Over and above Medicare, AARP for an "I" type coverage: $196 a month.

I haven't read the article yet in this months AARP paper, but I did read the headline about bogus health insurance companies! Something to always keep in mind when trying to save money.
Bill

We are over 65 and we have BCBS supplimental insurance. My husband's is $136. and mine is $92 a month. My sis said we can get it cheaper, but we never pay a dime and never fill out a paper. We will keep what we have.

Nothing for medical. And I choose my doctor, visit when I choose, but must self-pay for unnecessary care, e.g. facelifts. Or more frequent than annual check-up, unless doctor requests it.

Nothing for hospital - but some carry insurance to cover semi-private or private room.

Nor a dental plan - and work on teeth, extractions and denture has cost well over $1,000. in the past couple of years. But minimal amounts in previous years - my dentist, nearing retirement, charged low prices for care. Now obtain most care in local dental school.

But our medical system, with aging boomers nearing retirement, is in jeopardy. And with fewer working stiffs paying the bills. Many of them paid at lower rates than in earlier years when there were many local manufacturing jobs. Also many part-time, contract or temporary workers with minimal benefits.

We need many more hospital beds, doctors and nurses, now. And more in the training pipeline, as many are nearing retirement (or are leaving due to burnout from overwork).

Will the necessary medical care be there for me when I need it?

Who knows.

joyful guy

Joyful, I think it will always be there for everyone. I see to many people who don't have insurance and they get the same care we get. The politicans moan and groan, scaring us to death about health care and soc security, when they are actually working for votes. either way I am not wasting a day of my life worrying about it.

And about planning for retirement, the best thing you can do is have your home paid for. Invest your money in property or just put it in a CD, don't gamble in the stock market. Almost everyone I know have lost a big chunk of their retirement fund in the stock market. We haven't lost a dime nor have we recieved big interest, but it is the principle that matters, not the interest. We have an umbrella policy that protects us from lawsuits and good health coverage. If we ever need money we can sell our home and buy one at half the price, with money left to live on.

We fork over $1044/quarter. I'm 45, my partner is 55. We have no infirmaties, take no prescription drugs. Our deductible is $5K. We've never had a major claim.

We call our "health" insurance "HOME" insurance... so we won't lose it if the crap hits the fan. Our rates will continue to spiral ever upward... we're ageing, medical costs are exploding, and we have no options.

It infuriates me that we're routinely told we have the "best medical care in the world"... Yeah, IF you work for the government, or have really deep pockets.

I think we do have the best medical care in the world, but it is not free and that is why we have the best care. Doctor's get paid well, if they didn't we wouldn't have such good care. I spoke to a woman who lived in Europe years ago, she said it was free, but it may have changed now. They had to wait forever to see a doctor unless they slipped him some money and came in the back door. There was also a waiting list for surgery.

Of course it isn't "free", Jonesy. Everyone here understands that. BUT, the rub comes when perfectly healthy people in their 40s and 50s (or younger, many with kids) who've NEVER HAD A CLAIM (and have paid attention to preserving their good health all their lives) have to struggle to pay for the most basic, "catastrophic" coverage. This is our plight. You are able to tap into Medicare, we can't. And when we achieve an age that will permit it there may well be NOTHING there for us! Most retirees in this country withdraw all THEY paid into the system within 18-24 mos. of retirement... why? you were taxed at a lower rate than today's young people are. Someone is paying for retirees, often at the expense of their own health insurance and future security. Isn't it right and proper that ALL PEOPLE who pay taxes in our wonderful country have access to those services, too?

What good is the "best medical care in the world" if you have to lose your home to pay your bills? and that scenario is not out of the question when you factor in the cost of drugs and surgeries and extensive hospitalizations. All those uninsured who receive care have to be paid for by someone... and it's reflected in the insurance rates charged to HEALTHY people... when they can no longer come up with money for a policy the roles of the uninsured are increased, and so continues the spiral.

