Medicare Plan G

[mjonesnh]

My wife and I are nearing Medicare age and have decided on a Medigap policy Plan G. We have narrowed our choices down to Humana, Aetna, and Mutual of Omaha. All are only a few dollars difference in price from each other per month. All three seem to have similar ratings and seem to be well respected companies. Anyone with one of these companies Plan G policies have pro or con opinions?

 

[MoKelly]

My wife and I are nearing Medicare age and have decided on a Medigap policy Plan G. We have narrowed our choices down to Humana, Aetna, and Mutual of Omaha. All are only a few dollars difference in price from each other per month. All three seem to have similar ratings and seem to be well respected companies. Anyone with one of these companies Plan G policies have pro or con opinions?

I filed for my Medicare card 2 weeks ago. Still waiting to be approved.

All my friends and those I have spoken to endorse Humana. I’m going to go with Humana.

I’ve not used them yet - just going with recommendations from those I trust and are similar to my health situation.

Good luck.

MoKelly

 

[Rebeldad1]

call your doctor, local clinic that you will be using the most. ask them which one works best for them.

 

[geblackwell]

I thought all plan "G" were had the same coverage only difference was the cost. So why not go with the cheapest?

 

[chevy]

I started on Medicare last fall. I have an Aetna plan. I have not had any problems so far. At the time I was shopping, I was told all of the G plans were the same except for the monthly fees. They also said that Medicare set the amount payed to the provider. Medicare paid their part & the supplement plan paid the balance except for the deductible.

There are a lot of good videos on YouTube about Medicare plans.

Advantage plans are a different story. You have to be careful when shopping for those.

 

[ruffdog]

call your doctor, local clinic that you will be using the most. ask them which one works best for them.

I agree. Different plans may be more popular or better supported in your area. Definitely ask around.

 

[k0ua]

I thought all plan "G" were had the same coverage only difference was the cost. So why not go with the cheapest?

Because some pay better without hassle better than others. When you get some of your charges disputed, and have to fight with it and "work it out" that will make you think about your choices. It is called customer service.

 

[k0ua]

The next thing that differentiates vendors of the same plan is how long have they been in the marketplace and how stable has their fee structure been. Have you ever heard of the term "loss leader' as applied to marketing. When a new vendor enters a particular market, they are free to lower their price as they see fit. Sometimes this is done to gain market share. They are also free to raise prices when they see fit. ALL prices go up for ALL vendors. The cost of healthcare hasn't went down now has it? But some vendors play with prices as a marketing tool. Well no problem you say? you will just change vendors when ever you want and shop for a better price? UM, NO. Not always. You MAY be able to price shop at a later time BUT you must be in good health to do so. If you health is not good, you must pass underwriting. And that is not an easy thing to do for many people with chronic illness. While you can be nearly dead during your initial sign up period (3 months prior, the month of and 3 months post of your 65th birthday) And no insurance company can refuse you. When you want to go price shopping later it is a different story. You better be healthy. This makes choosing a vendor a VERY important decision. So yes, all plan G's cover the same things, and are offered sometimes at different prices, the vendor can make a huge difference.

 

[geblackwell]

The next thing that differentiates vendors of the same plan is how long have they been in the marketplace and how stable has their fee structure been. Have you ever heard of the term "loss leader' as applied to marketing. When a new vendor enters a particular market, they are free to lower their price as they see fit. Sometimes this is done to gain market share. They are also free to raise prices when they see fit. ALL prices go up for ALL vendors. The cost of healthcare hasn't went down now has it? But some vendors play with prices as a marketing tool. Well no problem you say? you will just change vendors when ever you want and shop for a better price? UM, NO. Not always. You MAY be able to price shop at a later time BUT you must be in good health to do so. If you health is not good, you must pass underwriting. And that is not an easy thing to do for many people with chronic illness. While you can be nearly dead during your initial sign up period (3 months prior, the month of and 3 months post of your 65th birthday) And no insurance company can refuse you. When you want to go price shopping later it is a different story. You better be healthy. This makes choosing a vendor a VERY important decision. So yes, all plan G's cover the same things, and are offered sometimes at different prices, the vendor can make a huge difference.

For me I had plan F with Mutual of Omaha for several years. I do not like change. As all insurances will go up each year it got to the point it was becoming costly. My agent called each year and said he could save me money, but like you I resisted the change because Mutual of Omaha always came through. Medicare is the one that decides the coverage is paid (approved) not the supplement insurance company. Finally when he said he could save me about $90 a month I changed. No regrets, that was 1 year ago.

