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So my wife is getting ready to retire and I had a pretty cushy plan under her employer so I'm going to lose it. I hate like hell to pay that $134/mo for part B but I don't want to tangle with Medigap under traditional Medicare so I'm hoping there are some Advantage plans out there in California that will cover my premium. Anybody know of any or am I stuck? I rarely go to the Dr. so the $1500/yr. is lost on me. I know it goes to help others but let's set that aside for just a second. Some ins. co's in Fla will give back the $134 in heavily populated areas like Miami I just learned. Any leads are greatly appreciated.
I'd also love to hear about this -- I am in Texas - anyone know of any plan that would cover this cost in North Texas? This whole thing is so confusing...I enrolled in Part A when I became 65 -- didn't take Part B because I was still well covered under my employer plan. Then my job was eliminated in October, and I was given health insurance coverage until the end of 2016...so now, I am in enrollment period for Part B, etc. and just very confused about what to take due to being now and in future being on a fixed income. Any info would be helpful here too!
So my wife is getting ready to retire and I had a pretty cushy plan under her employer so I'm going to lose it. I hate like hell to pay that $134/mo for part B but I don't want to tangle with Medigap under traditional Medicare so I'm hoping there are some Advantage plans out there in California that will cover my premium. Anybody know of any or am I stuck? I rarely go to the Dr. so the $1500/yr. is lost on me. I know it goes to help others but let's set that aside for just a second. Some ins. co's in Fla will give back the $134 in heavily populated areas like Miami I just learned. Any leads are greatly appreciated.
I'd also love to hear about this -- I am in Texas - anyone know of any plan that would cover this cost in North Texas? This whole thing is so confusing...I enrolled in Part A when I became 65 -- didn't take Part B because I was still well covered under my employer plan. Then my job was eliminated in October, and I was given health insurance coverage until the end of 2016...so now, I am in enrollment period for Part B, etc. and just very confused about what to take due to being now and in future being on a fixed income. Any info would be helpful here too!
I made a call to Medicare this afternoon and here's what they told me (verify all this because talking to a Medicare agent is like talking to an IRS rep--the agency assumes no responsibility for any bad info their employees give out): under "Special Enrollment" rules a person has an 8-mo. window after their coverage or employment ends to get covered under Part B and it takes effect the following month after the person signs up. Ordinary enrollment rules are you have only between Jan 1 and March 31 of any year to sign up for B and it doesn't take effect until July 1. The rep said that what made me eligible for this special enrollment period is the fact I already registered for Part A when I turned 65 so it sounds like you did too, Magnolia.
So taking my scenario: my wife's last day at work is this July 31 and her coverage end the same day. I have until March 31 of 2018 to get signed up and theoretically it should take effect April 1, the next day. But practically speaking they cannot get the paperwork filled out that quickly so better to make an appointment w/ SS and get signed up March 1, 2018 and give them a full month to get everything set up and then the coverage for part B will kick in April 1 the following month.
Also very important: if you plan to switch to COBRA the government doesn't consider this employer-based coverage and having COBRA might not make you eligible for "special enrollment" based on a doc I received from DHHS.
Thanks much, reed. I will check those out. I have no idea why Advantage participants don't assume the $134/mo because they still make out like bandits cheating Medicare for all sorts of tests and procedures they subject us to unnecessarily, so you'd think they'd be tripping over themselves to give us this benefit in order to sign us up to their plan. A mystery.
I'm hoping there are some Advantage plans out there in California
What county?
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