I have several friends in foreign countries. And they pay A LOT in taxes... but they receive treatment for medical needs with no worries. As for waiting... we waited fully 3 months for an initial app't. for my mother (cancer). Another 3 mos. for the visit to the "specialist"... another 2 mos. for surgery... . Wherever you go, you will have to wait, and doctors are obliged to assign various waiting periods for differing needs.

Our country needs to address the inequity in access to affordable health care; all my friends vote and they're good and mad about this. Most of all, we need to focus on WELLNESS for all our citizens; presently, those who can't afford insurance don't see a doctor (how about using nurse practitioners more often for BASIC VISITS?) until they're really ill... precisedly the time it costs more to treat them.

An ounce of prevention is equal to a pound of cure...

My husband just went through cancer treatments and the treatments started the week after he was diagnosed. We never wait more than a week or two for anything even before retirement. In my opinion there is no such thing as prevention, unless you know you are sick and you don't go to the doctor. Are you saying that if a person gets sick it is their fault for not preventing it? I know there are a lot of people that have to pay their own insurance because I read the paper and watch the news. But there is only one in my circle of friends and family and they own their own business. My sister has been a homemaker all of her life, but when her huband lost his job and their insurance, she got a minimum wage job just for the insurance. The government doesn't owe any healthy working age person free medical care. The only reason retirees get it is because we paid in, regardless as to how much or if it is used up. We were forced to pay in whether we wanted it or not. My mother went down and protested having to pay into soc security.

And you won't lose your home if you pay your mortgage and the IRS. I do know several people who don't have insurance and they get the same mecial care we get. I know we carry them with our medical bills, but that's life.

Chelone....Where in the world do you live that you have to wait 2 months or 3 months for service?

Schedule cancer surgery... cystectomy, ileal loop... this was at a noted teaching hospital in the Boston area and was for my elderly mother. The absolute horror of the endless bureaucracy is too much to relate here, but trust me, from diagnosis to surgery it has been nearly one year. You don't simply call up the urologist and get it done. It's ALL about waiting, just like the military.

Guard your health, my friends!

I'm very sorry you and your mom had to go through that. Maybe it was because it was a teaching college, did she have to pay for the surgery? I did get it all done in 3 weeks, I called our urologist one day, got in the next week, operation within a week, diagnosis within 3 days, scheduled treatments the following week. All of this done in approx 3 weeks. I believe your experience to be a very rare exception because of the circumstances.

Lahey Clinic, Burlington, MA.. Considered one of the finest teaching hospitals in the country. Referrals don't work so quickly, I'm afraid.

Consider yourself lucky, Jonesy (how old are you? if I may be so impertinent). Did you go through a complete bladder removal/hysterectomy and all the attendant services required to adjust to life with a urostomy "appliance"... ENT/stoma nurses, rehabilitation facility, and visiting nurses? Mum (77, with "all her buttons") was stage 3, very aggressive and it still took nearly 4 months to get it done. I now regret not having it performed in our local hospital, foregoing the "luxury" of 24 hr. surgical staff. We followed the urologist's recommendation... , wish we hadn't!

Good thing I'm still working/paying taxes to pay for it. ;) Mum exhausted all she (or my father) paid into the system over 10 years ago...

I'm sorry I didn't make that very clear, it was my husband that had it done. I am the one who makes the appointments and takes care of the business end of it. He is 77 years old, is in early stages of Alzhiemers. We have never had the delays you have had. He had a heart attack, went to the ER, they diagnosed him, did a balloon job. Three and a half year later he had a blockage problem without having a heart attack. The doc said we can do a by pass right away, but it is not an emergency, so we chose to waited a couple of months. When we called it was done within a week and he was home in 5 days. We have never experienced any wait other than a a week. His family has cancer in it and none have never waited more than a week. I have never heard of anyone having a wait like your mom did.

I fully appreciate the amount of time and dedication required to schedule all the app'ts. and then get to them on time. I pay all my mother's bills, take her to all her app'ts. and out "for fun", and I do it while holding down a full-time (for WAGES) job. It's not easy!

Every time I "miss" work for one of her app'ts. I lose wages... the very wages that fund HER social security and Medicare benefits... the very benefits "she paid for"... following the logic of so many senior retirees. The wages I don't earn are also the source of the savings required to fund MY retirement savings and pay for my (ever escalating) health insurance premiumums... .

