - was that if your MA plan is regional and you move outside that region, you can still get guaranteed acceptance back in a traditional supplemental plan; no physical exam required, for example. She moved out of TV to Crystal River. Her TV doctors did not cover that region, so she was able to get back on supplemental Plan G, thankfully. You might not be so lucky if you go with an MA plan and then need much more intensive healthcare coverage while you get older.

Here's a snippet about the risk of going MA:



Entering and Leaving Medicare Advantage Plans

I'm sure someone here will say something to the effect of "I have full in-patient coverage on my MA plan!" or words to that effect. Just make sure you read all of the plan's policies before signing on so you don't find yourself in a money hole later.

Originally Posted by tombpot (Post 1975549)

Don’t get an advantage plan