Understanding Medicare and options
 

Does the SHINE organization explain this to people? Can you get an appointment with them or do they only do seminars? The vocabulary of medicare is beyond confusing. The options are confusing. The repercussions are confusing. Is there an organization that you can sit with to learn how this works and the pros and cons or do you just get an insurance agent. Are there specific agents for medicare? Help!

Are you kidding? No one knows anything about where to find out how Medicare works?

SHINE is great - and should be able to help guide you without bias. Their schedule and contact information is listed in every recreation news.

My experience with Medicare has been the bills get paid. Finding out the details from a non sales oriented health insurance counselor as to how and what the plans are and what they offer is complex and confusing. I would think that in the Villages there would be a non partisan subject matter expert. Good Luck!

Download the manual from the Medicare site. It is pretty clear. The problem is how to pay the other 20%. That is where all of these supplement companies come in. Then you have to figure out which is the best.

Fortunately for me, my company provided medical insurance and they take care of the other 20% so I do not have to look for a secondary insurance policy.

Z

Ok. So the majority...80% is paid by Medicare and the extra 20% is what you have to figure out. That is the whole thing?

So you want to find a company that lets you go anywhere so you don't get stuck with regional and "in network" and sometimes substandard doctors. Is that the issue?

I really appreciate the primer on this. Thank you one and all who respond.

Yes confusing. Go to SHINE general meeting and you can also have a one on one meeting. Also talk to a few salesmen.
To start go to the medicare site and follow the instructions to find a plan
https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan...ookieSupport=1

I can't seem to make a SHINE meeting for various reasons but they will meet one on one? Someone said they were located up at Lake Sumter. Do you know where they are exactly?

This page shows locations and times: SHINE - Sumter They don't take appointments - first come, first served. They are knowledgeable and helpful.

I'm a SHINE volunteer. Counseling session schedules are always in the Rec Center news. Aside from the seminar, which really helps if you are new to Medicare, you can get individual help (first come, first served) at the counseling sessions. I also highly recommend the Medicare.gov: the official U.S. government site for Medicare website; it's very user friendly.

Deleted my post because info and link already posted.

Are the counseling sessions different from the seminar? Are they at the same place? After the seminar?

The seminar is a separate event. They take questions afterwords, however for individual counseling it is best to come to one of the sessions at various locations around The Villages as listed in the Rec Center news.

Whatever you do be prepared to review your plans and what they cover every year. We have had an advantage plan now for 4 years and it works well for us. Every year coverage can change and shift a bit but I don't mind the yearly review as it keeps me up to date on where our medical coverage stands. Others may prefer the Supplemental policy which does not carry most of the restrictions the of Advantage Plans, but at an added monthly cost of hundreds of dollars. Either way costs are going up on both as Obama Care is shifting $$$$$$ out of Medicare into "his" plan. It is still all shaking out so keep deligent.

I think that is excellent advice.