Applied For Medicare

[zzvyb6]

When I signed up, I was told about needing a supplement. My hockey buddies all recommended Humana. When I called 6 other Supplement candidates, Humana was the only one where they answered on the 3rd ring with a voice that spoke perfect English. Signed up for Plan F at the advice of my buddies. 2 months later Im on the operating table for prostate cancer. Total hospital cost was $126,000. I paid ZERO, all covered by Medicare and Humana. A few guys with BCBS said average fee for them, same surgery was $20,000. 2 years later Humana called back and said Plan G would be more like what I needed. Quite a bit less ($150/month). So, that's where I'm at. Meanwhile, Humana sent me a covid 'kit': masks, gloves, temperature reading gun, blood pressure machine, finger heartrate deal, and some other stuff. This worked out best for me. I have their prescription drug, dentist and eyeglass cards, too. I have no complaints or regrets.

 

[MoKelly]

When I signed up, I was told about needing a supplement. My hockey buddies all recommended Humana. When I called 6 other Supplement candidates, Humana was the only one where they answered on the 3rd ring with a voice that spoke perfect English. Signed up for Plan F at the advice of my buddies. 2 months later Im on the operating table for prostate cancer. Total hospital cost was $126,000. I paid ZERO, all covered by Medicare and Humana. A few guys with BCBS said average fee for them, same surgery was $20,000. 2 years later Humana called back and said Plan G would be more like what I needed. Quite a bit less ($150/month). So, that's where I'm at. Meanwhile, Humana sent me a covid 'kit': masks, gloves, temperature reading gun, blood pressure machine, finger heartrate deal, and some other stuff. This worked out best for me. I have their prescription drug, dentist and eyeglass cards, too. I have no complaints or regrets.

This is great stuff. Thanks.

MoKelly

 

[fried1765]

Great points. I hadn’t thought about international travel.

Thank you!

MoKelly

I had a Summer home in Canada, and researched this issue in advance.
Bought a Medicare supplemental policy that covered out of USA, up to 100K lifetime total.
Was hospitalized in Canada for 6 days, with a $22,000 bill.
Insurance paid all but deductible.

 

[PuffyC]

...Many folks I know can’t even think about retirement until they get on Medicare.

MoKelly

The conspiracy theorist in me wants to think this is intentional.

 

[fried1765]

When I signed up, I was told about needing a supplement. My hockey buddies all recommended Humana. When I called 6 other Supplement candidates, Humana was the only one where they answered on the 3rd ring with a voice that spoke perfect English. Signed up for Plan F at the advice of my buddies. 2 months later Im on the operating table for prostate cancer. Total hospital cost was $126,000. I paid ZERO, all covered by Medicare and Humana. A few guys with BCBS said average fee for them, same surgery was $20,000. 2 years later Humana called back and said Plan G would be more like what I needed. Quite a bit less ($150/month). So, that's where I'm at. Meanwhile, Humana sent me a covid 'kit': masks, gloves, temperature reading gun, blood pressure machine, finger heartrate deal, and some other stuff. This worked out best for me. I have their prescription drug, dentist and eyeglass cards, too. I have no complaints or regrets.

$126,000 for prostate removal surgery?
That is the absolute highest number I have ever heard.

I had Proton Radiation treatment 25 years ago for $50,000,( at Loma Linda Univ. Medical Center, CA. ) Surgery then was estimated at about $10,000.
After much research, (Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins) I determined that Proton Radiation was the best for me. I was 55, and my company insurance covered all but an $1800 deductible.
Never had any pain/discomfort, or side effects, and here I am at 80, with everything still working normally!

Proton radiation treatment was in it's infancy in 1996, and there was only one Proton treatment center, in Loma Linda,CA. I showed up there in Feb.1996, to begin 37 treatments.
Proton radiation treatment is VERY different from IMRT radiation treatment, which is what is usually locally offered!
Individual Proton centers can cost up to $200+ million to construct, thus they are not at local hospitals.
25 years later though, there are now 37 Proton treatment centers nationwide.
The process is an amazing technical/engineering/physics/scientific achievement, using a Cyclotron (atom accelerator)!

I consider myself to have been SO fortunate to have stumbled upon it it.
The Loma Linda Proton radiation treatment story was run on ABC 20/20 back in late 1995.
The Proton radiation treatment process has now been expanded to include treatment of other other tumor types as well.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

63 and self employed paying $1200/no for me and $1000 for wife for a plan with $5000.00 deductible. Guess $150 each per month would be a nice raise in our net income.

Same here. For me and wifey, we paid 32,000 last year for health insurance; sure it's a 100% write off, but damnn that's a lot of money. I'm 63 in one month, can't wait for 65...

 

[fried1765]

Same here. For me and wifey, we paid 32,000 last year for health insurance; sure it's a 100% write off, but damnn that's a lot of money. I'm 63 in one month, can't wait for 65...

So....what sort of $ tax benefit do you consider that "write off" provides?

