Social Security Part B, Medicare Advantage

[broncovet]

Well, Im turning 65, and I opted out of Social Security Part B several years ago when I was awarded 100%.  I wish I had not done that, because NOW I have to go to VA and have no options even when VA medical care is sub par.  

So, Im gonna pay the 134 bucks or so for Part B premiums AND get a medicare Advantage plan.   (There is no penalty for declining Part B, since I waited until I am 65 to sign up for medicare part B)

I would like to know if you guys have medicare part B (advantage plan) and what company (Humana, United Healthcare, etc), and if you like it.  Thanks 

[Carl the Engineer]

bronco,

All I can tell you is when my parents sighned up for it 20+ years ago, they went to walmart and sighned up with Humana.  Then about 3 years ago, when we (kids) got involved, we found out that in our area, there was two plans, Humana and Security Health.  After some research, we found out that all the Hospitals in our area where customers of Security Health and we switched thier plans and saved a bunch of money.

So, I would do some research and see what works best at the Clinics and Hospitals you think you will be using, etc.  I beleive this is a local thing and you need to do some local asking around and see what your neighbors are using and paying.

A lot of the Hospitals are being bought up by insurance companies and it is cheaper if you use their advantage plan.

And you have to consider all of the costs, deductibles fees and drugs, etc...

Hope I helped,

Hamslice

 

 

[Carl the Engineer]

Oh, and Happy Birthday!

[Gastone]

Were you on SSDI?

I've carried AARP's Unitied Healthcare since  about 2012. Full boat on my wife $189 now about $212 per mos. No Co-pays or Deductibles, go anywhere Hospital/Dr coverage. Myself, I went with the $40.00 per mos, High Deductible & Copay. So for the 4 yrs, I saved $7152. my agent said I could change my plan to the same as my wife's, at anytime with 1 months notice. Can even change back to the Lower plan the same way. My wife's also had CHAMPVA since 06/14, so far has only used it for Medicare D RX Copays.

Last year, I called United and changed to the Cadillac Plan $212, needed special Heart tests and possible procedures that I wasn't comfortable using the VA Loaner Drs for. Everything went just as the UHC agent explained, had a full Heart Cath $17+K at 1 of the Top Heart Hospitals, using a National Renowned Cardiologist. Medicare & United HC picked up the complete tab, no Deduc or Co-pays.

Still use the VMC for everything else.

Semper Fi

[john999]

My brother has leukemia that is dormant right now, but he needs very regular and extensive bloodwork done by hematologist  that specializes in his type of blood cancer.  He had regular A&B and they pay no trouble.   I wonder if an advantage plan would be so ready to pay?  He also has insurance from his former employer as a retirement benefit.  It costs him an arm and a leg in the figurative sense.  If he was not getting the special care maybe he would be losing the leg and are in real sense.  I do understand why non-millionaires want medicare advantage plans, but will the time you spend with "gate keeper" delay treatment and cost you your life?  My mother had Humana Medicare advantage plan.  The first time she got really sick she died at HMO approved hospital.  Her care was so poor I sued them including HMO approved nursing home and won $500,000.  This was not the way I wanted to get $500,000.  I don't know if advantage plan vs regular Medicare would have made a difference but her care was awful.  I got into regular wars with hospital staff for hiding things about her care from me such as fact gangrene had set in her foot and they just put bandage on it.