Medicare!!!!

[RideSlow2004]

I turn 65 in a few months, and am being inundated with offers to help me choose a plan. Fer crying out loud.....

What did you do? (I work full time on contract, so I currently buy my own health insurance.)

 

[Tractorat]

Humana HMO for me. BTW, are you a vet ?

 

[RideSlow2004]

Humana HMO for me. BTW, are you a vet ?

No sir, do not have that option.

 

[Tractorat]

Well, like I said, it is humana for me this year. Premera last year. I like humana, but my wife isnt thrilled with it :-laf Since youre not a vet this does not pertain to you. But, for the vets out there, if you dont already know, you can get your prescriptions from the VA for a lot less than you can from medicare and at least some med advantage plans. When we signed up for humana, we went to one of their presentations. They bring up a lot of points and answer a lot of questions. It was very helpful for us.

 

[SnoKing]

We are going to be switching from GHC/Kaiser medicare advantage next year because we are out of state to much. I think we will go to an independent agent for view of what is available. A lot of our friends have ARRP Supplement and Humana for drugs. We have also heard the Mutual of Omaha is good. Lots of grey hairs to talk to about this here.

 

[Wayne M.]

My Wife is a medical biller, and She's always trying to set people straight with one problem or other. Crossing states and expecting coverage is a tough issue! This was one of Trumps ideas- to end the state limited market.
Might be best off with a Medicare or blue cross option. I have seen Humana mentioned in a lot of states too.
Do your homework where you'll be traveling. Call the hospitals, make sure your card is good. Out of network route is not kind.

 

[SnoKing]

Can we just have a single payer system? Snowbirds like us would love that. Oh no! Big Med and Big Med Ins will never go for that.

Dental is an another up issue for seniors.

SNOKING

 

[BIGNASTY]

If a person is self employed & pays up the WAHZOO being an business owner is an OPTION, nobody forced anyone to be their own boss. On the other hand working 70 & 80 hours a week to get lifetime free medical insurance was an option that I thought might have its advantages. People make their own nest, then belly ache about how it's furnished I've never figured that one out ????

 

[Killgore]

Insurance premiums and medical expenses are a major category in the budgets of most retirees I suspect, at least in mine. Only by watching every dollar and exercising restraint are things kept in balance. I went back to work after I officially retired but found the government will tax the hell out of my social security now that I'm over 70 1/2. My advice is when you are young and dumb, save, save and save.

 

[Killgore]

I asked an investment councilor why many retirees are finding themselves strapped financially; (1) they waited too long before starting to save for retirement; (2) they made poor choices with their assets; and, (3) they failed to cut their children off after they were grown and should be self-supporting.

 

[SnoKing]

You will find out sooner or later that medical is a very big issue for almost everyone in America. It gets more expensive each year and the people in Washington, including the one at 1600 Penn are not going to change that, and if they do change anything it will not be good for we the people.

You guys should study the message and quit shooting the messenger, OH WAIT that comes right out of the GOP play work. JHawes you claim to be so smart, yet you a pawn to the GOP agenda to screw the working class.

 

[BIGNASTY]

i asked an investment councilor why many retirees are finding themselves strapped financially; (1) they waited too long before starting to save for retirement; (2) they made poor choices with their assets; and, (3) they failed to cut their children off after they were grown and should be self-supporting.

absolutely correct

 

[Regcabguy]

Being on Medicare we pay just shy of $1k/month. That includes a lousy dental plan and no vision. United Health Care picks up the balance minus copays.
If you travel a lot a PPO plan is the way to go.

 

[Jim W]

First off I have found that AARP works great for both my wife and me. The ARRP plan like all other secondary insurance plans cover everything that Medicare plan pays for. So, for me it was a no brainer they seem at least in my area to have the lowest cost of a secondary insurance plan for the county I live in. My prescription drug cost is an additional plan from Humana.

