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I just talked with my sibling (older brother) and it seems that he sort of understands why I don't have the curtains, TV, etc. up yet but he still thinks that in a month, or maybe two, I should be able to have relators look at the condo, get the deferred maintenance completed, etc. etc to put it on the market.
I was just in the basement & while it certainly does not look like an episode of hoarders, it looks pretty cluttered. It looks like the catch-all basement, of someone who worked fulltime, plus part time while being a caregiver for a disabled spouse. I was a long term sub teacher in a number of different areas, so there are half full boxes or kindergarten stuff here, and special ed stuff there, and boxes of baby toys here (for when I babysit) and boxes of preschool toys, there (for when I babysit) and boxes of school age books, over there (for when I tutor). In addition, all four of our (mine & husband's) parents died within the last few years so there is numerous memorabilia and keepsakes on shelves and in boxes, plus a number of boxes from their houses still to sort through. Yes, some is junk, but there is my grandparent's victrola and dozens of 78 records and many other things like that.
My brother says that I should just call someplace and have everything thrown in dumpsters. He says that I probably will never be able to go back to teaching, or tutoring or babysitting so why keep everything? Perhaps, that is true, but I still have to be able to pay the bills and I'm not quite ready to say that my old life if completely over.
Ironically, my brother built a new house about eight years ago and they still have a large storage area filled with boxes from his old house that they still have to look through. Hmmm, the pot calling the kettle black?
I should say that my brother was extremely helpful in our move. He did ALL of the checking on new apartments, via phone. He narrowed it down to two places and all I did was decide between the two places. He even hired the movers, via phone (although, I had to pack & supervise the move).
He does not really live close enough that he could help on a day to day basis, although I would love to assign him some tasks.
Thanks for letting me vent.
The third night in our new apartment went well.
Good to know you are getting along OK. Best wished in the coming days.
I was just in the basement & while it certainly does not look like an episode of hoarders, it looks pretty cluttered. It looks like the catch-all basement, of someone who worked fulltime, plus part time while being a caregiver for a disabled spouse. I was a long term sub teacher in a number of different areas, so there are half full boxes or kindergarten stuff here, and special ed stuff there, and boxes of baby toys here (for when I babysit) and boxes of preschool toys, there (for when I babysit) and boxes of school age books, over there (for when I tutor). In addition, all four of our (mine & husband's) parents died within the last few years so there is numerous memorabilia and keepsakes on shelves and in boxes, plus a number of boxes from their houses still to sort through. Yes, some is junk, but there is my grandparent's victrola and dozens of 78 records and many other things like that.
My brother says that I should just call someplace and have everything thrown in dumpsters. He says that I probably will never be able to go back to teaching, or tutoring or babysitting so why keep everything? Perhaps, that is true, but I still have to be able to pay the bills and I'm not quite ready to say that my old life if completely over.
Would you be able to rent a storage locker and just have it all moved there so you can sell the condo? I know that's putting off the day you have to sort it out, but it seems like you deserve to do that right now.
Would you be able to rent a storage locker and just have it all moved there so you can sell the condo? I know that's putting off the day you have to sort it out, but it seems like you deserve to do that right now.
I may have to do that. It certainly would be cheaper to rent a storage place than pay the mortgage plus utilities.
Of course, most of the problem is just that I am so overwhelmed that it is hard to focus on the essentials.
And, it seems that every time that I turn around there is a new expense or a new problem. I just checked on the secondary insurance for all of my husband's therapy appointments.
The person said that we ONLY have a $20 co pay per therapy session. Hmmmm. OT, PT & Speech therapy each for three times per week for several weeks. She also pointed out that once my husband reaches $1 000 out of pocket it is paid at 100%. Great! After $1 000 I won't have to worry. AARRGG!
The person said that we ONLY have a $20 co pay per therapy session. Hmmmm. OT, PT & Speech therapy each for three times per week for several weeks. She also pointed out that once my husband reaches $1 000 out of pocket it is paid at 100%. Great! After $1 000 I won't have to worry. AARRGG!
