Preferred Care letter - have to change plans
 

For those on Preferred Care, did you get the letter today saying that the plan will not be offered in 2013? Gave 2 options - join another Medicare health plan or go back to original Medicare. I am tired of shopping for medical insurance plans.

Did you have the Prefered Care Gold plan?

Yes - the Gold Option. Says that will end Dec. 31 but doesn't pitch their other plans.

PCP cancelled
 

My hubby received his letter today. I received my letter from UHC yesterday stating they are raising my (I'm not 65 yet) rates 15% for 2013. What is going on? I am so tired of all these insurance rip offs. I will pay $525.00 per month plus have a $5000.00 yearly deductible. Retirement was supposed to be less stressful, I'm not feeling it. Is this what is happening because of Obama care? Now before everyone including the administration gets crazy that was NOT a political statement but just an honest question. Are the insurance companies trying to rape us before Obama care kicks in? I truly want to know other opinions.

Yep - we got a letter as well. Thought this was too good to be true. Actually Obamacare is going to get rid of all Medicare Advantage Plans so I guess this is the first to go. I believe we "ain't seen nothin yet". This is simply meant as a healthcare discussion nothing political and if someone comes up with somthing comparable in their search this would definitely be a good forum to share your information.

The letter still shows Preferred Care Partners Inc on the list for a Medigap policy or Medicare plan. Makes me wonder if they have just eliminated the gold option plan. I'm out of town this week so hope someone can get the info.

I am looking at the letter and there are two options offered:
1)You can join another Medicare health plan.
2)You can change to original medicare.

I believe Medicare.gov is still showing PCP because enrollment is not effect yet and they have not updated the web site.

try the medicare a-g plans as options

For a supplement I think plan F might be the most popular.

In 2007...my BC/BS Hmo went from 667.00 to 885.00 to 1,110.00 (Just for me) due to a pre-existing condition.........who was responsible then???

I would suggest you find a United Health Care agent to discuss their options. Since they have bought PCP it may be that PCP is saying that THEY (Preferred Care Partners) will not offer a Medicare advantage option and not mean that no one will be offering one. United Health Care offers both Medicare supplements as well as a Medicare advantage plan so the agent could provide you with your options. We have had a Plan F Med Sup with United Health Care for 3 years and have been very happy. Even if you are able to get the advantage plan with United you may find more doctors accepting that than you had with PCP.

Just remember who screwed us PCP members. It was United Health Care. I have no idea how much they paid to the owners of PCP, but I do know what I got out of the deal -- zippo. What they bought is the PCP customer list. If you stay with United Health Care, you are paying them for what they did to you. Think about it.

I am an independent insurance agent who has carried Preferred Care Partners for three years. I officially can not talk about any company's new plans or benefits until Monday, Oct. 1. I attended 2013 training last week, and they WILL offer a new plan. I think everyone will be very pleased with the benefits. Please PM me and I can give you the details on Monday. Sorry I'm so vague with this answer!

I'm curious why PCP wouldn't wait until October 1 to send out their letter advising the new plan available instead of the day before indicating nothing of the sort?

United Health Care
 

I find this reply objectionable and was most probably written in anger. We have been with United Health Care since the very beginning when it was started through AARP. We "bit the bullet" and paid for the "J" plan (which I am told is no longer available). We have NEVER, ever had a problem with them paying our medical bills, and we have never ever had a problem with Medicare paying their full share.

My husband has had cancer and extensive treatment for it; and I have been treated by Mayo for a major kidney problem. Mayo do not accept Medicare guidelines for payment, but even with this United Health Care paid for all but $72 over a two year treatment period.

Consider yourself lucky that United have picked up PCP, you'll be a lot better off in the long run. Every doctor and hospital in the land takes United, and there is never a question regarding bills and never a copay. Although this may only apply to the "J" plan, and may be very different with other plans.

Will be interesting to see if the PCP office in LSL will be a United Healthcare office....

You shared everything but the cost of your plan. It would be useful for us PCP members to know what we have to look forward to.

I just received my PCP notice yesterday. I have the 'Gold' option. PCP was bought out by United Healthcare. I don't think they offer an HMO. My guess is that United doesn't want HMO competition - especially one that gives us a little money back into our pockets.

I have been researching Medicare Plans and while the "J" Plan is no longer available, those who have it can keep it. The Plan options to the "J" are the "F & G" plans......

I would call and make an appointment @ The Villages Insurance Office in LSL.....they should be able to quote costs. I know that depending on who you buy your insurance from the price fluctuates. I was quoted two different dollar amounts with AARP being the less costly. Then there is the Rx option, which is different for everyone, depending on your medications.

United Health Care
 

Shirleevee, thanks for replying to RVRoadie's question for me regarding price. I was out for a while this morning and did not get to it.

As quoted above, "J" is no longer available for purchase which is why I really don't think there is any point in me telling you what we pay. I am sure everyone effected by this change will find a plan they can afford and live with.

There's always a time-frame given for a new enrollment plan for supplementals. Has been that way for the 3 years I've been on Medicare.

We too have PCP Gold Plan and we got our letters as well. I did not panic as some seem to be doing as we don't have our information----yet!! I'm encouraged by the post (didn't copy the name) of the independent insurance agent on this thread. They say we will be very excited!

As a side-note to all of this...we have gone to the PCP office several times since signing with them, to ask questions. I'm sure they will have staff working triple time in the next weeks/months to take care of everyone's needs.

