What is meant by future medical expenses? (supplement, state, retired)

[Mr5150]

I keep reading on this forum about future medical expenses. For example, from another thread:

Originally Posted by reed303

Don't forget to put some aside for future medical, nursing home, care giver, etc expenses.

Sure, nursing home and inhome care, but "medical" expenses? Like what? Mrs5150 and I have Medicare and a CalPers supplement and pay $0 regardless of what befalls us. Same for my retired friends who have the plan F supplement.

Are these medical expenses the result of going cheap with one's supplements? Have I missed something?

[mathjak107]

long term care both in home , in a skilled nursing facility or assisted living . little is covered unless you have long term care insurance .

medicare will cover about 100 days under certain circumstances .

also you may need expensive modifications to your home to be able to stay there .

things like travel can cost more as upgrades in seat size and better grade hotels may be needed .



*
What Types of Care Does Medicare Cover?

Skilled nursing care. Medicare helps to pay for your recovery in a skilled nursing care facility after a three-day hospital stay. Medicare will cover the total cost of skilled nursing care for the first 20 days, after which you’ll pay $164.50 coinsurance per day (in 2017). After 100 days, Medicare will stop paying.

Home health care. If you are homebound by an illness or injury, and your doctor says you need short-term skilled care, Medicare will pay for nurses and therapists to provide services in your home. This is not round-the-clock care. Generally, it's for no more than 35 hours per week. With your doctor's recommendation, you may qualify for more.

[emm74]

I would guess deductibles and out of pocket, and the dreaded "donut hole." My mom has 4K out of pocket limit each year on her Medicare HMO. She doesn't always hit it, but generally does have at least a couple thousand per year in out of pocket medical costs.

[mathjak107]

we don't use an advantage plan but we do have medicare and a high deductible f-plan with a 2000 deductible .

but that has nothing to do with our long term care insurance which pays for extended care beyond the limited days and conditions medicare covers . .

[jrkliny]

We have Medicare and comprehensive plan f supplemental insurance. My wife has significant drug expenses that are not covered. Eyeglasses and dental are not covered. We average $20-30k per year for insurance and uncovered expenses. LTC, hearing aids and other expenses will eventually take a bigger toll.

[mathjak107]

i just started medicare yesterday . i assume the supplements don't pick up deductibles on drugs that your drug plan does not pay , correct ?

the high deductible f-plan has been great for my wife .we save 2k a year on premiums and average 300-400 in uncovered medicare bills . now i took it .

this is the 2nd year in a row my wifes dental was over 10k .

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by emm74

I would guess deductibles and out of pocket, and the dreaded "donut hole." My mom has 4K out of pocket limit each year on her Medicare HMO. She doesn't always hit it, but generally does have at least a couple thousand per year in out of pocket medical costs.

I know about the donut hole, I pay less than $5 a month for prescriptions, mrs 5150 about $40. We don't have any deductibles with our supplement nor do our plan F friends.

[mathjak107]

well you certainly will have the costs if you need the things jrkliny and i mentioned . the biggest is the long term care potential costs .

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

i just started medicare yesterday . i assume the supplements don't pick up deductibles on drugs that your drug plan does not pay , correct ?

the high deductible f-plan has been great for my wife .we save 2k a year on premiums and average 300-400 in uncovered medicare bills . now i took it .

this is the 2nd year in a row my wifes dental was over 10k .

Right on the prescription stuff. So it pays to shop carefully on the plan D. Our CalPers plan comes with a plan D and vision. We pay for a dental plan that's about $700 a year for the two of us.

I am curious how you save $2000 a year on a plan F high deductible when plan F costs $200 a month to start with. At least in CA.

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

well you certainly will have the costs if you need the things jrkliny and i mentioned . the biggest is the long term care potential costs .

But I said outside of LTC and in home care, something that few of us will need-something I discovered as an adult services social worker. As well with Mrs5150, an estate planning attorney