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Medicare Assistance

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*Whew*, that Medicare post I made last year is HUGE! Several people have said they thought it was way too big to read through all of it, and for me, I don't remember what I posted! So, I am going to give you a Table of Contents! Most of these are my posts, a few are other members' posts in the thread.
  1. Medicare PPO vs HMO
  2. Medicare Supplements
  3. Medicare Part-D
  4. Medicare Supplement Plan-N vs Plan-G
  5. Medicare Part-D and Late-Enrollment Penalty
  6. Medicare Initial Enrollment Period
  7. Medicare and Group (work) insurance
  8. Medicare Supplement Plan HDF (High-Deductible Plan-F)
  9. Medicare recipients moving from one home area to another
  10. Medicare Advantage and Supplement regulations
  11. Medicare Supplement underwriting and enrollment periods
  12. Medicare Supplement and moving out-of-state
  13. Medicare and TriCare (military)
  14. Medicare Advantage plans from one area to the next
  15. Medicare agent commission
  16. Social Security Extra Help for low income, IRMAA (premium hike) for high-income
  17. How Social Security determines premiums
  18. American health insurance in a nutshell
  19. Cost of Medicare Part-B for 2020
  20. Medicare regulations on agents looking for a sale
  21. Medicare EPO vs PPO
  22. Medicare and ACA ("ObamaCare") enrollment periods
  23. Is insurance a scam?
  24. Cost to insure (about all insurance, not just health)
  25. Medicare Open Enrollment, new for 2020
  26. Silver Sneakers
  27. Medicare Special Enrollment Periods (SEP)
  28. United Healthcare and Humana travel benefit
  29. Medicare Advantage Plans' Nursing Home benefit (aka Part-A)
  30. Medicare Advantage plans' 2021 Diabetes benefits (TBA)
  31. Humana sending out health kits for COVID19
  32. Generic drugs with Medicare plans
  33. Humana WalMart Part-D plan
TS
 

clifffaith

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So how does one pick a company? I've been told I need a Medicare Supplement Plan (last year by the Aetna salesperson when Cliff was changing HMO plans) because of my back problems and likely pending surgery. I don't even know where to start to get set up for a Dec. 1st start date, other than not to answer the phone calls trying to sell me Medicare plans which started in June.
 

Talent312

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That "Table of Contents" is too long for my senior brain (too many numbers).

How I Picked a Supplement Plan Company...
1. Compared rates at my state's Office of Insurance Regulation. It has a searchable database.
2. From the list, I selected several with the lowest rates whose names I knew well...
... In order of rates: Aetna, Blue Cross, United HealthCare (AARP), Cigna and Colonial Penn.
3. I looked at their websites and talked to my doc's office about it which one they liked.
4. I choose UHC (AARP). They were close on $$ and my doc's office recommended them.*

*Supplement Plans are 'sposed to work seamlessly with Medicare, so no contact is usually
needed, but if there ever was an issue, perhaps it could make a difference.

Of course, YMMV.
.
 
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That is an issue I missed... doctor. Make sure your doctor is in network, from what I have heard in training that is the #1 complaint, a person signs up for a plan only to find out their doctor doesn't accept the plan you just signed up for. Same with medicines, plan 1 may consider it a generic while plan 2 considers it a non-preferred generic (higher copays). If you get these questions answered right off the bat, you won't have any issues once it kicks in.

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ccwu

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I tried to find a Medicare supplement plan for a deaf friend who just moved to NY from Texas. I called AARP. (Not sure where to start). They found my friend’s AARP membership in Texas. After Ma Ay question. They quote me United Healthcare plan A and Plan K. Plan A is $545 per month Plan K is $115 per month. After 10 minutes checking the medical history of pre existing condition, they asked about where to mail. I gave them NY’s address. They said, they thought it was in taxes (due to his AARP last member address). I said he moved to NY 2 months ago. The. The lady said the rate was $145 for plan A and $67 for plan. She said forget about the medical pre existing condition questionnaire, that is not required in NY. She said the plan covers where ever my friend traveled and anywhere accept medicare will accept the plan. She suggest to take plan K because it cover certain cares (such as skilled nurse and other) plan A does not cover. It covers 50% of 20% what Medicare does not cover. The max is $6220. When his payment exceed the max, Plan K takes the 100.

For once I felt shocked of the differences of the rate difference between Texas and NY. Guess state income tax and property tax is at work for some poor and needy people. Now I feel it worth it to pay the taxes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Luanne

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So how does one pick a company? I've been told I need a Medicare Supplement Plan (last year by the Aetna salesperson when Cliff was changing HMO plans) because of my back problems and likely pending surgery. I don't even know where to start to get set up for a Dec. 1st start date, other than not to answer the phone calls trying to sell me Medicare plans which started in June.
The advice I was given by several people was, if you are going to go with a Supplemental plan, go with whoever charges the least. The plans are regulated, so they all provide the same benefits.
 

Passepartout

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The advice I was given by several people was, if you are going to go with a Supplemental plan, go with whoever charges the least. The plans are regulated, so they all provide the same benefits.
TUG advice may not be accurate or needed. The post you responded to is 11 months old. :)
 
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Unlike Medicare Advantage Plans, which are regulated by Medicare, Supplements are regulated by the state. In addition, states either base premiums on Issue Age (rarely go up, based on age when they sign up) or Attained Age (age right now, will go up yearly). That is why TX and NY differ.

TS
 

Luanne

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TUG advice may not be accurate or needed. The post you responded to is 11 months old. :)
I had seen a couple of recent posts with Medicare questions. Didn't look at the start date of this one. :D I still stand by my answer though.
 
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For the most part, Medicare does not change much year to year, other than changes in copays. And premiums for Supplements may change. So, ask/comment away! I may only be licensed in FL/CA/NC/WA, but I can answer in all 50 states.

TS
 
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