Medicare Advantage Programs

[deanbrt]

I have Medicare but have usedVA for the most part. My wife has been on AARPs Medicare Complete Plus, UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage program that has no additional monthly chargebut is kind of like an HMO.

She is pretty happy with it so since the Medicarere-enrollment period has just started I called United to switch my Medicare totheir Advantage program. They were good enough to check and tell me that if Isigned up for their Medicare Advantage program I would likely lose my VAcoverage. Maybe this is well known but I thought I would share the information.

[brokensoldier244th]

Im pretty sure you can still use both. They are different systems.

[Pete53]

They gave you bad information. I have had United Healthcare advantage plan for many years and like it. I had a stent put in almost 4 years ago and only had to pay 100 bucks. It also has a prescription plan I use occasionally.

Good luck

[deanbrt]

I can get the United program. What United said is that the VA will say it is my primary and I need to use them....

They gave you bad information. I have had United Healthcare advantage plan for many years and like it. I had a stent put in almost 4 years ago and only had to pay 100 bucks. It also has a prescription plan I use occasionally.

Good luck

[john999]

The only thing I don't like about medicare advantage is the gatekeeper concept. The VA is like a HMO. If I want to see a foot doctor I don't want to wait for a referral.

[Chuck75]

"I would likely lose my VAcoverage"

Not so. But, under certain conditions, medicare advantage prevents the VA from paying for outside VA medical services.

Naturally, getting the VA to pay them under any circumstances can be a major hassle!

As a responder said Medicare and VA medical benefits are two different systems.

As to whether you are better off with Medicare or medicare advantage - -

In either case, part B and D require that you pay a premium, unless you fall below a low income level.

I have medicare advantage, since I was forced into it if I wanted to keep medical coverage under a state employees

insurance plan. Seems that the state does not want to pay it's part of the insurance costs that it pays for active employees, so by forcing medicare advantage upon the retired, it dumps the cost on the federal government.

I have yet to get actual who pays information to determine if an individual medicare advantage plan has any advantages or disadvantages when compared to the group medicare advantage plan.

(Once you change from the group plan, you cannot go back.)

The carrier of the medicare advantage plan is paid an "administrative fee" per month by the government, in addition to the premium paid by the insured.

I have Medicare but have usedVA for the most part. My wife has been on AARPs Medicare Complete Plus, UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage program that has no additional monthly chargebut is kind of like an HMO.

She is pretty happy with it so since the Medicarere-enrollment period has just started I called United to switch my Medicare totheir Advantage program. They were good enough to check and tell me that if Isigned up for their Medicare Advantage program I would likely lose my VAcoverage. Maybe this is well known but I thought I would share the information.

[deanbrt]

Thanks for the posting! I called United back and got a clarification. It seems there is an issue with TriCare, too, and some Medicare prescription drug

plans where TriCare regards it as double coverage.

"I would likely lose my VAcoverage"

Not so. But, under certain conditions, medicare advantage prevents the VA from paying for outside VA medical services.

Naturally, getting the VA to pay them under any circumstances can be a major hassle!

As a responder said Medicare and VA medical benefits are two different systems.

As to whether you are better off with Medicare or medicare advantage - -

In either case, part B and D require that you pay a premium, unless you fall below a low income level.

I have medicare advantage, since I was forced into it if I wanted to keep medical coverage under a state employees

insurance plan. Seems that the state does not want to pay it's part of the insurance costs that it pays for active employees, so by forcing medicare advantage upon the retired, it dumps the cost on the federal government.

I have yet to get actual who pays information to determine if an individual medicare advantage plan has any advantages or disadvantages when compared to the group medicare advantage plan.

(Once you change from the group plan, you cannot go back.)

The carrier of the medicare advantage plan is paid an "administrative fee" per month by the government, in addition to the premium paid by the insured.