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You don't say, but I'm guessing that you might live in Massachusetts. If so, the Massachusetts Medigap policies are different there. There are a few states that have crafted Medicare plans of their very own. Those states are Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Those three states have crafted their own internal health care systems that are still similar to the Medicare program, but they do everything themselves. These state-run programs are new to the health care scene and are still in their early years of operating. You can read a little about the Massachusetts plans HERE.
If you live in some other state, then please advise which one it is so someone can try to help you...unless you prefer to continue to be secretive about which state you live in.
Not secretive ~ I've referred to Mass. many times as my current home state (usually complaining about the prop tax). My Tufts rep on the phone today didn't know what I was talking about (alpa letters to describe plans).
I wish there was a way to run a second poll concurrently within this main poll to find out why roughly half the people chose a Medicare Advantage plan in lieu of a Medigap plan. I suspect the reason such a significant percentage of people have chosen a Medicare Advantage plan is the plan's lower cost...but at the risk of not having a particilar doctor or hospital that will accept the Advantage plan.
It also makes me wonder how aware people are that have chosen Advantage plans about the negatives of the lower cost Advantage plans.
Unless I need a specialist of some great reknown, I really don't need to have any particular doctors. Any will do. They all conform to mainstream medicine though some have better manners than others. Some of my (alternative medicine) health providers are not covered by insurance so my plan choice doesn't matter.
That said, the Tufts Advantage has my current doctors in their network.
What I would like is a plan with full dental, for which I'd gladly pay a lot. Probably none have this.
I wish there was a way to run a second poll concurrently within this main poll to find out why roughly half the people chose a Medicare Advantage plan in lieu of a Medigap plan. I suspect the reason such a significant percentage of people have chosen a Medicare Advantage plan is the plan's lower cost...but at the risk of not having a particilar doctor or hospital that will accept the Advantage plan.
It also makes me wonder how aware people are that have chosen Advantage plans about the negatives of the lower cost Advantage plans.
To me, not having a particular doctor or hospital is not a "negative", as long as I have good doctors and good hospitals available. You have made a very large unwarranted assumption about Medicare Advantage Plans. And please note that my previous sentence was couched in general terms. That is, in a given area and with a given plan, you may be entirely right.
One of the big dangers of these Medicare discussions is the tacit assumption that what is true in the area in which we live is generally true in the United States as a whole.
One of the big dangers of these Medicare discussions is the tacit assumption that what is true in the area in which we live is generally true in the United States as a whole.
Like my cousins in Denver, Colorado who can't/won't understand that their Kaiser plans and facilities are not available just anywhere
Like my cousins in Denver, Colorado who can't/won't understand that their Kaiser plans and facilities are not available just anywhere
(not even in all CO counties)
Yep! Travel in another state and you may be denied treatment by hospitals and doctors if you have a Medicare Advantage plan. There are reasons why the cost for Advantage plans are cheap!
Last edited by highcotton; 11-22-2013 at 09:11 PM..
That is true of a lot of insurance coverage. Managed care means comtrolling cost thru terms of coverage. ACA is a clear example as is what medicare itself pays I different regions for a service.There is a reason some are called bearbones and others Cadillac plans.Even most employer supplements have terms on travel to control cost.
Unless I need a specialist of some great reknown, I really don't need to have any particular doctors. Any will do. They all conform to mainstream medicine though some have better manners than others. Some of my (alternative medicine) health providers are not covered by insurance so my plan choice doesn't matter.
That said, the Tufts Advantage has my current doctors in their network.
What I would like is a plan with full dental, for which I'd gladly pay a lot. Probably none have this.
My plan covers 'some' dental. Oral exam, cleaning and X-rays, no co pay. They pay up to $1,200 for things like fillings, extractions, root canals, etc.. (I will also get a card for $200 for OTC health supplies and $250 toward new glasses and free eye exam.) They don't seem to pay anything on dentures though.
Max out of pocket limit is $3,500...I thought it was $4,000. Thought I still had a $10 co pay for office visits but it's actually $0. I do still have to pay $40 for 'specialist' visits. They also cover nationwide emergency and urgent care.
Yep! Travel in another state and you may be denied treatment by hospitals and doctors if you have a Medicare Advantage plan. There are reasons why the cost for Advantage plans are cheap!
My Medicare Advantage Plan covers me nationwide.
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Voila, not walla
What ?? One size doesn't fit all ?? Who knew !!
