Medicare advantage plans

[veni vidi vici]

Why do brokers push Medicare Advantage plans? Advantage plans are heavily advertised because of how they are funded. These plans' premiums are low or nonexistent because Medicare pays the carrier whenever someone enrolls. It benefits insurance companies to encourage enrollment in Advantage plans because of the money they receive from Medicare.

Bottom line they offer the most flexibility and protection against impossible to pay medical bills.
Are you offering a better option?

 

[Olsonist]

Yep and I prefer Traditional Medicare Plan G because I'm paying as much as I possibly can up front ("Musto") rather than as little as possible ("West Marine") and hoping for the best.

 

[El Borracho]

I have a fancy Medicare Advantage plan. It does seems like a handout to the medical robber-barons. I’ve had little use for it – which suits me just fine - so in that regard it has been a poor use of funds. I have not paid a dime for either checkups or the related procedures. No billing paperwork. Recall seeing a pro-forma statement once, but I was obviously not an interested party in the otherwise opaque transaction between the insurers and providers. That is super nice. Very close to what people in civilized countries report.

 

[veni vidi vici]

I have a fancy Medicare Advantage plan. It does seems like a handout to the medical robber-barons. I’ve had little use for it – which suits me just fine - so in that regard it has been a poor use of funds. I have not paid a dime for either checkups or the related procedures. No billing paperwork. Recall seeing a pro-forma statement once, but I was obviously not an interested party in the otherwise opaque transaction between the insurers and providers. That is super nice. Very close to what people in civilized countries report.

Except that we have great access to competitive medical practices offering the finest treatment on the planet.
As opposed to your hint of the rest of the world medical care, which is inferior to what is available in every corner of this country.

 

[hasher]

Except that we have great access to competitive medical practices offering the finest treatment on the planet.
As opposed to your hint of the rest of the world medical care, which is inferior to what is available in every corner of this country.

Our medical system is grossly overpriced and underperforming.

But hey, I've got mine and if you don't suck some up for you, die.

 

[veni vidi vici]

Our medical system is grossly overpriced and underperforming.
our government and the Great Society
We have reached a middle ground

 

[hasher]

3v.

The middle ground gives us the hospitals bankrupting, the doctors living like kings and the drugs like insulin unavailable because of price.

Maybe we should find high ground.

 

[d'ranger]

If we joined the rest of the civilized world and had universal healthcare (Hi! Canada) this discussion would not be necessary. And a bunch of insurance folks would have to find something else to do. And paperwork folks in every medical office. It just shouldn't be this expensive and complicated - remember all those years you paid into medicare before qualifying?

 

[Mrleft8]

OMG! THESE PEOPLE JUST TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING SO COMPLICATED THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE A RATIONAL DECISION!!!!!
(Sorry for yelling, but it makes me feel better)

 

[boomer]

Bottom line they offer the most flexibility and protection against impossible to pay medical bills.
Are you offering a better option?

I could pay for Carpenters Trust of Western Washington health, dental and vision plan for about $1100 a month, but why would I pay so much for such a fine service - to me that's not a viable option like it was when my employer footed the bill. However I'm understandably perplexed that many of my retired workmates, choose the Operating Engineers or the Carpenters Trust of Western Washington, when they can use Advantage or a Supplemental plan for far less. Most of them when I discuss it with them, don't really believe such plans are viable.

 

[boomer]

OMG! THESE PEOPLE JUST TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING SO COMPLICATED THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE A RATIONAL DECISION!!!!!
(Sorry for yelling, but it makes me feel better)

Quite alright Lefty, if it makes you feel better.

I'd recommend exploring your options with videos by the Youtube content creators above for more clarified answers, till you understand the options fully.

 

[Grizz]

I've been on Medicare for several years. I elected to go with traditional Medicare with a supplemental type G plan from AARP/UHC, as well as a prescription plan from AARP/UHC.

I have had several hospitalizations over the past couple of years, with essentially no out-of-pocket costs apart from the monthly charges from the plans. Prescription costs, OTOH, have been horrific. All of those nice manufacturer's coupons are invalid once you are Medicare eligible. I have things wrong with me that need expensive meds, and my out of pocket drug costs are very high. I fall into the "doughnut hole" by mid-March of the year. I am certainly looking forward to the new OOP limits scheduled to take effect in 2025.

