Medicare Supplements, Policies and Domiciles

[GoodOlDan]

I currently reside (leased "sticks and bricks") in the Naples, Florida area... so I am already a "Florida resident" and have my domicile here. I am considering going fulltime RV about July of next year, and see no reason that I wouldn't want to continue maintaining Florida as my domicile. But, as always, the devil is in the details...

 

1.) As I begin full-timing, I will necessariy no longer maintain a "sticks and bricks" residence here. My thought is to contact a mail-forwarding firm such as St. Brendan's Isle here in Florida and "move" from my existing Naples address to their physical address (in a different Florida county) as my Florida domicile and for forwarding services. Vehicle registration, insurance, etc would also be relocated to the forwarder's address. It's a process, but not a terribly complicated one.

 

2.) By reason of a disability, I am eligible for Medicare before age 65 and currently am on original Medicare and purchase a Humana "High Deductible Plan F" supplement policy that works very well for me. Such policies (for pre-65 Medicare users) are not available in all locations (especially out of Florida), and certainly not at the reasonable prices offered here. I have already verified that the same Humana High-Deductible Plan F supplement is available to me at the St Brendan's Isle physical location (at an even lower price than I currently pay), so once again I should simply be able to "move" from Naples to the St. Brenda's Isle physical address and notify the insurance company of my "move". MY CONCERN IS THIS: How many of you Medicare users (older or younger than 65) with supplement plans have done a similar thing. Has anyone been questioned by their insurance carrier about all virtually all claims coming from out of state, etc? My understanding is that it makes no difference at all... so long as your "residence"/domicile is in a location where the policy is sold and you pay the bill, it's all good, right?.. one of the wonderful things about Medicare!. This is a key point for me.

 

Would appreciate hearing your thoughts on this, especially anyone involved in the Medicare supplement business...

 

Thanks!

 

GoodolDan

[ronmon]

I used Escapees Livingston as my domicile. Have regular Medicare & AARP/United Health Care supplement. As full timer I was hospitalized in Texas once, Tennessee once & Florida twice. Had to quit RVing & relocated to North Carolina & had to reapply for the supplement in North Carolina. Since then I've been hospitalized in Missouri & Florida. Never a problem with Medicare or the supplement.

I think each state has an agency for assisting individuals with health insurance questions. Many states call the agency SHIP.

Ron

[Selah]

We changed our domicile to FL using St. Brendon's Isle two years ago. We full time and have had no issues with either our Medicare Advantage plan we originally started with or our current Medicare and Supplement plan.

[gdheinrich]

Medicare rules say that a Medicare Supplement policy is a lifetime plan. The only way that it can be canceled is for non-payment of premium. Your plan will follow you wherever you may move or have domicile. The premium for the plan will adjust to the premium for that plan at your new domicile. Just continue to pay the premium on a timely basis and you will be fine.

 

https://www.medicare.gov/supplement-other-insurance/when-can-i-buy-medigap/dropping-or-losing/dropping-losing-medigap.html

[Ronbo]

Is me digraph me suppliment the same thing?

[GoodOlDan]

Medicare rules say that a Medicare Supplement policy is a lifetime plan. The only way that it can be canceled is for non-payment of premium. Your plan will follow you wherever you may move or have domicile. The premium for the plan will adjust to the premium for that plan at your new domicile. Just continue to pay the premium on a timely basis and you will be fine.

 

https://www.medicare.gov/supplement-other-insurance/when-can-i-buy-medigap/dropping-or-losing/dropping-losing-medigap.html

 

The thing is.. for Medicare Supplements offered to folks under age 65 (i.e., those who are on Medicare due to disability) not all plans are available everywhere. The plan I can buy in Florida is not even offered in Nevada, or may be be much more expensive somewhere else. Hence my idea to hold onto the relatively inexpensive supplement in Florida (where I want to domicile anyway) until I turn 65, when I can get the plan anywhere if I want.

[gdheinrich]

Good Ol Dan

 

When you turn age 65, you have another enrollment period that allows you to purchase any Medicare Supplement (Medigap) sold in your state of domicile with no health questions asked (your disability doesn't matter). This enrollment period lasts for 6 months after which (in most states) you would have to meet the underwriting requirements of the new insurance company. Some states (although they are few in number) allow you change to another company and or plan during your birthday month each year.

 

It is very important that you take advantage of this opportunity as you will find that if you miss this window of opportunity your options to purchase another supplement may be limited.

 

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE RULES DISCUSSED HERE DO NOT PERTAIN TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS OR AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PLANS THAT HAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT RULES.

[GoodOlDan]

Good Ol Dan

 

When you turn age 65, you have another enrollment period that allows you to purchase any Medicare Supplement (Medigap) sold in your state of domicile with no health questions asked (your disability doesn't matter). This enrollment period lasts for 6 months after which (in most states) you would have to meet the underwriting requirements of the new insurance company. Some states (although they are few in number) allow you change to another company and or plan during your birthday month each year.

