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Old 10-27-2011, 08:01 PM
 
Location: Wisconsin
25,591 posts, read 56,363,195 times
Reputation: 23297

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Quote:
Originally Posted by highcotton View Post
I'm told the per person Medicare insurance premium will increase from the present monthly premium of $96.40, rising to $104.20 monthly in 2012, and then $120.20 monthly in 2013, and $247.00 monthly in 2014. These are the provisions incorporated in the ObamaCare legislation.

That's a hell of an increase in two years! I'm sure the huge premium increase was purposely delayed so as not to 'confuse' Obama's 2012 re-election campaign!
Not true.
Quote:
We couldn’t find evidence to support the e-mail’s numbers. And in fact, most Medicare beneficiaries will only pay $3.50 more a month in 2012. The e-mail’s projection for 2014 seems entirely fabricated. The health care law leaves in place the long-established methods for calculating Medicare Part B premiums. The chain e-mail makes the additional unproved claim that its allegations -- which are false anyway -- were accomplished nefariously and delayed for political purposes. We rate its claims Pants on Fire.
PolitiFact | Medicare premiums going up due to

FactCheck.org : Premium Nonsense On Medicare

These lies have been circulating for a while. Apparently, they just found you. Repeat a lie often enough and people believe it.

People with higher incomes have always had much higher Medicare premiums. Nothing new there, either.

In fact, 2012 Medicare premium will be $99.90 - not the $106.60 previously guesstimated a week ago. Also reported here:

Medicare monthly premiums for 2012 to be lower than expected - latimes.com (http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-medicare-premiums-20111028,0,501314.story - broken link)

and many other places. Google it.

Last edited by Ariadne22; 10-27-2011 at 08:30 PM..
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Old 10-28-2011, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Salisbury,NC
16,757 posts, read 8,177,783 times
Reputation: 8532
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn55 View Post
I don't assume anything here with posters I don't know .

FWIW - one of the most difficult things about dealing with the Medicare options isn't figuring out what you need now - but what you might need with some disease or condition you wind up with in the future.

For example - my husband takes Lipitor (he used to take a generic but his doc is recommending Lipitor now for a a variety of reasons I won't bore you with). So should he pick the plan that's best for Lipitor - or the plan that's best for an even more expensive MS drug he might need in the future??? Got me.

About the only thing I can say for sure is that I recommend traditional Medicare and an excellent Medigap policy for anyone who can afford to go that route regardless of current health status. I know you're in Kaiser in California - and perhaps there's an argument to be made for that option for people who live in certain areas of California. But - for the majority of us who live outside the Kaiser network - I'd stick by my original advice. Robyn
COmpany I retired Fromtold us to use Reg. Medicare and a medigap. I have found that way to be the best for wife and I.
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Old 10-28-2011, 12:28 PM
 
Location: Wisconsin
25,591 posts, read 56,363,195 times
Reputation: 23297
Well, I'm looking into Medigap right now. Seeing an insurance agent next week. Rarely use health insurance except for my chiro and occasional dr. visit. Advantage plan essentially not paying for the visits anymore b/c they instituted a $50 co-pay. Visit costs $24.43 (Medicare approved rate). I go about 3x month, so that's $75x12=$900/year. Medigap may cost me $1800/year but Plans F/G cover copays and better coverage if I travel. Probably doing that, or going back to original Medicare and take my chances (risky). I have no ailments and take no drugs. Only thing is my exposure in the event of a catastrophe.
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Old 10-28-2011, 12:35 PM
 
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach FL
14,617 posts, read 21,434,279 times
Reputation: 6794
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariadne22 View Post
Well, I'm looking into Medigap right now. Seeing an insurance agent next week. Rarely use health insurance except for my chiro and occasional dr. visit. Advantage plan essentially not paying for the visits anymore b/c they instituted a $50 co-pay. Visit costs $24.43 (Medicare approved rate). I go about 3x month, so that's $75x12=$900/year. Medigap may cost me $1800/year but Plans F/G cover copays and better coverage if I travel. Probably doing that, or going back to original Medicare and take my chances (risky). I have no ailments and take no drugs. Only thing is my exposure in the event of a catastrophe.
Perhaps I've misunderstood you - but Medigap is in addition to - not in place of - "original Medicare" (parts A & B). Robyn
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Old 10-28-2011, 01:01 PM
 
Location: Wisconsin
25,591 posts, read 56,363,195 times
Reputation: 23297
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn55 View Post
Perhaps I've misunderstood you - but Medigap is in addition to - not in place of - "original Medicare" (parts A & B). Robyn
Yes, I know. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant I would have just plain old Medicare A&B without supplementing with a Medigap or Advantage plan - which does leave exposure in the event of a catastrophe.

Last edited by Ariadne22; 10-28-2011 at 01:12 PM..
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Old 11-02-2011, 05:55 PM
 
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach FL
14,617 posts, read 21,434,279 times
Reputation: 6794
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariadne22 View Post
Yes, I know. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant I would have just plain old Medicare A&B without supplementing with a Medigap or Advantage plan - which does leave exposure in the event of a catastrophe.
NO NO NO - Don't ever do that. Without the Medigap policy - you can very easily (as you get older or if you get sick) run out of covered hospital days.