 

[Olsonist]

When that disgusting liberal elitist Bernie Sanders talks about the socialistical Medicare For All, he isn’t talking about Medicare Advantage For All although the insurance criminals would just luv themselves some of that payday.

But I think MA vs Trad comes down to worst case scenarios. MA has worser worst case scenarios. Joe and Allison don’t tell you about that.

 

[Olsonist]

I've been on Medicare for several years. I elected to go with traditional Medicare with a supplemental type G plan from AARP/UHC, as well as a prescription plan from AARP/UHC.

I have had several hospitalizations over the past couple of years, with essentially no out-of-pocket costs apart from the monthly charges from the plans. Prescription costs, OTOH, have been horrific. All of those nice manufacturer's coupons are invalid once you are Medicare eligible. I have things wrong with me that need expensive meds, and my out of pocket drug costs are very high. I fall into the "doughnut hole" by mid-March of the year. I am certainly looking forward to the new OOP limits scheduled to take effect in 2025.

If you go with Trad Medicare then you have to get a Part D drug plan. This was originally a massive giveaway to Big Pharma by W the Stupid; it actually made price competition by Medicare illegal. Biden and the Dems finally fixed this (Lieberman is long retired). It will get rolled out over three years. It allows price competition, lowers the OOP Max and fully covers vaccinations.

Having to get a Part D plan forces some competition between plans. You can change your plan to match your needs every year.

Again Rev Marv and the nice lady from Texas cover this stuff in detail.

 

[Grizz]

If you go with Trad Medicare then you have to get a Part D drug plan. This was originally a massive giveaway to Big Pharma by W the Stupid; it actually made price competition by Medicare illegal. Biden and the Dems finally fixed this (Lieberman is long retired). It will get rolled out over three years. It allows price competition, lowers the OOP Max and fully covers vaccinations.

Having to get a Part D plan forces some competition between plans. You can change your plan to match your needs every year.

Again Rev Marv and the nice lady from Texas cover this stuff in detail.

Yep- I've got one, and I completely agree. My drugs always manage to be at the highest tier of coverage. I run my meds against the plans every year- I've changed twice so far.

 

[veni vidi vici]

Yep- I've got one, and I completely agree. My drugs always manage to be at the highest tier of coverage. I run my meds against the plans every year- I've changed twice so far.

My broker asked for all our meds and doctors and ran that along with other information through a filter and gave us several options to choose from.

 

[Ventucky Red]

If we joined the rest of the civilized world and had universal healthcare (Hi! Canada) this discussion would not be necessary. And a bunch of insurance folks would have to find something else to do. And paperwork folks in every medical office. It just shouldn't be this expensive and complicated - remember all those years you paid into medicare before qualifying?

There was a shot at the Brass Ring... and what did we get?

 

[d'ranger]

There was a shot at the Brass Ring... and what did we get?

Good question, why don't you answer it and explain who always opposes it? TIA
Bonus question: who is paying for the nonstop ads for advantage plans?

 

[Mrleft8]

To be honest, I don't think I'm going to do anything. It all seems like a shell game. Get this plan which will cost you $200 a month, but you may not need it. or try this plan wich will only cost an extra $170 a month, but doesn't cover anything you need. Or stay with part AB and D and keep your fingers crossed.
WTF! Why is this country so far behind Uganda?
Even fucking Grenada has better health care system than the USA.
This is pathetic!

 

[billy backstay]

To be honest, I don't think I'm going to do anything. It all seems like a shell game. Get this plan which will cost you $200 a month, but you may not need it. or try this plan wich will only cost an extra $170 a month, but doesn't cover anything you need. Or stay with part AB and D and keep your fingers crossed.
WTF! Why is this country so far behind Uganda?
Even fucking Grenada has better health care system than the USA.
This is pathetic!

If you are of SSI age, they automatically take out the monthly fee, and like I said United Health Advantage pays for nearly everything, WTF is wrong with that?