patti43, after much research we decided on UHC Plan J as our supplement plan and the AARP Rx plan also through UHC. And you're right...if you don't sign up for a Rx plan now then if you sigh up later the premiums will be higher. At this point in time I'm not on any medications, but that will likely change in the future. So, caught between a rock and a hard spot, I signed up for a Rx plan. mcmann, all insurance reimbursements to Doctors are based on the allowable amounts designated by Medicare. Other insurance companies only pay a % of what Medicare would pay and the balance is simply a non-collectible write-off. This is a shame because the elderly segment of our population is left out in the cold trying to find doctors that will accept them as new patients because their doctor has stopped accepting Medicare or has retired. And I can't really blame them for not wanting to work long hours only to find that they've collected less than their expenses.

People are happy with Kaiser until they get seriously ill with a condition that requires a lot of diagnostics. Kaiser has some good doctors and surgeons. Break a leg or get a common easy to treat cancer and you will be fine. Need a hysterectomy or appendectomy you will be fine. But getting tests and treatment plans going for more complicated or hard to diagnose illness is an entirely different story. Getting special labs ok-ed by admin can be a nightmare. I see my doctor or an associate the same or next day when I call for an appointment. If I need a specialist maybe a week or two if the condition is benign and not serious. My doctor tells me I need an MRI I go the next day under my health plan.If contrast is needed it's done I go for blood work to approved lab as a walk in during any business hours. A Kaiser patient needs an appointment. Then they nit pick every little line item. We won't do this test until you do that test etc. I have a friend who went for two years to determine she had a cerebral vascular disorder. First a CT scan . Then a CT scan with contrast, then an MRI. Then finally an MRI with contrast which identified the problem. Then there are the co pays for every time you go out into the hall for every single department. Don't know if they still do it that way it was a few back but she had to undergo a sigmoidoscopy to rule out problems. Never got a colonoscopy because the former didn't show "signs' of anything to worry about. Maybe the rules have changed under new health insurance rules. I hope so. Yes she was post 55 years old at the time. Crazy. Those type of delays are what make Kaiser the lowest choice. If you are healthy and got time they are fine. But if you have an illness that is ticking away like a time bomb, then good luck to you.

We have access to licensed health insurance advisers (brokers) through my DH's former employer. After I ran the numbers on the Medicare Part D site, I called these people to verify my understanding of the two different plans I had selected for us. They could tell me nothing about the one I selected for myself because...it's not one that they 'broker'. So -- I wouldn't rely on just what one broker offers. Mutual of Omaha is new in our area in 2020. I enrolled in their Value Part D plan because it was among the cheapest when combining the cost of the premium and the cost of my meds. (Advair is my big expense at $450 retail per month.) I'm OK with their preferred pharmacy being CVS. I'll pay $22.80/month premium, and a total of $1232/month average out of pocket including known meds. (My 2019 Part D plan with United was completely overpriced for 2020 when I ran the numbers on the Medicare guide.) My 2020 Part D card arrived in the mail within two weeks of our October enrollment sign-ups; impressive. DH has so few meds that he rarely exceeds the deductible, so a low premium is a goal for him. (Nearly all Part D plans in our area have a $435 deductible in 2020.) He'll have WellCare Select Part D for 2020. Premium is $15.50/month; total with meds averages $249/month. (He also has to pay an $8 penalty in addition to this, dating from when he did not take a Part D plan the first year it was required.) We're OK with this CVS plan. His Part D card has yet to arrive -- despite two letters confirming enrollment; not impressive. We choose to have premiums paid by deduction from our Soc. Sec. benefits. No coupons. No direct withdrawal from bank account.

All the Part D Drug plans listed in the back of the Medicare and You handbook are approved CMS drug plans for RX coverage that can be selected by Medicare beneficiaries with Original Medicare. These plans are standardized for all states, whether you live in PA or California, the premium and its defined benefit are exactly the same for all enrollees. Each individual drug plan may designate a preferred or standard pharmacy, and by using a preferred pharmacy will in most cases lower the drug cost for the subscriber. When you go to Medicare.gov and input your maintenance medications, you can get an idea of your total drug costs including the monthly premium costs for each of these plans annualized (or monthly even), for an individualized comparative base cost estimate for each drug plan. Of course if any new medications are prescribed for me during the year, I hope it's a tier one, generic medication and most likely covered, or if not, found cheaper with calling around to Walmart or using GoodRX. Personally myself, I choose the least expensive drug plan on the list based on the total estimated cost to me, and by preferred pharmacy. For peace of mind, this exercise should be done each year, as nothing is static and drug plans trend to fluctuate upwards.