Honestly, that's not a bad deductible in this day and age!
Hang in there.... you'll make it. Those therapy sessions are so so important. Hope you can fight to keep them going as long as possible.
And, it seems that every time that I turn around there is a new expense or a new problem. I just checked on the secondary insurance for all of my husband's therapy appointments.
The person said that we ONLY have a $20 co pay per therapy session. Hmmmm. OT, PT & Speech therapy each for three times per week for several weeks. She also pointed out that once my husband reaches $1 000 out of pocket it is paid at 100%. Great! After $1 000 I won't have to worry. AARRGG!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sfcambridge
Honestly, that's not a bad deductible in this day and age!
Hang in there.... you'll make it. Those therapy sessions are so so important. Hope you can fight to keep them going as long as possible.
While, it is true that is a low deductible, I guess that I didn't really expect a deductible for the secondary insurance after Medicare paid for the majority of the therapy.
Of course, it could be much worse, I could easily be trying to figure out how to be able to pay for a nursing home. Or even worse, a funeral.
Before those "haters" who criticize people who did not plan ahead, jump on me, I want to remind them that my husband has a long term disability. Although it was first diagnosed in 2006, it probably started in the mid to late 1990s and significantly started to affect our finances beginning in 2001. My husband went from being a trial attorney to only being able to hold a job that required a HS diploma or a GED, but he kept on working as long as he was able to work.
So, we are going into the 15th to 20th year of dealing with various problems and I am getting pretty worn out.
But, I am "hanging in there".
I am so glad that I am able to post & vent on C-D among friends.
While, it is true that is a low deductible, I guess that I didn't really expect a deductible for the secondary insurance after Medicare paid for the majority of the therapy.
Of course, it could be much worse, I could easily be trying to figure out how to be able to pay for a nursing home. Or even worse, a funeral.
Before those "haters" who criticize people who did not plan ahead, jump on me, I want to remind them that my husband has a long term disability. Although it was first diagnosed in 2006, it probably started in the mid to late 1990s and significantly started to affect our finances beginning in 2001. My husband went from being a trial attorney to only being able to hold a job that required a HS diploma or a GED, but he kept on working as long as he was able to work.
So, we are going into the 15th to 20th year of dealing with various problems and I am getting pretty worn out.
But, I am "hanging in there".
I am so glad that I am able to post & vent on C-D among friends.
The thing is, any one of us could be in your shoes, Germaine. You have been dealt a hard hand, but you are coping as best you can. I wish you could take a day off; I think some things would come clearer for you. You need time to think, and I imagine that time to think is in short supply.
I do look for your posts to keep up with how you are doing. Please take care of yourself as best you can. I am sending you concern and good wishes.
Is your secondary insurance a private retiree plan, not a typical Medicare supplement?
If so, then you may actually be ok. They may have misled you about the co-pays. It sometimes gets confusing when you have Medicare cross-over to a private secondary insurance plan. My parents also had this for years (secondary insurance to Medicare through their employers), and while the billing got messed up all the time, it was better than traditional Medicare + supplement in the end.
My Dad is in PT right now, and the typical Medicare allowed amount for a long session of PT is about $85 (and that's on the high end). So that's probably about what your husband will be charged. So Medicare will pay 80% of that. So - $68. That leaves $19 to cross over to your secondary insurance. Then it sounds like your secondary insurance will pay 80% of that which is $16.20. So that leaves you a co-pay of $2.80 per visit. So that is about $30 bucks per week as your co-pay for ALL 9 of the therapy sessions. That's better.
But it could be even better.......with my Mom's employer secondary insurance it was even better so check to confirm your coverage. For one session of PT - even though Medicare had paid $68, her secondary insurance looked at the ORIGINAL billed amount of $85 and said "we are willing to pay 80% of THAT"... which is $68. But only the $19 Medicare co-pay actually crossed over to the secondary insurance, so they actually paid all of it. My parents paid nothing.