Health care, Jonesy, is NOT as simple as too many seem to think it is... ; and while I may sound uncaring and harsh, retirees need to understand that people like me and my husband are the ones "footin' the bill" for the ever increasing rolls of retirees. If you and your husband have children THEY'RE the ones who're now paying for you and your husband, make no mistake about that. This very simple fact is one all too often lost on the elderly/retirees.

As for your friend who got a job to pay for health benefits... . I assure you... apply for a job... but get health care benefits... UNLIKELY. Big corporations now hire people on a PART TIME BASIS... this alleviates them from the responsibility of offering (paying for) health care "benefits".

The price of the "generation gap" only increases with every passing year! I wish you and your husband only good health, calm seas, and a peaceful end.

Most of what you say may be true, that is just the way it is. We supported the seniors who went before us. Do you think we should start paying for everything after all of these years of being forced to pay into the contract that the government forced on us. Also....most seniors can get a job at Walmart and other stores and get insurance without full time hours. What I see around me is not like what you see around you. I am not uneducated in the way of the world, I just accept things I can't change and try to keep a positve attitude.

You supported seniors at a taxed rate well below the rate my husband and I are now pay. The "seniors" "you" paid for never faced the sorts of spiralling health care costs you and your husband now face... let alone the staggering reality that now faces my husband and I (55 and 45 respectively). The age at which people may now "retire" with full benefits has not increased commensuritely with the age at which most people DIE. With all due respect, Jonesy... you don't really understand the longterm ramifications, at all. You should check out the Concord Coalition's website... I'm a member!

You may accept things you cannot change... but the liklihood is I will live well into my 80s and what won't matter to you will likely matter a great deal to me! I CAN change it... and there are a lot of people like me. Scared, forced to pay for something they'll never receive, and not willing to accept the status quo. Nobody receives healthcare for "free"... your "free" healthcare, the very healthcare you believe you "paid for" is, in actuality, being paid for by people like ME.

Just for laughs... trot on down to Wal-Mart, apply for a PART-TIME job and see what sort of health benefits they offer... and how long you'll have to work to "earn" them, if you're even able to...

This is the last reply I will make to this thread, because neither of us will change our point of view. I just have to say, my step daughter worked at wal mart and she had health insurance. I don't know the details, but she had surgery and didn't have to pay for any of it and she was not full time. I worked at wal mart for almost 3 years. We still pay taxes that goes to pay health care the same as you do. I feel bad for you, belonging to the coalition has you so worked up you can't relax and enjoy the remainder of your life. You need to think about the positive things in your life.

People in the U.S. pay the highest rates, and the highest percentage of their Gross Domestic Product for health care.

People in many European countries get high quality care - at a much lower percentage of their Gross Domestic Product.

We in Canada pay a higher percentage than the Europeans of our GDP - but quite a bit lower than do U.S. people.

Part of the cost goes for treatments of people who are ill.

I have heard that there are fairly frequent occasions when some U.S. resident is refused service at the hospital door because they lack insurance - or cash. I have no idea how frequently this happens.

Something over 10% of the population has no health care coverage.

I hear that some indicated treatments are often refused by the insurance carrier, or they will agree only to a lower scale of treatment, to keep their expenses down.

Part of the costs goes to pay for ads that the health care companies buy to promote their service.

Part of it goes for profit.

When I go to the hospital or a doctor, I want to hear, "What care is indicated?" and then have it provided.

Not, "Before we provide treatment, we need to know who's going to pay - and for what level of treatment?"

In several Canadian provinces there is a fee for health insurance, but in a number of provinces there is none.

Here in Ontario, prior to a recent election, the party that won promised no increase in taxes.

In their recent budget they are adding a bunch of "user fees", or increasing many already in place - but they are restarting a system of requiring that those of us who can afford it are to buy health insurance, on a scale graduated depending on income.

There's a big howl going on - but I've said for some time that we should have to help pay for the health system.

I don't, however, appreciate those politicians having lied to us.

