It is confusing, Mare...and that's what got me into trouble in the first place. Let me see if I can explain my particular issue to further clarify why I'm being charged a penalty. When my husband died a few years ago, all my benefits died with him due to an agreement he had made with the PBA long before he even knew me. His decision, unfortunately, was irreversible. Throughout our married life...all contact involving his benefits package had to be made by him even though I was covered under all his plans, therefor I was often left in the dark about what the plan included and who the carriers were. I was already enrolled in Medicare when he passed and knew that I would have to replace the supplemental policy he'd had for me with BC/BS. I did so immediately. What I didn't know was that I had to replace the Medicare D policy. I had never needed it and had no idea what it was let alone the fact that it existed as part of his benefits package. To make matters worse, the PBA didn't notify me that I had to replace this coverage with a policy of my own choosing. I went for almost 4 years without realizing that I was in default with Medicare. Fortunately, it was brought to my attention and I applied for a policy but in so doing, I learned that I was going to be penalized for the time that had lapsed between the loss of my husband's coverage for me and my "awakening". The penalty is based on a formula...1% of the policy monthly premium...times the number of months that one goes without coverage. It was a substantial amount to me and I had limited recourse. I contacted Medicare and filed a challenge. They agreed that I had a basis for my challenge. They reduced the penalty by 12 months...but said ignorance of the law was no excuse and I was left responsible for the remaining month's penalty. The penalty is NEVER removed. From now until the day I die...I will have that penalty added to whatever Medicare Part D plan I carry. My only hope to be relieved of this burden is that two US high courts agree with me...that the penalty, along with the Federal edict to force people to carry health insurance above and beyond Medicare...is illegal. If the Supreme Court agrees with the two lower courts, the entire forced insurance system will be reversed and my penalty will be dropped. Needless to say, I'm anxiously awaiting their decision. I hope this gives you a little more info. If you are already enrolled in Medicare, the booklet that they send out every year will give you more information. Or, you can call their office. I've found them to be very helpful...even thought I don't always agree with them. As long as you get Medicare Part D coverage as soon as you're eligible, you shouldn't have to worry about a penalty...unless somewhere along the line you decide to drop the coverage...and then pick it up again at some later date. You'd be penalized for the lapsed coverage time. HTH Anne

I've checked out Road Scholar, and their programs are pretty expensive. They have been for many years. Back in 2006 I went to Beijing on a very cheap package tour since it was less for airfare+hotel than just the flight would have been, and there was an elder hostel group in the same hotel. They were highly annoyed that a scruffy bunch like us got to stay in such a place for what we had paid. I must say they had an excellent itinerary, though, with very good lectures about everything. But IIRC they had paid something like four times as much as we had.

It pays to keep pushing. Today, after being told it was impossible, I successfully enrolled in a BCBS of Illinois Standard Plan F Medicare Supplement. When documentation arrives I will cancel my prior policy. My DH's health benefits company told me I couldn't cancel my BCBS Plan F-HD and get this no-deductible Plan F without underwriting. It turned out that *they* wouldn't do it. (Supposedly the benefits company isn't allowed by BCBS to arrange this. I have my doubts about that, but it should no longer concern me. We will use the health benefits stipend differently.) I would have given up had I not gotten (overnight!) email help from SHIP-Illinois. They confirmed that BCBS-Illinois guarantees coverage to policy holders changing plans, *without requiring* new underwriting. This will save me only $280 a year, but I will no longer have to parse medical bills to be sure I'm being charged correctly. What Medicare doesn't pay, my policy will pay. Let them challenge any incorrect billing! I owe thanks to everyone on the KT -- especially sushipup! and C Marlin -- for aiding my quest.

I know this thread is a couple of years old, but Medicare is a topic that remains relevant, and I'm sure others are still finding this discussion useful. You did a great job outlining the complexities between Medigap and Advantage Plans. It really is a labyrinth, isn't it? I came across this resource at https://www.coveringcfl.net/open-enrollment-for-health-insurance-in-2024-enrollment-dates-details/ which, although not exclusively about Medicare, does provide some good general insights into the insurance enrollment process. Since it's been a while, I'm really curious how things have been going for you and your DH. Did you go with Medigap? How has your experience been?