 

[Lansysta]

Sounds like you're in the Medicare maze like the rest of us soon-to-be seniors, mate. Plan G is a solid choice, no doubt about it. As for Humana, Aetna, and Mutual of Omaha, they're all big players in the game. It's like picking your poison, right?
If you're still weighing your options, I've got a little tip for ya. Lately, I've been thinking about snagging some life insurance to keep my fam safe if anything goes south. Found this site, Pure Cover, might be worth a look: Site is undergoing maintenance.
Anyway, good luck with the Medicare decision, mate.

 

[oosik]

I choose Aetna - 16 years ago - and have had no reason to change.

 

[techman]

We went with AARP (United Healthcare) They gave a discount for my wife and I when we signed up "together". They also discounted the premium 10%, going back up 1%/year for 10 years

 

[Tinhack]

I wouldn't give Humana the time of day. They are EXTREMELY careless with member health plan information. I don't see how they've stayed in business except through bribery. Watch what you sign. Your legal rights as well as your health benefits may be limited. And don't assign any life insurance to them.

Do background checks on any healthcare plan or company you are considering. They are in business to make money, not protect your health or give you a good deal.

Me? I'm on straight Medicare. My open-heart surgery at a premium hospital convinced me to stay that way. My cost was far less than what I would have paid in deductible and premiums for a single year. But that's me and I don't have a large reliance on costly drugs.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I wouldn't give Humana the time of day. They are EXTREMELY careless with member health plan information. I don't see how they've stayed in business except through bribery. Watch what you sign. Your legal rights as well as your health benefits may be limited. And don't assign any life insurance to them.

Do background checks on any healthcare plan or company you are considering. They are in business to make money, not protect your health or give you a good deal.

Me? I'm on straight Medicare. My open-heart surgery at a premium hospital convinced me to stay that way. My cost was far less than what I would have paid in deductible and premiums for a single year. But that's me and I don't have a large reliance on costly drugs.

Your comments about Humana is scaring me! I've had Humana for about 6 years now with no regrets - so far, and that's after having a previous heart attack.

Depending on which state and which county you live in determines the benefits and costs as well as which specific plan you elect. I 'had' a Humana plan that cost me $52/month plus a $40 co-pay. Humana's own rep called and suggested a slightly different plan with better coverage benefits as well as zero co-pay plus a $50/month supplemental food store allowance. The food allowance was reduced this year from their previous $75/month allowance.

I'm not sure how much better a medical insurance could be but I'm very satisfied with Humana so far. At my age, 83, I won't be shopping around for a better deal.

 

[LouNY]

That's good until your healthcare providers quit taking that insurance company. The hospital/care network that I use has signs posted that they do not accept Humana insurances. I dont know if that was just their individual health plans or if it included the Medigap policies.
I ended up with an Etna plan through AARP as it was less expensive, even though I am not a fan of AARP but AMAC didn't have any comparable plans.

 

[Oaktree]

Me? I'm on straight Medicare. My open-heart surgery at a premium hospital convinced me to stay that way. My cost was far less than what I would have paid in deductible and premiums for a single year. But that's me and I don't have a large reliance on costly drugs.

We did straight Medicare for a few years until moving to an advantage plan. My big issue with Medicare is that you need a separate prescription drug plan (that gets progressively more expensive each year you don't have one) that costs more per month than the cost of any medication either of us need. Prescriptions included in our advantage plan which costs no more than regular Medicare. I know some here don't like them, but they seem by far the best choice for us.
We use Aetna, which most providers seem to accept.

 

[workinonit]

I'm going BCBS. We have an agent in town that is really good at assisting on these decisions. We looked at all of the above players as well as United and I checked into USAA. He told me basically the same as Tinhack said about Humana. We settled on BCBS because of some of the extra services they have. One of the things they will spring for is health club memberships. Also they had the best prescription coverage for me. That's one huge issue that needs to be addressed. Those companies all have different rules for prescription coverage. I signed up for Part A last year and am planning on fully retiring in January.

 

[ultrarunner]

So many seniors that come here for Surgery have the F plan and almost always Blue Cross Blue Shield and seldom ever a problem.

I recommended F to anyone that asked but that option no longer exists for those now eligible.

Zero complaints for mom and they did us right.

I’m guessing it was too good?

 

[kenmac]

Me? I'm on straight Medicare. My open-heart surgery at a premium hospital convinced me to stay that way. My cost was far less than what I would have paid in deductible and premiums for a single year. But that's me and I don't have a large reliance on costly drugs.

If you on straight Medicare, you paid 20% of the total charge. Medicare only pays 80% and unless you have a supplement , you are responsible for the other 20%

Having said that, I have a Humana supplement N plan. I've been pleased with it. $96.00 per mo where I live

 

[workinonit]

Plan G basically replaced the plan F. There's very little difference in the two.