By the way - we have a Federal election going on now - and a big foo-fuh-rah going on about health care.

The guy who's now Prime Minister was Minister of Finance about 9 years ago where the Federal Government, who'd paid something like half of the health system's cost, cut their support to less than a quarter, I believe. We had a huge deficit, and a huge debt, to deal with at the time, to be fair.

And now he claims to be the champion of the health care system.

Good wishes, all.

Glad to be 75 and enjoying good health.

But - my ex- (with whom there's been minimal contact for over 30 years) had surgery for colon cancer in the fall, recently was taking a course of chemo.

She felt nauseous, didn't want to eat much, they took her to hospital for dehydration, fed her intravenously.

Did a scan, found more cancer - tumour blocking intestine, more surgery.

I ask your prayers on her behalf, please. Name is Sue.

Thanks.

(usually more than currently) joyful guy

Jonesy,

Lucky for you to have kids and people like me who still are required to pay more of our gross earnings to fund YOUR retirement and healthcare. I understand your unwillingness to further contribute to this discussion. And, believe it or not, I harbor no ill will.

The fact remains, the bill is due... and I'm the one who must pay it... how any retiree collecting benefits can fail to do the basic arithmetic and not be alarmed is beyond my comprehension. This problem is so great that people LIKE YOU can no longer chose to avoid it.

We need national health care and we need it now... I'm sick of paying for you when I can't buy the same, basic coverage for myself... OR my husband.

Chelone,what do you mean by national health care? Do you mean socialized medicine?

I think the original poster's question has been lost and not appropriately responded to. I am 55 and my husband will soon be 59, so the question he asked is very heavy on our minds as well. For those that are retired already, I (like the poster) would love to know what retirees have to pay monthly for medical coverage. We will lose our medical insurance when DH retires, so it's going to be a very big issue for us. We will need full medical coverage, not a supplemental policy. Is there a company out there that is more affordable than others for full coverage and what are the companies some of you are using to obtain your coverage with?

I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, as this is not my intention, but this is a very important question that the poster asked.

Oh yes, I do mean that we need major reform in our healthcare system. Tort reform is not going to fully address the spiralling costs associated with health care in this country. Would that the entire issue was so simply resolved!

Personally, I believe we do need "socialized" medicine. and that's because I believe we already have it. Every person who works for the local, state, federal gov't. receives a healthcare benefit... funded by all who pay taxes; many of whom (45 million strong!) can't pay for coverage for themselves or their families.

The cost is so overwhelming for so many that they don't seek treatment until the condition is vastly more expensive to treat... . Net result? more costly intervention and a bill that can't be paid by the person seeking treatment... roll it over to the taxpayers/insured... greater premiums, etc..

Tort reform may well be needed, but it's ridiculous and naive to believe it will cure what's terminally ill in our present system. JMO

I told you what we paid in my initial post, and what our coverage was.

This post seems to hang around, but it never really has done what I had first intended. That is I thought (hoped) that people might post there monthly or quarterly cost and insurance company so that other retirees could see if they should make a change to their health insurance.

I still have 46 months to work before I can possibly retire, but this is one of the major cost areas that I will have to cope with when I am ready to retire early. The comany used to pay 100% of retiree's health insurance if you retired with 80 points, but that was changed some time ago, and now retiree's have to pay somewhere around $400 per month to maintain the coverages that they had while working. The kick in the pants is that the insurance company doesn't allow prepayment and if you are one day late with your payment they drop you like a hot rock!

As for insurance reform, I don't think that any one of us would question the need. A few years ago here in Michigan the State ask the voters to limit the total amount of money paid out for medical coverages from auto accidents. As I remember the limit was something like One Million dollars per person, and the lawyers ran TV commercials to scare the voters into staying with no upper limit insurance coverage. That has cost all of us in Michigan many extra dollars for auto insurance every time our premium comes due.

Boy! what a can of worms a simple question can open.

I am one of those soon to be on Medicare and will have a supplement policy. I am looking into companies now and doing the research on exactly what I have to have to be adequately covered.

