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Recently I spoke to an agent who called me. Her price for a regular monthly payment was too high. With part B robbing me of sufficent funds to not end each month hoping nothing comes up, I have decided it would be a waste. I've heard of advantage plans, and like the idea of no premium unless you use it. I'll still need back part B, but really do not like the idea of paying into it when unless I have no other option do not want anything to do with doctors. I could BUY the supplies I use for less than the amount taken from my check. I cancelled the suplimentary plan after a month. No point in paying out twenty dollars which could go to something more important given my income is not not sufficent to handle all it needs to.
In terms of an Advantage plan, are these plans different in different areas, or is there a standard version? I have supplies I need, but if they'd give my back part B I could easily buy them myself and skip the rest. I'd rather do it that way. I could order them from amazon as needed, not in quantity. I don't go to doctors unless there is some really good reason. Nor to I intend to start. Mostly I have NOT had any extra money around to pay the copay.
If the advantage plan doesn't work, how does 'origional medicare' handle things, especially like 'durable medical supplies, which is my expense. Currently I'm experimenting with different brands to see which appliance works best for me, buying them off amazon at a good price and as needed.
I'm still not sure WHO I have to appeal B to. Which office? Can't it be done without having to get a ride out of town, which I presently do not have?
Just how does 'traditional medicare' work? Does it involve taking more or less money? What can I do to get the money back? Is there any way I can get my cash freed, but I'll buy my own supplies? I vary the type and amount anyway so there might not be a 'standard' order.
I have an ostomy and my equiptment is that but tapes and glues and other things which can be expensive. It was damaged not long after but with a little fixing it went on to working for some months.
I am running out of money before the end of the month because of medicare and am sick of hearing about supplimentary policies and advantage ones. I looked into one advantage one, where if the likely happened and I did not go near a doctor it charged me nothing. Then they mentioned in the fine print about the 171 dollars copay... No way in hell....which bill would I not pay????
I've got 'extra help' but as far as I can see it hardly does anything. I was never able to find out WHO you ask for an appeal about the 150. I was just too fed up to try again. And I ended up paying my property tax late thanks to this crap, with a charge. Maybe I should demand that they reimburse me for the charge.
I'd already cancelled the suplimentary plan I was talked into.
I guess that means I'm left 'origional medicare'.
I have supplies which they are said to pay for, but its the ONLY thing I'd want from them, and if they just paid me my full check it would be better since I'd have more left.
But as I intend to not entangle my affairs with the 'health' companies, that leaves the origional.
So, can anyone explain in plain English how it works?
I don't like doctors. My experience with them has generally been negative, including harmful results, for treatment AND listening to important information which the had to know (but ignored, and created a future problem.) I have no reason to put any trust in any 'health industry' wealth creator.
And if anyone has appealed the money taken from your check, who did you speak to and was it a fair system?
I say, give me back my money, and I'll buy my own supplies like I am now, and make any decisions about them without any crap with an 'insureance' company.
Go online to Medicare.gov and look up what part A and part B cover exactly, and remember what they do pay for they only pay 80% of so you would always be responsible for the remaining 20%. that is assuming that you continue to have part B
You can turn down part B but you would have to contact Medicare directly and tell them that is what you want to do. It IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, but it can be done.
Also you say you don't like doctors etc. So what happens if tomorrow you have a massive heart attack and need by-pass surgery, [as an example] and are looking at weeks in the hospital and rehab etc. your medicare part A would pay for the hospital minus about 1800 deductible but without part B many of the things you would be billed for would be all your responsiblity.
As I said you can stop part B but you will not get back any money they already took for it.
I don't have enough money to cover all my monthly bills either but my husband and I still are paying $562. for both of us per month for full coverage no deductibles or Co pays. We also pay $56 for both our drug insurance part D That also comes out of our checks.
Anyway you can go without insurance if you want but it WILL catch up with you one day, unless you just drop dead and don't need any kind of care.
Many states have trained assistors to help seniors and others figure out the maze that is medicare and related insurance options. We called our state and got an appointment for Mom to figure it out when she moved to our state.
Go online to Medicare.gov and look up what part A and part B cover exactly, and remember what they do pay for they only pay 80% of so you would always be responsible for the remaining 20%. that is assuming that you continue to have part B
You can turn down part B but you would have to contact Medicare directly and tell them that is what you want to do. It IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, but it can be done.
Also you say you don't like doctors etc. So what happens if tomorrow you have a massive heart attack and need by-pass surgery, [as an example] and are looking at weeks in the hospital and rehab etc. your medicare part A would pay for the hospital minus about 1800 deductible but without part B many of the things you would be billed for would be all your responsiblity.
