The Blackhawk Kid
Blackhawk
I Need a new Healthcare Insurance. Aetna is NOT working out. I will consider all ideas.
I need Rx, Eye & Dental coverage. Thanks in advance....!
I need Rx, Eye & Dental coverage. Thanks in advance....!
Recomendations?
- Thread starter The Blackhawk Kid
- Start date
Don Lovel
Hunter
My Medicare Plan G Supplement is through Mutual of Omaha.
Cost me $192.50/ mo at age 70
This company has paid over the years since 2018 for major surgeries and a 12 day Covid hospital visit, ER and all my other doctor, cataract and ear surgeries, radiology and lab work without a hitch. Total knee coming March 21 and I trust that they will get it right all with a $233/yr copay
Cost me $192.50/ mo at age 70
This company has paid over the years since 2018 for major surgeries and a 12 day Covid hospital visit, ER and all my other doctor, cataract and ear surgeries, radiology and lab work without a hitch. Total knee coming March 21 and I trust that they will get it right all with a $233/yr copay
AARP?
Sorry, I can't offer any advice. I kept the same GEHA health care insurance I had while working. It was expense after retirement(I retired @57) but has become significantly less expensive after both of us passed 65.
I believe you could receive more help if we knew if you were on Medicare or not.
OP
The Blackhawk Kid
Blackhawk
Yes I am on Medicare. Thanks
United healthcare has treated me really well over the last years, but I am going to be in the market to start comparison myself
Huskerguy72
Single-Sixer
Well, I won't be much help to you.
Do you have an advisor in your area who specializes in all this? We do and he prices the best option for my wife and I based on our needs. For a year I was on a higher med and he accounted for that and now I am back to a much cheaper policy.
secondly, by law all Medicare policies of the same category, i.e. plan F or G ow whatever must have the exact same benefits.
I have Aetna and have been extremely pleased with it. Each state will have different options available. Don't fall for BC/BS being "better" for a supplemental as they MUST all be the same. The group size is key. I pay $90/month for mine.
I cannot find dental or eye insurance that pays enough to make them pay. I went to my dentist and asked what I have paid per visit over 5 years and it was less than the cost of insurance.
Lastly, I ran a college and one project was to change health insurance. We offered three different options from the same company. I was surprised at the thought process of some on the committee. They insisted on the Cadillac plan, $500 deductible and the high price that went with it. What I could not get them to see is you are paying up front for something you may never use. I could easily save the difference in a year and was much further ahead.
Find a good advisor who works for you. Learn how Meicare plans work.
Do you have an advisor in your area who specializes in all this? We do and he prices the best option for my wife and I based on our needs. For a year I was on a higher med and he accounted for that and now I am back to a much cheaper policy.
secondly, by law all Medicare policies of the same category, i.e. plan F or G ow whatever must have the exact same benefits.
I have Aetna and have been extremely pleased with it. Each state will have different options available. Don't fall for BC/BS being "better" for a supplemental as they MUST all be the same. The group size is key. I pay $90/month for mine.
I cannot find dental or eye insurance that pays enough to make them pay. I went to my dentist and asked what I have paid per visit over 5 years and it was less than the cost of insurance.
Lastly, I ran a college and one project was to change health insurance. We offered three different options from the same company. I was surprised at the thought process of some on the committee. They insisted on the Cadillac plan, $500 deductible and the high price that went with it. What I could not get them to see is you are paying up front for something you may never use. I could easily save the difference in a year and was much further ahead.
Find a good advisor who works for you. Learn how Meicare plans work.
Ka6otm
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2002
- Messages
- 753
The wife and I have had United Healthcare for around 12 years at this point. She's had 2 back operations and 2 arm operations and we've had a few other things and to this point have paid nothing out of pocket, not a cent of copays or anything else. Plan F of United Halthcare.
My wife chose UnitedHealthcare through AARP.... I really can't say how good it is... I pay for my own RX meds ... not that much every 3 months....
For the record, AARP once was very anti gun & considered a no go for folks like us. That may have changed over the years, but I personally read enough anti comments from them to trash anything they've sent me since. My supplemental carrier may be as bad, but I've not seen or heard anything concerning this from them.
No, I won't go to the trouble to link specifics. If interested... look it up.
No, I won't go to the trouble to link specifics. If interested... look it up.
Huskerguy72
Single-Sixer
I guess I cannot say this enough as I read through the comments. If you are talking about a Medicare Supplemental plan, by FEDERAL LAW they all have to be exactly the same. I live in Kansas and I have access to almost all the names you can list, BC/BS, Aetna, AARP, Washington and a ton more. IT DOES NOT MATTER for coverage as by law they all have to be exactly the same! Look it up, you will see.
Some friends were ahead of us in retiring and wanted BC/BS for their supplemental. They were "happy" with it and it did cost more. When it was time for my wife and I to go on Medicare we sought out a couple of no fee advisors. They were both very helpful. Turns out the BC/BS is the exact same coverage for nearly double the money. It has to do with group size, BC/BS is Kansas only. We went with Aetna and a few years ago our friends called and asked what we had and they had changed saying the BC/BS was getting too expensive and low and behold they found out the coverage was exactly the same.