At the moment and for the past 12 years I have had BCBS of GA. My deductable is 2500 and BCBS rarely pays for anything.
For this privelege I get to pay them 600 plus dollars a month. I have children working now that are paying for
seniors.

Don't know what the answer to all of this will be in the
long run. However, I doubt that a National health plan or
Socialized medicine will be the cure.
Caps on lawsuits would be a start.
Americans are used to having the final say in every phase of their lives including doctors and hospitals and I can't see them giving it up any time soon.

I do know that here where I live not one person is turned away due to not having insurance or being unable to pay.
Their health care is the same as the ones who are insured.

Chelone seems very bitter and perhaps there is more to the story than we are garnering from her posts but I can tell you from my experience,...I agree fully with Jonsey....We have fabulous health care in this country....and socialized medicine is a laugh...you want to talk about poor health care...talk socialized...

I will say also that I just moved from MA and for two years before I moved I went through surgery for cancer at Lahey Clinic and never had a wait of any kind...everything was scheduled johnny on the spot and follow up as well...I had a total of three surgeries for breast cancer and they followed one right after the other right on schedule...I have never had one moments problem getting an appointment of any kind at Lahey...nor has my husband who also had health care at Lahey...

PS...guess what...My husband and I also worked for Wal-Mart as full time employees and had a great health care plan...I am sure there are many part time employees that don't have health care but then they knew that going in didn't they...you need health care, you don't take a part time job at Walmart...

We are going into Medicare but again Chelone is wrong is she thinks she is paying for our health care...we have paid our way and then some....

Just today helped my Dad with his supplemental policy besides Medicare. There is so much competition for senior's business...BCBS's First Choice 65 is $69.00 mo. & for the identical coverage Secure Horizons Value plan is a plus at $46.00mo. They just added $9.00 for each generic RX & eyewear coverage is pretty good. He really deserves this at 89yrs as he was self-employed until 80yrs. He does receive nearly $2000.00 in Soc Sec which just covers his rent & staying independent without going on assistance in the future.

This year I will go on Medicare & will need to choose a plan. Currently I have Kaiser ins. which is $107 mo & their co-pay just increased to $20.00 each visit. Am very fortunate to have only one dr appt last year, but am realistic about aging. This plan is on my DH plan & his is costing him $107. with no co-pay plus his Medicare. We do have a 50% dental included, but it's still expensive.

Sharlee

I choose what doctor I visit, though there are many with no doctor.

I, (well mainly my doctor) choose(s) what hospital I attend.

Our province reinstituted premiums for hospital care again last year - it's going to cost me something like $400./year, I think.

I just got a bill for $47.00 from a lab for blood work that they did following my recent physical checkup.

Doc says I'm in good shape.

Thankful that I haven't taken a pill in 309 (that was intended to be "30" before my fingers hit the wrong key) years or so, I think.

joyful guy (who hit the big 76 a week ago)

Hi again, all,

That more or less $400. per year covers my doctor'sfees, as well - unless I get more than one (unrequired) physical exam annually.

Keep in good health, all you U.S. people.

ole joyful

I am 3 mos from medicare and currently looking for the right supplemental insurance. As a single person, my current insurance is 780 per mo with a 2000 deductable. They doubled my premium the minute I turned 64. Tried to find another insurance but simple issues like a prescription used once, allows them to deny me. The only insurance I could find which would cover me had a 20,000 deductable and wouldn't cover existing condition for 6 mos....340 a month. And, my current insurance would not let me change my policy to lower monthly costs. Different states have different laws and has nothing to do with the same insurance company. If I had lived in FL the change was available, my state doesn't support this.

With all, I stayed and paid...figured it was an additional 4,000 this year to keep my sanity after all the hours of searching for insurance that didn't want me. Had never gone to the doctor except for a yearly physical....this year I am staying completely away from them to eliminate the 2,000 deductable. I am greatful that I can eek by for a few more months with the increase, but it irks me everytime I write the check.

I do have a medical problem, but it doesn't require care and only take a cheap medication. I was healthy as a horse until a year ago, but cannot feel comfortable without health insurance knowing how quickly our health can change. Without insurance they could take everything beyond my home and car...but then how would I pay for them, upkeep, etc. without my small cushion beyond social security income. And if you can't keep them, you sell and have money and they can take that.