 

It is very important that you take advantage of this opportunity as you will find that if you miss this window of opportunity your options to purchase another supplement may be limited.

 

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE RULES DISCUSSED HERE DO NOT PERTAIN TO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS OR AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PLANS THAT HAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT RULES.

 

That's my plan exactly... as soon as I reach age 65 I'll use that open enrollment to enter a new Plan F Supplement (at a much lower price) that I can move to anywhere in the country should I choose to park the RV and do so. Until then, by maintaining my Florida domicile, I can continue to buy my current Hi-Deductible Plan F that is offered here for pre-age 65 Medicare enrollees. I think that should work out pretty well for me.

[mscans]

I thought about various supplements and came to the following conclusion. TOO EXPENSIVE.

 

since "retiring" I have had open heart surgery including bypass and replacement heart valve, back surgery with 3 fused discs and a heart ablation to stop AFIB. My out of pocket was less than $12000. I don't know where I could get 3 years of coverage, at 70 yo, for that, and when it is paid off, I have no more monthly bills .

[cbg72273]

I currently reside (leased "sticks and bricks") in the Naples, Florida area... so I am already a "Florida resident" and have my domicile here. I am considering going fulltime RV about July of next year, and see no reason that I wouldn't want to continue maintaining Florida as my domicile. But, as always, the devil is in the details...

 

1.) As I begin full-timing, I will necessariy no longer maintain a "sticks and bricks" residence here. My thought is to contact a mail-forwarding firm such as St. Brendan's Isle here in Florida and "move" from my existing Naples address to their physical address (in a different Florida county) as my Florida domicile and for forwarding services. Vehicle registration, insurance, etc would also be relocated to the forwarder's address. It's a process, but not a terribly complicated one.

 

2.) By reason of a disability, I am eligible for Medicare before age 65 and currently am on original Medicare and purchase a Humana "High Deductible Plan F" supplement policy that works very well for me. Such policies (for pre-65 Medicare users) are not available in all locations (especially out of Florida), and certainly not at the reasonable prices offered here. I have already verified that the same Humana High-Deductible Plan F supplement is available to me at the St Brendan's Isle physical location (at an even lower price than I currently pay), so once again I should simply be able to "move" from Naples to the St. Brenda's Isle physical address and notify the insurance company of my "move". MY CONCERN IS THIS: How many of you Medicare users (older or younger than 65) with supplement plans have done a similar thing. Has anyone been questioned by their insurance carrier about all virtually all claims coming from out of state, etc? My understanding is that it makes no difference at all... so long as your "residence"/domicile is in a location where the policy is sold and you pay the bill, it's all good, right?.. one of the wonderful things about Medicare!. This is a key point for me.

 

Would appreciate hearing your thoughts on this, especially anyone involved in the Medicare supplement business...

 

Thanks!

 

GoodolDan

Thanks for this great information. My wife and I are both on SSDI and have Medicare. Right now we have Humana Advantage plans. I called Humana and Medicare yesterday to find out specifics. After going round and round with the "script robots" I finally was able to speak to a supervisor and determined that with our current out of pocket costs we are better off waiting until after we turn 65. I'd like to add something to this conversation that may help others. I recently found out that if we order our generic meds (which they all are) through Humana's mail order pharmacy, we have a zero $0.00 copay for a 90 day supply. Some other carriers may or may not offer the same.

[Barbaraok]

Most years, I agree the supplemental to Medicare might not be break even, but you don't expect to make money on any insurance every year. If all companies paid out more in benefits than they took in in premiums, they would go broke. The key is the year when your 20% is ~ $20K, that is when you recoup more than you paid in. And for a lot of people, especially between 65 and 75, it might be just as reasonable to self-fund for the deductible expense. BUT sooner or later most of us will have at least one episode where the out-of-pocket will exceed by a significant amount the premiums for that year.

 

I'm not sure where some of you are located, but if you are paying over $300 a month for supplemental insurance you might want to shop around a bit.

 

Barb

[mrschwarz]

I thought about various supplements and came to the following conclusion. TOO EXPENSIVE.

 

since "retiring" I have had open heart surgery including bypass and replacement heart valve, back surgery with 3 fused discs and a heart ablation to stop AFIB. My out of pocket was less than $12000. I don't know where I could get 3 years of coverage, at 70 yo, for that, and when it is paid off, I have no more monthly bills .

 

My supplemental plan F is $149 per month. 3 years premiums would be less than $5400.

[mikes47]

We have Medicare and Michigan Blue Cross. DW fell and broke her wrist in a Louisiana campground - Medicare + BC paid 100% of the ER and associated bills from that hospital visit. They also covered 100% the orthopedist exam and replacement splint in Texas. ... and when we returned home to Michigan, they covered 100% of the hand surgeon's office visit and follow up X-rays. Medicare really doesn't seem to care where the services are provided. And the Supplemental insurance will cover their part if Medicare covers the first part.