Although I would have preferred a Medicare Advantage account, I chose a Medicare Supplement because:

My two insurer preferences(Blue Cross and Aetna) have discontinued their MA offerings in this area.

Because the gov't is cutting MA payments, the cost of MA premiums is expected to rise considerably.

We found an insurer that people I know are happy with, and is more complete in coverage than the MA coverage my DH had with Blue Cross.

You really have to look at your own personal needs, if you already have considerable medical bills (like me), and of course, what insurance companies your current doctors take.

Good Luck....I turn 65 in August, and have made my decision on insurance.
Just hoping my doctors will continue taking Medicare - many have decided not to accept any Medicare insurances - cash only.

Don't trust the sales people when you get information. In this area, most of the doctors were not accepting MA, but the companies were handing out brochures that listed their regular listed doctors, who had not signed up for the MA plan. Ask your doctors' offices directly what they accept. Most doctors here accept regular Medicare but many will not take the MA plans.

thanks monica. my date is august also........ i just had an agent here and he detests med advantage. i have continuing costs related to a brain aneurysm and needing monthly home health care. he is insistant that i buy a supplement and, of course, all of his info makes it seem to make sense although it is more costly. all together the cost will be less than my current ins. premium but don't want to "over buy" coverage either.....

thanks sushipup.............good points

We have always had a supplement, not the 'advantage' plans. (Also a drug plan, so look at those as well.)

Our present supplement plan covers the 20% Medicare does not pay and pays for preventive services that Medicare did not cover. (Medicare *will* start covering those in the future, if I understand the new health legislation correctly.)

I'm not terribly worried that I will not be able to find MD's who take Medicare and my supplement. That's a huge and growing population of patients to shun.

More doctors may require payment at time of service but will still submit the paperwork to Medicare (which then forwards it to your supplemental when you have approved 'crossover' filing). That way the MD gets paid promptly, and you have to wait for reimbursement. Two of my MD's do that; I've been reimbursed within three weeks.

Is there a Senior Center near you? Ours employs someone to help weigh the benefits of various plans. It is daunting!

I have Medicare Advantage, I think.
We have Secure Horizons through my DH's union retirement plan.
Our premiums are really low.....$40 a month per person and our health care providers are good about referring to specialists in a timely manner.
I think it helps that I was an RN in our county for 40 years and have an assertive personality.

Thank God dh is retired military.We have medicare A&B and tricare for life.We can go to any dr or hospital we want.I also love the fact that i was born in the year i was and am retired now.
I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of the young folks these days,very stressful situations for them.
Kathi

kathi...DH's cousin is on Tricare....had to see a unique specialist(in Fla) a couple of months ago....Doctor's office had opted out of Medicare(which includes Tricare), and would see her only with cash up front ($800) for visit, then $1600 for treatment.

Cash and credit cards only. This is happening all over the country with specialists.

I have only encountered one MD who opted out of Medicare. This was the orthopod who did my left hip replacement before I was 65. I was foolish to go back to him for the right hip after he opted out. There are tons of other highly qualified orthopods. I paid $7K with zero reimbursement. Dumb Sue. Some MD's with 'niches' can get away with opting out.

Ten years ago I found that some GP's were going the 'retainer' route. They charged a patient a set annual fee ($8-10K) and spent no time 'messing' with Medicare or any other insurance plan. I don't know if that worked. I haven't heard anything about it recently.

I am very, very lucky that my former employer, the State of California, pays my Medicare premium and my Blue Cross/Blue Shield supplement. The only out-of-pocket expenses I have are $15 or $25 co-pays for 90 days worth of medications. They also pay my Delta Dental premiums.

are prescriptions included in the supplements? should you purchase Part D?

the man i talked to recommends that i get part d for prescriptions and that is the only way they are covered, i believe.
thanks for all the insight from everyone. now to get a few quotes!

Not included in supplemental policies, but you can purchase Part D coverage from Medicare or a private ins co.

My Medicare Supplemental and Part D Prescription coverage will be from two different companies.

I go to a couple of specialist and so far have not had to pay anyone anything.All my cancer treatments are covered as well as my orthopedic treatments and all the special testing,mri's cat scans etc.I also don't have any co=pays and this is with medicare and tri care fl.

Monica is your dh cousin on plain tri care,or tri care for life.Big difference between them.( i think)
Kathi

Kathi....her DH is retired career military officer, they are both in their 80's. I guess this is tri-care for life.
They never had to pay anything before - either in NY or FL, but her problem was very unique, medically...and this specialist was the only Dr in the area who had experience with it.

Specialists up here are dropping out of Medicare, many have signed up for this year, but if congress doesn't stop cutting their payments - both my doctors(specialists)say they will opt out next year.

Strange that congress wants to increase fees for Medicaid, but keep cutting fees for Medicare.