Am in the middle, have enough to live comfortably, not an extreme lifestyle, and figure I can live another 15 years this way...if health stays in line and hopefully medicare years will ease the burden of high insurance payments.

My savings cushion however eliminates any outside help/benefits....you either have to be destitute or a millionaire to survive. Middle pays the way.

At a time when retirement should be the best of our years, it evolves into spending the least you can and putting up with the "big guys" taking as much as they can.

I sincerely worry about my children and what they will be looking at in the future to care for themselves. How much more all of this will cost and how long will they have to work to pay for all.

Maybe I should have put this ramble under another thread. But the question about how much for health care really wasn't answered due to what is such a broad environment that we as retirees live in.

My husband and I are 68 so we've had our supplemental medical insurance for 3 yrs. now......we had our insurance man do all the work for which one was best, Unicare. We pay $142/mo each and in Oct. it is going up to $155/mo. each. In the 3 yrs. we have not paid one bill and there is no deductible either. We have 3 mo. check-ups, I've had 2 cataract surgeries and 2 epidurals($2200 just for the surgery center and dr. bills have not come in yet)......not a dime, zero, nada!!!!!! Really we have been very pleased with our Unicare so far.

Since this thread has been so long-lived, here's what I've found in the San Francisco Bay Area, an expensive high-labor area. For the last two years I've worked for an investment manager who is also a licensed insurance agent, and have dealt extensively with clients needing healthcare insurance, both Medigap and private (pre-age 65).

Because it was an affluent client base, most of them had always had most, if not all, of their medical premiums paid by their employer, as professionals. For the ones taking early retirement -- this is a very recent trend, remember -- they were almost unanimously shocked at the "true" cost of health insurance for themselves and their spouses.

If I got a Blue Cross quote for a moderate benefit PPO plan for someone in their late 40's in good health, that was under $700/month, I found that pretty cheap. We always stayed with quality insurers, so the quotes for health and life weren't the lowest available. But we preferred to stay with companies that were in business for the long haul, because the customer ends up getting served so much better.

In 2006, big company group rates for employees are not that much cheaper, but the coverage is better. According to my company benefit booklet, the monthly premium for an HMO for a couple was $967. For PPO plans (where you can choose your doctors from the list of participating physicians & specialists) the cost per month was almost $1100.

I'm in Arkansas and I do work for the state. Yes, I have medical insurance and I pay $306 a month for my DH and myself.
I don't understand why people who work for government agencies were targeted like we don't deserve to have insurance. Everyone is just as capable of applying to work for them. I'm on an HMO and pay a $20 co-pay and $25 co-pay for specialists. I also have to pay 20% of all lab work and tests done that are not done at the clinic as part of the visit or that is sent to other radiologist offices to be read. I have a lot of medical issues and two of them are terminal so I have to have insurance or die because I certainly couldn't afford to self-pay. I also take 13 different meds daily and my co-pays are $10, $20, and $50.
I am insured by Qual-Choice and we are self-funded. We have a choice from BCBS and another one but the benefits are higher with BCBS and we just added the new one this year and I kept what I had.

My DH and I have paid taxes since we were both very young. I started working at 15. I feel that we deserve the Social Security that we will get just as much as the next one. What I don't agree with is spending tax money that we've paid on illegals who don't work and also get free medical treatment.

My husband and I are both self-employed and our ages are 53 and 60. We are currently without health insurance and going through the application processes. For a $l0,000 deductible, catastrophic plan we can expect to pay from 300-600/per month. We have no health problems and take no meds. He was rated on the last application due to having diverticula on a preventative colonoscopy. This is not a problem, but an underwriter decided it deemed a 75% upcharge. You can get a lower premium by going with a less than "A" rated company. If you have health issues, be prepared to pay more and have exclusions with regard to coverage. It is a real racquet.

We need health care reform in this country. I have worked in the health field for years and am appalled at how we do health care here. Healthcare is a basic, human right. We need to stop spending money on the war and take care of our own.