Oregon versus Coeur d'Alene, Id. for Retirement (Portland: health insurance, home)

[KittyLover47]

I have a friend who lives in Hayden, Idaho and has tried to encourage me to move up there for my retirement.

I enjoy the Coeur d'Alene area, but Idaho only has PPO insurance. Apparently, no HMOs available up there. I have Kaiser and would like to stay with them, but thought maybe someone would have some feedback about retirement in Coeur d'Alene... weather, culture, etc.

If you are retired, could you tell me what your Medicare Gap Insurance is and what you think about it. Also, do you find it to be expensive?

I've received a lot of positive info about Oregon, but thought I'd ask for feedback about Coeur d'Alene as a comparison.

Thanks everyone.

[Nell Plotts]

You really need to ask on the ID forum. Spokane is quite close to Coeur d'Alene so the WA forum may also be a resource.

Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful spot, it has lots of tourists during the summer. It is a place I have visited and would go back again but never live there because of the winter weather. I put it in the same class as Jackson Hole WY.

DH & I are on Kaiser Permanente OR/WA Medicare Senior Advantage + program. Next year Basic will be $41/mo, standard $112; Plus is $41/mo which includes dental (Kaiser has it's own dental group here), hearing and vision benefits. You do need to carry Medicare Part B. You can only sign up for + as a new insured because of adverse selection for dental coverage. I liked it well enough to suspend my Fed. retiree health insurance program. Need I say more?

Before I did that, for vision assessment I used Pacific EyeClinic | Pacific University and purchased my glasses from Costco. Costco also has audiometric exams and sells hearing aids - don't need that, yet.

Providence also has a top rated Medicare Advantage program https://healthplans.providence.org/m...s/default.aspx They have an excellent medical group and fine hospitals.

[KittyLover47]

Nell, thank you very much for your response. I hear you about the weather in ID because my friend has already reported very low temps and she has been pretty isolated in the home during winter months. I'm really leaning towards Oregon.

Your info about Senior Advantage + and Providence is excellent. Sounds like the Kaiser Medicare Senior Advantage + is what I would like to go for.

I have gotten glasses from Costco before, but I wear progressive lenses and have had problems with the vendor they use to prepare them. Have gone to Kaiser since then for all my vision needs.

Thank you very much. Great information.

[khyron]

If you come to Portland, there is a little diner in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood that makes an amazing Coeur d'Alene omelette! Best of both worlds?

[Nell Plotts]

One additional detail about those Medicare Advantage programs, you need to have had Medicare part D or an insurance that provides that level of pharmacy insurance. My former health insurance was as a Fed. Retiree and their policies are Part D qualified. Just a heads up...

[KittyLover47]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

One additional detail about those Medicare Advantage programs, you need to have had Medicare part D or an insurance that provides that level of pharmacy insurance. My former health insurance was as a Fed. Retiree and their policies are Part D qualified. Just a heads up...

thanks Nell. I think I have a pretty good Kaiser policy with my agency, but I will see.

[KittyLover47]

Originally Posted by khyron

If you come to Portland, there is a little diner in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood that makes an amazing Coeur d'Alene omelette! Best of both worlds?

Good to know. I'm thinking omelette as we speak

[RadRevD]

I have a heart rate that goes down to 35 bpm, pitting edema, and suffered a pulmonary embolism in December. Kootenai Health thinks this is okay!

[Nell Plotts]

RadRevD: Only you can judge whether or not their health care system will meet your needs. Personally I wouldn't chance it. Move to Portland or Seattle for world class medical care.

[j_k_k]

I wouldn't trust my life even to Boise healthcare, so I sure wouldn't hand it over to CdA. Spokane, maybe; that's where people from the Tri-Cities go who value their lives. But Seattle'd probably be the best, with Portland close enough.