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Medicare supplement plans
- Thread starter olbriar
- Start date
That's why I call it Medicare DISadvantage.
Medicare scores plans from 1 to 5 stars. 5-star plans can be offered all year long and not just during the enrollment period. That's an incentive for companies to offer the most to consumers. I can tell you that, for veterans, Humana has a plan called Honor that was developed with USAA specifically for veterans, to supplement VA care. From what I've read in the details, there is a lot of advantage to very little downside. The lesson learned is to enroll in a Medicare 4- or 5-star plan and disregard anything less.
Some states have better Medicare Advantage plans. Less overall out of pocket expenses, more in-network doctors and better approval processes. Other states have garbage. Medicare Advantage isn't standardized.
I saw that. No thank you.
No one can be trapped in an advantage plan. After a year they can disenroll and go back to straight-up Medicare. I doubt I'll use a lot of the Humana care anyway, since most of my care is with the VA. Everyone's mileage may vary... but if Humana is going to pay $100/month of my Medicare premium, plus money each month on a prepaid card, plus money each quarter to spend on OTC items, plus gym membership... I'll be a couple thousand dollars up each year.
They can "feel" trapped. I can see economics playing a part in feeling trapped. Lets say you only have social security, no pension, no savings you're limited economically. Then you can't afford a med gap policy or you are denied a med gap plan due to a preexisting condition. "Only four states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New York — prohibit insurers from denying a Medigap policy if the enrollee has preexisting conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.". Then they might not be able to afford a Part D for prescriptions.
Once again it's all about money.
Once again it's all about money.
Of course it is! That's why the best way for quality of care to increase, while costs decrease, is to get insurance companies OUT of the health care business! Other than catastrophic illness or long term care coverage, health care should be pay-as-you-go. It's amazing how little care costs in other countries because of private pay only.
@The_Chief Understand that in most states, you can't simply just go back to original medicare. You are subject to underwriting. If you have any Pre-existing condition, the supplement companies (in most states, not all) have the right to reject you or jack up your rates astronomically. That's how seniors feel trapped. That's why the medicare decisions are very important and will have consequences on your medicare for the rest of your life.