I say...take a DEEP breath as we can't worry about tomorrow...it's not here yet! We just have today, so live in the moment.

You all are talking about two different Medicare Options. The Medicare Supplement, Plans A-N have monthly premiums and you can see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. PCP is a Medicare Advantage HMO with $0 monthly premium and you must stay in the network for doctors and hospitals. You'll have copays with any Medicare Advantage plan. There are pros and cons with each type of plan, Med Supp, or Medicare Advantage. At this point UHC is keeping PCP separate, but who knows what will happen in the future.

If all this is correct about "the letter" why is there a two page ad in today's Daily Sun for Preferred Care Partners if they are ceasing coverage 12-31?

I saw that too and it made me wonder.

I got the letter and got a call from the agent that signed us up. "PCP bought out by UHC.

Apparently BY LAW they're not allowed to talk about new plans until OCT 2.
But, we have guests coming so we'll talk around Nov 1. I may crash a meeting too!

yes I recieved the letter from preferred care saying I had 2 options, then today I see a 2 page ad advertising for preferred care..whats up with that??

My letter says that the gold option won't be offered in 2013. Other plans will be offered. Go to their web site to see them in detail. One is similar to the gold option with a few changes (looks like some co-pays have been raised) and the other is for special needs.

I didn't check the mail but sure the letter must be there for me to. Preferred care also had prescription drugs. I don't have plan D. Now wondering if I go to a different insurance if I have to get plan D I think there will be a hefty penalty. Anyone find a good plan please post for all of us to check out. This is just all to confusing for me. Don't really understand most of it. Who is it that fives us information in the villages with our medicare insurance? I have forgotten who it is. Anyone know?

Alternate PCP Plans
 

I just spoke with PCP. The Gold option is being eliminated but they have two other options for us. They said that the letter was mailed by Medicare under the PCP name because the specific plan isn't being offered and Medicare insisted on telling those affected (sounds weird but who cares really). The following is MY UNDERSTANDING ONLY (this is my disclaimer):
One plan is for those with renal failure or diabetes and another for those who don't have those conditions. The plan for those who don't have those conditions is called the Secure Plan. This plan has some increased copays for Tiers 2 & 3 drugs (Tier 2 from $15 to $40 and Tier 3 from $55 to $95, hospitalization for days 1-7 from $50 to $225/day then zero/day, specialists from $10 to $40, primary physician stays at zero copay, emergency room from $50 to $65, Urgent care from zero to $40. That's a quick summary the customer service rep gave me over the phone. The premium return goes from $75/mo to $99.90/month.

Sure beats having zero options! Hope this calms some fears.

Medicare causes the "nightmare" of paperwork for doctors AND insurance companies....so I believe it that it was a "requirement" we'd be notified that our Gold Plan is no longer going to be offered in '13!!! Also folks, there was a list of plans included (as was PCP) with that letter. Have no fear we'll be taken care of....it just will be different!!!

Think back to the passage of the Affordable Care Act. One piece of this legislation claims to have $716 billion in savings. This savings comes from three sources; cuts to Hospitals, Physicians and Medicare Advantage Plans. These Plans were receiving 114% of Medicare to care for their subscribers. This will be cut to 100%, essentially putting Medicare Advantage Plans out of business by 2014. Remember being told that this legislation will save money? Remember certain Senators claiming that they did not know what a Medicare Advantage Plan was? Yeah, sure.

Do you really believe that the for-profit big business companies that provide Medicare Advantage Plans, such as Humana, United Health Care, Optimum, Coventry, CarePlus, etc, etc, are just going to get out of the Medicare Advantage Plans business, or will they learn to live within the 100% range? Perhaps some will do away with perks such as gym memberships, dental care, etc. to cut their costs.

The *take* we're having at our house is that the Gold Plan is done. The new plan that was offered for diabetics, heart patients etc. is still in effect and another new plan is in the offering for PCP patients. So we can breathe a HUGE sigh (those who've been concerned) and make our appointments to go over the new coverage.

So what you are saying is the Affordable Health Care Program will eventually results in cuts in service to the consumer to cover the higher costs? Thought it was going to benefit seniors.

Attended a Preferred Care Partners meeting this morning. Will try to answer any questions. One good thing is we will get $99.90 back each month up from the $75 last year. No co-pay for primary care doc. Some co- pays have increased.

Yes. They will compete in the Medigap market. From a financial point of view, the managed care market has never really been a winner at anything close to 100%. It was initally set at 95% and those plans did not last long.

The Affordable Health Care Act does help seniors by closing and eventually eliminating the doughnut hole that people have to pay for their prescriptions.

If Medicare Advantage Plans costs 14% more than basic Medicare, then they may have to cut back on some of their perks that Medicare doesn't cover; for instance health club memberships, eye glasses, dental care, etc. There are some MAP's that even pay for transportation to doctor appointments.

Most of the companies listed, Humana, Optimum, etc are not in the Medigap market, so under your premise they will either go out of business or change their line of coverage.

So Preferred Care is offering a very similair program - just remember you HAVE to enroll. Your c overage will not just carry over if you make no selection. You will default to basic medicare and lose big time.

My friend and I got the letter and he went to the PCP office in the Villages today. They told him since they were bought out by United Health Care everyone will have to re-enrol starting Oct 15 thru Feb 28, 2013. Nothing much will change and you will still get the discounts you get now. They said that the letter is misleading because Medicare was the ones putting it together. So not to panic yet.