 

[Steppenwolfe]

So....what sort of $ tax benefit do you consider that "write off" provides?

ZERO... but deducting 32 grand from my taxable income saves me I guess 10K on that... or close to it.

 

[Cougsfan]

I heard people ***** about medicare and social security continually before I retired. I was expecting the worst in signing up for them. It went surprisingly easy. The government people were friendly and helpful. Now that I have used it for several years (I have AARP supplement) i find that the whole systems works so much better than the private insurance companies i had prior to retirement, both in terms of cost and ease of use.

 

[k0ua]

Same here. For me and wifey, we paid 32,000 last year for health insurance; sure it's a 100% write off, but damnn that's a lot of money. I'm 63 in one month, can't wait for 65...

Have you figure out what you are going to do with all the money you will be saving when you get on Medicare?. It will be a shock. Of course you may be retiring (or not) so that can make a huge difference too.

 

[ruffdog]

I heard people ***** about medicare and social security continually before I retired. I was expecting the worst in signing up for them. It went surprisingly easy. The government people were friendly and helpful. Now that I have used it for several years (I have AARP supplement) i find that the whole systems works so much better than the private insurance companies i had prior to retirement, both in terms of cost and ease of use.

Same here. My wife is older than me and has had to sign up and ask questions at the "government" office. They have always been very helpful and willing to take as much time is needed. Everybody's situation is different so you can tailor your plan the way you need.

 

[grsthegreat]

I’m retired now and saving more than when I worked. Wife is on Medicare and ss, I’m on ss only. I will be eligible for Medicare next year. I pay a lot for high deductible private insurer now, and will be so relieved when that’s done.

I’ll be saving about $1,000 per month with Medicare plus supplemental compared to what I’m paying now. Ive paid into this mess for nearly 50 years, bout time I get some of it back. I took ss at 63 instead of waiting. Ran the figures many times, did not see much difference if I waited. Besides, I’m sick of working.

i only service generators to get out of house a day or so a week, don’t need the income from it. I actually have to make sure I don’t earn too much, or it will affect my ss Payment’s. I mostly do service for my loyal customers, I am not taking on any new clients.

 

[Diggin It]

Signed up for Plan F at the advice of my buddies.

That has been eliminated by law. Those on it can stay on it (for now), but no one can sign up for it.

 

[grsthegreat]

That has been eliminated by law. Those on it can stay on it (for now), but no one can sign up for it.

Ya, it was too good of a plan. They had to get rid of it.

 

[MoKelly]

Ya, it was too good of a plan. They had to get rid of it.

Why couldn’t the insurance companies just charge more for that plan? Why did it have to be eliminated by a law?

Why does the government care?

MoKelly

 

[k0ua]

Ya, it was too good of a plan. They had to get rid of it.

Yes, Plan F was a good plan, BUT if you look carefully at a Plan F and a Plan G and do the math, Actually a Plan G was the better bargain. You paid more for the plan F in monthly premiums added up annually to not have to pay the annual deductible than you will have paid with the plan G.

In selecting any standardized supplemental plan, OR selecting a so called "advantage" plan would all be so much easier if we had crystal balls and could see our medical future. The problem is we don't have crystal balls, and it is very difficult to predict what plans or solutions we should buy to get the coverage we need at prices we can afford. There is a wide disparity of incomes that Medicare eligible people have. To some people $150 a month or so is a huge amount of money. To people now paying well north of $1000 a month for private insurance it seems like a great deal.

 

[k0ua]

Why couldn’t the insurance companies just charge more for that plan? Why did it have to be eliminated by a law?

Why does the government care?

MoKelly

That my friend is a million dollar question. Some have said that the government did not like that idea of a plan that payed for everything and felt like each consumer should have some "skin in the game" and have to pay something up front out of pocket (the Medicare annual deductible, currently at $203 annually). Whether this is true or not, I don't know. BUT there are many many Medicare rules that I don't understand the reasons they are the way they are. But CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicade Services) does not have to make sense, they just make the rules, and everyone has to abide by them. But then again you could say that about a whole lot of governmental agencies.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Have you figure out what you are going to do with all the money you will be saving when you get on Medicare?. It will be a shock. Of course you may be retiring (or not) so that can make a huge difference too.

I think we will be saving 20K once we are on Medicare. I have no plans on retiring anytime soon; if I wait till 68, my "full retirement age", I can draw $3,000 a month SS. I just don't know what I would do with myself if I don't have a few irons in the fire...

 

[fruitcakesa]

Wife and I both are retired and on Medicare and I am on SS, wife this year.
Now that we both are on Medicare and a zero premium Advantage plan with RX; we are saving about $6k a year.
The Advantage has a region and statewide in-network group of medical practitioners so coverage is pretty much assured. It also also offers eye and dental for an additional premium but coverage is more limited.

 

[fried1765]

ZERO... but deducting 32 grand from my taxable income saves me I guess 10K on that... or close to it.

Yup!
That does beat a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!