As I said you can stop part B but you will not get back any money they already took for it.
I don't have enough money to cover all my monthly bills either but my husband and I still are paying $562. for both of us per month for full coverage no deductibles or Co pays. We also pay $56 for both our drug insurance part D That also comes out of our checks.
Anyway you can go without insurance if you want but it WILL catch up with you one day, unless you just drop dead and don't need any kind of care.
Probably a wise idea, but I'll bet many can't afford it. I was on disability. When it converted the amount changed only a little. I'm sure I couldn't afford any of these plans either. First is regular bills, including medical stuff I will be getting through a doctor IF its not more than it costs me on Amazon, factoring in the 20 percent. The chief thing which matters is money. That's where I've been getting all my medical stuff of late and its a much better price.
As for not liking doctors, I have been dealing with an autoimmune condition for 40 years, and know everything there is about it I need to to care for me safely and know all the warnings. It can't be fixed anymore without major surgery as idiot doctors don't listen or care. But then one doctor gave me meds which I should never have taken, and when the problem started I took up a chunk of his time explaining my history, but he didn't listen. I looked them up and didn't take them again, so I lucked up on that one and crossed off the doctor from one I could give any trust. And one did the wrong surgery which left things worse. I'd paintakingly explained how the origional one was done and then redone when the tests came in, and how I was warned NOT to 'fix' it if it gave trouble. It needed to be redone from the start. This idiot just 'fixed' it again and it tore and left things worse and then he refused to believe he'd made it worse. With such experience, why should I like doctors or have any reason to trust them at all? If I could have several of them needed to be sued.
And even if I had the had not lost the money now deducted from my check thanks to social security, paying into these other part policies would have to come out of monopoly money. You can only cutback so much. Its nice when you can get all the goodies but I'll bet MOST people can't.
When you are considered disabled, and then go on medicare, they do NOT consider that your income is less and yet somehow you're supposed to come up with money to pay for all this crap????? They need to base all that on a percentage of your income, so those with more pay more but those who couldn't possibly afford to could get the same chance, with everything on a sliding scale insureing enough is left for regular living costs.
Nightbird, are you over 65 and qualify for Medicare based on age or are you receiving Medicare because you are on disability? The reason I ask is because there are programs in some states (those that accepted the expanded Medicaid from Obamacare) that benefit seniors over 65 on Medicare. I have an advantage plan and $125 was subtracted from my social security per month, leaving me with only $822 month income. I qualified for help due to low income and now can keep my advantage plan, and keep that extra $125 per month. Check online to see if your state has help available for low income seniors. Some programs cover all meds and co-pays, too. I'm sorry I can't post a link for you or know exactly which site to check, but if I could find it, I imagine you can, too! Good luck!
With regard to your comment on a sliding scale. They do in fact charge the wealthier people more, some times much more for Medicare part B. The trouble is as you have found that the base amount you pay if you are low income is still too high.
If you get the Medicare with drug coverage there is also the 'donut hole': https://www.medicare.gov/part-d/cost...erage-gap.html. My wife has asthma and she hits her ~ $3,700 max towards the start of next month (normally). Some of her more expensive medications can double at that time. It is really confusing because after you spend so much then you get your coverage back or something like that. Maybe somebody else can explain it better?
It's s shame you live in Oklahoma, one of the Red States that refused to expand Medicaid, which would pay for your Part B and also act as a Medicare supplement plan.
Nightbird, are you over 65 and qualify for Medicare based on age or are you receiving Medicare because you are on disability? The reason I ask is because there are programs in some states (those that accepted the expanded Medicaid from Obamacare) that benefit seniors over 65 on Medicare. I have an advantage plan and $125 was subtracted from my social security per month, leaving me with only $822 month income. I qualified for help due to low income and now can keep my advantage plan, and keep that extra $125 per month. Check online to see if your state has help available for low income seniors. Some programs cover all meds and co-pays, too. I'm sorry I can't post a link for you or know exactly which site to check, but if I could find it, I imagine you can, too! Good luck!
Unfortunately, this state didn't accept expanded Medicade. A couple of years later my social security went up about 20 dollars and I lost medicade entirely. The politicans are afraid of crossing the oil companies so they don't, and for the most part, there's not much else which produces lots of funds. I'm glad I'm not trying to raise a kid in this state, with its constantly shrinking budgets.
The good thing is that overall cost is lower than the norm, just don't have a kid to take care of. Lets just say that if my son wasn't grown and married, I wouldn't be living here. You've got to take into account everything, and all alternatives.
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Questions about 'origional mecicare'