Don't get fooled by the name of the company. Yes, your drug plans are different and each state can have different options but it is NOT rocket science.
Some friends were ahead of us in retiring and wanted BC/BS for their supplemental. They were "happy" with it and it did cost more. When it was time for my wife and I to go on Medicare we sought out a couple of no fee advisors. They were both very helpful. Turns out the BC/BS is the exact same coverage for nearly double the money. It has to do with group size, BC/BS is Kansas only. We went with Aetna and a few years ago our friends called and asked what we had and they had changed saying the BC/BS was getting too expensive and low and behold they found out the coverage was exactly the same.
Don't get fooled by the name of the company. Yes, your drug plans are different and each state can have different options but it is NOT rocket science.
A couple of thoughts, I personally won't have a HMO type of plan. For me I can live with the slight restrictions of PPO plans and
they are worth ( to me ) the slightly higher out of pocket expense. Your doctor pisses you off, well there are plenty more
out there, vote with your feet and try a new one.
Second thought is pick a plan that has good acceptance in your location, here in mid Michigan BCBS seems to be almost universally taken and any local provider I've every wanted to see participated.
I recently became eligible for Medicare and with the cost of it and the BC advantage plan I'm buying is saving me about $6000 per year
in insurance costs and I have better coverage.
Regarding the above post, the plans don't seem exactly the same. I'll agree they all may have to meet certain requirements but
definitely do have different coverages and "out of pocket" costs. To me most come down to either paying with your premiums or
as you go if you need services. Today only taking one drug and being basically "healthy" I'll choose higher copays and deductibles
in exchange for lower premiums. As I age and body starts to fall apart I'll have to rethink the cost to benefit balance. For the last
several years I only see my primary for a more or less annual checkup, which I think is a waste of time but it makes him happy.
Visit my cardiologist about once every 8-10 months and unless I do something dumb or get dinged playing hockey that's about
it. Been using my physical therapist as needed just doing patient pay billing, it's cheaper than the co-pays and don't need a script from a doc.
They'll work on whatever body part is pissed off at the time.
they are worth ( to me ) the slightly higher out of pocket expense. Your doctor pisses you off, well there are plenty more
out there, vote with your feet and try a new one.
Second thought is pick a plan that has good acceptance in your location, here in mid Michigan BCBS seems to be almost universally taken and any local provider I've every wanted to see participated.
I recently became eligible for Medicare and with the cost of it and the BC advantage plan I'm buying is saving me about $6000 per year
in insurance costs and I have better coverage.
Regarding the above post, the plans don't seem exactly the same. I'll agree they all may have to meet certain requirements but
definitely do have different coverages and "out of pocket" costs. To me most come down to either paying with your premiums or
as you go if you need services. Today only taking one drug and being basically "healthy" I'll choose higher copays and deductibles
in exchange for lower premiums. As I age and body starts to fall apart I'll have to rethink the cost to benefit balance. For the last
several years I only see my primary for a more or less annual checkup, which I think is a waste of time but it makes him happy.
Visit my cardiologist about once every 8-10 months and unless I do something dumb or get dinged playing hockey that's about
it. Been using my physical therapist as needed just doing patient pay billing, it's cheaper than the co-pays and don't need a script from a doc.
They'll work on whatever body part is pissed off at the time.
BearBiologist
Hunter
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2021
- Messages
- 2,984
I'm happy with Blue Cross/Blue Shield but I carried it over into retirement from 20+ years of Federal employment, so the Feds pay part of my premium.
Huskerguy72
Single-Sixer
Here is a link that explains it. https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/how-to-compare-medigap-policies Don't confuse different plans, like F, G or A or any other variant out there with Medicare Advantage or against each other. By law, all companies offering medicare supplemental plans in a state, i.e. Plans F and G must be the same. A few states have different options, see link above, but those states are still standardized among all providers.
Certainly there are differences between the different plans but not within the plans, that is what is key. You can pick a plan that has fewer deductibles and co-pays but as I and you agree, you pay for that up front. When ones goes with the Advantage plans which are essentially just like regular insurance, there are requirements and restrictions. I live in a town of about 45,000, a medical hub. Our local hospital and providers accepted Advantage plans and out of the blue said no. Everyone who had those plans was stuck fining a provider. That is why when Joe Namath comes on talking about the plans they ask you to call them and give them your zip code.
When my wife and I went on medicare we went to two different advisors. Each had access to the same insurance companies and the same plans available in the state at that time. When comparing Plan F it was the same coverage from every company who had a Plan F, pure and simple.
You brought up medications which is Plan D and has nothing to do with Medicare Supplemental Plan B. Those plans are based on what medications you are taking and they are different.
Although I live in Kansas, I doctor with a specialty hospital in Denver, Colorado. I do have Aetna as my supplemental. It doesn't matter. They accept it and may charge me a $20 deductible which most do not but that is the plan I have chosen and it works great for my wife and I.
Take this for what it’s worth - Blue Cross through work has been okay for us. One year, after Obamacare kicked in, we had United, which wasn’t as good as Blue Cross. Luckily, they went back to Blue Cross.