As an example: I had a full knee replacement and my only out of pocket cost was $50 for a blood test that Medicare would not pay for. I can't complain about that.

What I have found out under the Medicare and the government each state and then each county in that state have different medical plan options with different cost bases. This is based on population numbers. A friend of mine who lives in the next city over and this is in Kane County, I live in Kendal County with less of a population than Kane. He has a better and less costly plan for his secondary insurance, this includes drug coverage. Kane has more options with less of a cost for some of the plans.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

You will find out sooner or later that medical is a very big issue for almost everyone in America. I gets more expensive each year and the people in Washington, including the one at 1600 Penn are not going to change that, and if they do change anything it will not be good for we the people.

You guys should study the message and quit shooting the messenger, OH WAIT that comes right out of the GOP play work. JHawes you claim to be so smart, yet you a pawn to the GOP agenda to screw the working class.

Perhaps if you gave up your winter vacation hideaway, you could afford to pay your own way. The rest of us have to stay put because we're busy working to make a living for ourselves.*

 

[RideSlow2004]

Insurance premiums and medical expenses are a major category in the budgets of most retirees I suspect, at least in mine. Only by watching every dollar and exercising restraint are things kept in balance. I went back to work after I officially retired but found the government will tax the hell out of my social security now that I'm over 70 1/2. My advice is when you are young and dumb, save, save and save.

That is so true. We were a single income family in the socialist wet side of Washington state, and due to the financial wizardry of my lovely bride we were able to do OK. I have worked for other people, worked for the government, had my own business, and retired twice. Back to working 40 hrs a week on contract. We have a fair amount set aside, but it is not enough to do anything and pay medical.

Only folks I refuse to deal with as far as medical is AARP. They were as much to blame for Obamacare as Obama. Yes I know other companies were involved, but they are responsible to shareholders.

I didn't mean to turn this political, I just need good advice, because right now I have around 20 different groups that want to buy me dinner and tell me how good they would be.

As my Navy dad used to call it, "Wooed, Screwed, and Tattooed."

 

[SnoKing]

That is so true. We were a single income family in the socialist wet side of Washington state, and due to the financial wizardry of my lovely bride we were able to do OK. I have worked for other people, worked for the government, had my own business, and retired twice. Back to working 40 hrs a week on contract. We have a fair amount set aside, but it is not enough to do anything and pay medical.

Only folks I refuse to deal with as far as medical is AARP. They were as much to blame for Obamacare as Obama. Yes I know other companies were involved, but they are responsible to shareholders.

I didn't mean to turn this political, I just need good advice, because right now I have around 20 different groups that want to buy me dinner and tell me how good they would be.

As my Navy dad used to call it, "Wooed, Screwed, and Tattooed."

How about if we have a free market medical system(with ever increasing costs) and then set up a voucher system and give you enough to cover a small fraction of your actual medical cost? Would that work for you? BTW Sorry the voucher can not be more as we need to give the wealthy another tax cut.

 

[Dl5treez]

Two things.

First. Try to minimize the pot shots at each other on the boards. Go fight in PM or better yet in person.

Second. If something is removed from a post by an admin, or a mod, don't repost it.

Vacations are free here, no copays either.

 

[SnoKing]

Two things.

First. Try to minimize the pot shots at each other on the boards. .

That must not apply to the political forum!

#ad

 

[RideSlow2004]

How about if we have a free market medical system(with ever increasing costs) and then set up a voucher system and give you enough to cover a small fraction of your actual medical cost? Would that work for you? BTW Sorry the voucher can not be more as we need to give the wealthy another tax cut.

I honestly don't know if that would work, so much regulation is involved, and is necessary, really, a hands off approach isn't the solution. At least not yet. Medical is a very tangled web.

I don't begrudge anyone what they have earned. Wealth is just wealth, what is done with it, that is the measure of the man (or woman)

Money doesn't buy happiness, but it gets you a better class of memories. R. Reagan.