Getting immersed into the world of Medicare.

[RockmartDawg]

My wife goes on Medicare very soon. They tell you to get the application process started about 3 months before your 65th birthday. We did that and it seems to be working out well, thus far. I'm learning about Part A, Part B, Part D, Part G, you name it. Based on what I can see, we will be spending, out of pocket, a little more than what we have been spending for my pathetic employer-provided insurance, but we'll have 100% coverage. What a breath of fresh air that will be.

I'm not yet 65, but my turn will be coming up before you know it.

[Concourse E]

there are some pitfalls to watch out for. Any medicare advantage plan that offers you a rebate and no out of pocket premium is probably dangerous. There are a few out there that do this by severely restricting the pool of participating doctors and facilities. My mother has a great medicap supplemental plan and goes with the historical standard medicare. She doesn't ever pay out of pocket for services, and her current prescription plan covers everything at no out of pocket other than one name brand she's on.

She's paying like $350 a month for the coverage, but as an 89 year old, its well worth it.

There are some great medicare advantage plans out there, but keep in mind you get what you pay for. Select one of those only after confirming your dr. and your closest facilities are included in the network.

[RockmartDawg]

Thanks, bud. I've opted to also go with traditional Medicare Part A and Part B, and a separate supplemental plan (Part G). I will also have to get Part D, which is prescription coverage. I prefer this over an Advantage plan, as you are more so under the umbrella of an insurance company, rather than under Medicare, itself. You fall under the whims and what-not of insurance companies, which I do not want to do, especially after all of the chaos we have experienced in having United Healthcare as our employer insurance provider (what a joke). Plus, with traditional medicare you can basically go anywhere in the country that accepts Medicare.

I was on the phone just a short while ago with someone who works with the Medicare insurance group within our local credit union. I think I'm going through them to get the Part G supplemental plan, as well as Part D.

[Sugarhilldawg]

wife and I have UHC medicare advantage through state health benefiet system, we pay aroung 250$/mth but it is well worth it, had a pacemaker put in 2 years ago and it cost 50$ copay, dr visits are 15 or 25$ copay, nothing else to pay, pretty happy with that

[RockmartDawg]

My problem I have had with UHC has been them butting heads with providers. I live in the Cobb/Paulding/Douglas counties area. WellStar is literally "the" major healthcare provider around here. All of the hospitals are under them, as are hundreds of physicians offices, specialists, test centers, etc. They fell fully out of the UHC network a year or so ago, and were out for like 9 months, because UHC was turning the screws on WellStar to get them to accept such low negotiated rates. Yet, UHC reports profits in tens of billions every single year.

WellStar is not the only local healthcare system that fell out of network with UHC in the past several years. Several around the Atlanta metro area have had issues with them. A national company, Quantum Radiology, went out of network with them right about the same time that WellStar went out of network.