I'm not sure how Medicare Advantage works - but I doubt it can be worse than traditional Medicare Parts A & B without a Medigap policy. Perhaps someone more familiar with Medicare Advantage can help me out here.

And just to try clarify things - Medicare Advantage takes the place of traditional Medicare (Parts A & B). Medicare Advantage is not a supplement to traditional Medicare. It's traditional Medicare - or Medicare Advantage. The soup OR the salad.

Hate to sound like your mother (or someone who is arrogant - or presumptuous - people have accused me of that) - but I think you are very confused about how Medicare works. PLEASE PLEASE try to find a decent honest insurance agent who sells both Medigap policies and Medicare Advantage plans. Who can explain things to you as many times as needed so you'll understand how they work (and what the various options cost where you live). FWIW - my late inlaws didn't understand how Medicare worked (they said they were on top of things - but we found out they weren't) - and my late MIL - on traditional Medicare - almost ran out of hospital days before we got her a Medigap policy (we had to hold our breath between hospitalizations during the waiting period before she could apply for the Medigap policy). Robyn
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Old 11-02-2011, 06:04 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,376,800 times
Reputation: 35862
I am happy with my Medicare Advantage Plan. I decided to go with it because it included prescription drug coverage, dental and vision which Medigap Plans did not. Also, Medigap Plans are true private insurance plans which can be subject to dropping a subscriber and age-graded rates. They do not cover drugs and if a coverage for them is needed the subscriber has to buy a Medicare Part D Plan (not sure how that works).

And all my doctors participate. When I needed Specialists, they were on my Plan.

What works for one may not work for another. So I am not trying to "sell" Medicare Advantage over Medigap but the Advantage Plan works for me and trust me, I have used it a lot this past year.
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Old 11-02-2011, 06:14 PM
 
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach FL
14,617 posts, read 21,434,279 times
Reputation: 6794
I doubt your Medicare Advantage plan covers all drugs. My husband was thinking of switching his Medicare Part D plan this year to save a few bucks on his Lipitor - but then discovered that the cheaper part D plans didn't cover any of the new super expensive MS drugs (he has MS) or a lot of new expensive cancer drugs either.

We look at all of our insurance as catastrophe insurance - not insurance to pay $5 here or $10 there - amounts we can easily afford to pay. YMMV.

Note that if you sign up for a Medigap plan during the open enrollment period - you will always pay the "age 65" rate. Which is not to say that the "age 65" rate will always be the same (although it will most certainly be lower than the "age 75" rate).

FWIW - I think the big deal issue in the next 10-20 years in terms of Medicare will be payments for very expensive medical care. Sure - you'll always be able to get your generic blood pressure med for peanuts - or nothing. But you have to ask yourself what will happen if you need and/or want state of the art expensive high tech treatment/drugs for something you wind up with. Will whatever plan you have cover that? Also - do you care? Robyn

Last edited by Robyn55; 11-02-2011 at 06:22 PM..
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Old 11-02-2011, 06:31 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,376,800 times
Reputation: 35862
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn55 View Post
I doubt your Medicare Advantage plan covers all drugs. My husband was thinking of switching his Medicare Part D plan this year to save a few bucks on his Lipitor - but then discovered that the cheaper part D plans didn't cover any of the new super expensive MS drugs (he has MS) or a lot of new expensive cancer drugs either.

We look at all of our insurance as catastrophe insurance - not insurance to pay $5 here or $10 there - amounts we can easily afford to pay. YMMV.

Note that if you sign up for a Medigap plan during the open enrollment period - you will always pay the "age 65" rate. Which is not to say that the "age 65" rate will always be the same (although it will most certainly be lower than the "age 75" rate).

FWIW - I think the big deal issue in the next 10-20 years in terms of Medicare will be payments for very expensive medical care. Sure - you'll always be able to get your generic blood pressure med for peanuts - or nothing. But you have to ask yourself what will happen if you need and/or want state of the art expensive high tech treatment/drugs for something you wind up with. Will whatever plan you have cover that? Also - do you care? Robyn

Robyn, maybe not but I haven't been turned down yet. And that included a prescription for Methotrexate for Sarcoidosis which isn't always approved by insurance companies.

It has also covered fairly frequent CT Scans and other high tech testing.

Having worked for insurance companies for many a year, I would, in my situation, be very leery of their dropping me because of continued use of my coverage. You can start out at the lowest age rate but there is no guarantee they will not raise the premium to an unaffordable rate or drop the subscriber although.

These are my reasons for not going with a Medigap Plan.
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Old 11-02-2011, 06:35 PM
 
1,978 posts, read 1,548,368 times
Reputation: 2737
I will soon turn 65 (June). Can someone (Robyn) give me a nutshell answer regarding the difference between plan f and plan f high deductible? I just can"t seem to get my brain around it from what I read on the Medicare web site. Who could take advantage of the high deductible, how would it affect a person, etc?
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