Medicare and supplemental coverage

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by loryde

The problem with Medicare supplement policies is finding doctors willing to treat you. Such plans are also expensive. I was paying about $270 a month, in addition to the Part B premium, for such coverage, including a separate drug plan with Humana. I switched to an Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO plan a year ago, which reduced my premium to about $70 a month. (I decided those "no premium" plans might represent a false economy.) The "preferred provider" networks seem quite broad. I see they list 137 cardiologists in Bexar County.

I doubt anyone is going to offer you any real relief from the "donut hole."

Did your agent review the new Aetna PPO offerings that are available for 2015? I think that you might have been pleasantly surprised.

[loves2read]

my sister talked to an agent in San Antonio--got some pricing which was better than I anticipated--
but he also told her age-rated policies were only ones available--
which from searching on the medicare.gov site I don't think is accurate--
looks to me like AARP plans--which I know are provided by separate insurance company--are community rated and thus should be less expensive...

I also contacted agent who has helped several friends of ours on Medicare find policies--he is local to my area but was going to ask if he could recommend an agent in my sister's...
he was out of office--left message on his machine...

my sister also needs to talk with her doctor about her medication--
there are 3 heart medications she takes and only one is generic--
maybe she can get less expensive RX---
her RX costs are much more expensive than her normal medical ones...she is pretty healthy overall
but can't take risk of not having some type of cap for out of pocket expenses...

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by loves2read

my sister talked to an agent in San Antonio--got some pricing which was better than I anticipated--
but he also told her age-rated policies were only ones available--
which from searching on the medicare.gov site I don't think is accurate--
looks to me like AARP plans--which I know are provided by separate insurance company--are community rated and thus should be less expensive...

I also contacted agent who has helped several friends of ours on Medicare find policies--he is local to my area but was going to ask if he could recommend an agent in my sister's...
he was out of office--left message on his machine...

my sister also needs to talk with her doctor about her medication--
there are 3 heart medications she takes and only one is generic--
maybe she can get less expensive RX---
her RX costs are much more expensive than her normal medical ones...she is pretty healthy overall
but can't take risk of not having some type of cap for out of pocket expenses...

If your sister is ALREADY working with a San Antonio agent, why are you calling yet another one? Agents are trying to make a living in a world with frequent Medicare cutbacks and restrictions and don't have the time to deal with indecisive, fickle people that use up all their time and expertise and then enroll with someone else. If you can, you should be considerate of others' time and try to stick with one agent that works with all of the different options in your area. Good Luck.

[loves2read]

I didnt know my sister contacted an agent when I called one and I don't know that the agent I called can/will be able to help her.
Plus I think that agent she contacted gave her incorrect information.
Isn't it true that AARP offer plans w/community based rates? In her zipcode/county--78070 and Comal? AARP site shows it does.
Using one agent who gives inaccurate advice isn't best for my sister--or anyone else.
I appreciate the fact that you offer advice based on your professional insight, but people have the right to search for information.
Would you buy the first car at the first dealership you shopped?