You should already know by now which of these sounds like what your insurance has been doing. But I guarantee you that they make mistakes all the time, so don't let them get away with over-billing you.
But if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, then it might be that you pay 20% co-pay of the allowed amount until you hit the max out of pocket for the year. There is no primary/secondary insurance. That is definitely more painful...
Is your secondary insurance a private retiree plan, not a typical Medicare supplement?
If so, then you may actually be ok. They may have misled you about the co-pays. It sometimes gets confusing when you have Medicare cross-over to a private secondary insurance plan. My parents also had this for years (secondary insurance to Medicare through their employers), and while the billing got messed up all the time, it was better than traditional Medicare + supplement in the end.
My Dad is in PT right now, and the typical Medicare allowed amount for a long session of PT is about $85 (and that's on the high end). So that's probably about what your husband will be charged. So Medicare will pay 80% of that. So - $68. That leaves $19 to cross over to your secondary insurance. Then it sounds like your secondary insurance will pay 80% of that which is $16.20. So that leaves you a co-pay of $2.80 per visit. So that is about $30 bucks per week as your co-pay for ALL 9 of the therapy sessions. That's better.
But it could be even better.......with my Mom's employer secondary insurance it was even better so check to confirm your coverage. For one session of PT - even though Medicare had paid $68, her secondary insurance looked at the ORIGINAL billed amount of $85 and said "we are willing to pay 80% of THAT"... which is $68. But only the $19 Medicare co-pay actually crossed over to the secondary insurance, so they actually paid all of it. My parents paid nothing.
You should already know by now which of these sounds like what your insurance has been doing. But I guarantee you that they make mistakes all the time, so don't let them get away with over-billing you.
But if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, then it might be that you pay 20% co-pay of the allowed amount until you hit the max out of pocket for the year. There is no primary/secondary insurance. That is definitely more painful...
Wow, that sounds much better!
The way that the person from the insurance company (my retiree group insurance) described it, FIRST they would take off the $20 co-pay and then pay what was left over (of the 20% that they were responsible for after Medicare paid their part) and it did not seem like they would end up paying very much at all. I really hope that is actually the way that you describe.
Last edited by germaine2626; 09-28-2015 at 07:03 PM..
The way that the person from the insurance company (my retiree group insurance) described it, FIRST they would take off the $20 co-pay and then pay what was left over (of the 20% that they were responsible for after Medicare paid their part) and it did not seem like they would end up paying very much at all. I really hope that is actually the way that you describe.
I have never heard of an employer Medicare secondary insurance that takes a $20 co-pay from you, after Medicare pays, before they pay anything. That would be slimey. Maybe others can post if they have ever seen this. I still suspect the benefits rep was wrong. Happens all the time. She is probably thinking about how employee benefits work, but not how retiree benefits work.
Have they been charging you a $20 or more co-pay after other doctor visits so far this year? If not, your chances are looking better...
Next time you call your employer benefits office or your insurance company, ask for a supervisor to clarify.
My fingers are crossed for you.
Last edited by sfcambridge; 09-28-2015 at 08:31 PM..
I have never heard of an employer Medicare secondary insurance that takes a $20 co-pay from you, after Medicare pays, before they pay anything. That would be slimey Maybe others can post if they have ever seen this. I still suspect the benefits rep was wrong. Happens all the time. She is probably thinking about how employee benefits work, but not how retiree benefits work.
Have they been charging you a $20 or more co-pay after other doctor visits so far this year? If not, your chances are looking better...
Next time you call your employer benefits office or your insurance company, ask for a supervisor to clarify.
My fingers are crossed for you.
Our insurance company changed coverage in July and it seems like I get incorrect information almost every time that I call.
My husband only had one doctors appointment after July but before his fall. They told me that he had to pay a copay but I'm not sure if they charged it or not.
I bet that she was telling me the usual coverage even though I said that it was secondary after Medicare. This insurance is my primary insurance as I am not yet on Medicare.
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