2020 Cola announced

[broncovet]

The 2020 Cola has been announced for Social Security.  Its just 1.6%

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/social-security-increase-cola-2020-raise-190813496.html

Veterans is likely to be the same.  For a 100 percent, married Vet this means his comp will go up $51.63 per month to 3278.78.

[Richard1954]

39 minutes ago, seminoles said:

This is exactly why I opted out of Part B, it is horrible coverage and I would have to purchase an advantage plan which still offers next to zero mental health coverage and there are still significant copays

Actually, co pay is only 20%.. if you have a supplemental plan it would likely cover the 20% most of the time.

In my case Medicare B pays 80% of all claims, and Tricare picks up the 20%.  I pay  nothing out of pocket,   I think it works this way with most secondary payers.

 

[seminoles]

19 minutes ago, Richard1954 said:

Actually, co pay is only 20%.. if you have a supplemental plan it would likely cover the 20% most of the time.

In my case Medicare B pays 80% of all claims, and Tricare picks up the 20%.  I pay  nothing out of pocket,   I think it works this way with most secondary payers.

 

That is great if you A. want to pay for Medicare part B and  the cost is actually worth it but for me, it is far from it!   Medicare doesn't cover MH for crap and I have many sc disabilities and no other health insurance including Tricare.  I have the VA and nothing else.  It is almost impossible to find providers here accepting medicare patients unless you buy an advantage plan (which costs more than just paying for part B).  Everyone is in a different circumstance but I am not paying hundreds of dollars a month and still not getting the healthcare I need.  As much as I despise relying on the VA at least I am not throwing money away for care I can't receive anyway.  I can at least be driven to another VA to receive care or fight for care outside the VA which happens all the time and the VA has to provide it.   Some of my medications cost over 4k a month and I know that if I was not on a very expensive advantage plan that covered $$$ drugs I would be screwed.

[broncovet]

In order to get the medicare Advantage plan, you have to opt in to Medicare Part B and pay the 135 per month.  

As discussed, you can go "naked" with nothing but the VA, but you better love the VA health care, past present and future, because, if you opt out of part b medicare, then to try to get back in you will have to pay a penalty.  

While my VA is mostly "ok", for NOW, I realize there are some parts of VA that are better than others, and, of course I may move.  

I dont want to HAVE to go to the VA.  Instead of "regular" medicare Part B, I have Humana.  (Medicare Advantage).  A benefit (big one for me) is that I can get a free health club membership, which takes some of the "sting" of the 135 per month for medicare part b.   As I explained, you cant get medicare advantage plan, unless you have opted into part b.