coachmac9 Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 I know this has nothing to do with RV's but I think it concerns probably 90% of the posters (including me...soon) I will be turning 65 in Feb and was wondering where is the best place to find out good info about Medicare. I am still full time teaching/part time traveling and do not plan on retiring for a while but one never knows. I have found that when you reach a certain age our health can change quickly and unexpectedly. Any advice from those of you that have dealt with or used Medicare would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 Get a suppliment. I started Medicare in March 2016. Diagnosed with cancer in April 2016. Hospital $1250. Radiation treatment $1250. Then I started on a suppliment. I have only paid my initial deductible each year since then. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffnon Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 Lets Start. Your school district has info packages on retirement/SSA/Medicare. ASK them The nearest SSA office to you is 2717 Terrell Rd. Greenville Tx. 75402 phone # 1-888-306-3534. CALL them and schedule an appointment. And when there ask for publication MEDICARE & YOU 2019 MEDICARE 1-800-633-4227 They will help walk you through Visit Medicare.gov and register Social Security 1-800-772-1213 they will also help Note. We help on this site, and there is a lot of info on this site. BUT we can not walk you into the building. Ask for publication: MEDICARE & YOU 2019. (I think parts of the book are tailored to your State. Edit. are you not about 20+- miles from Lone Oak to Greenville? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmac9 Posted September 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 Thanks Ronbo, that was one of the first questions I had...I see all kinds of advertisements about suppliments and was wondering if that was something I needed or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmac9 Posted September 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 2 minutes ago, staffnon said: Lets Start. Your school district has info packages on retirement/SSA/Medicare. ASK them The nearest SSA office to you is 2717 Terrell Rd. Greenville Tx. 75402 phone # 1-888-306-3534. CALL them and schedule an appointment. MEDICARE 1-800-633-4227 They will help walk you through Visit Medicare.gov and register Social Security 1-800-772-1213 they will also help Note. We help on this site, and there is a lot of info on this site. BUT we can not walk you into the building. Well dang, I was hoping you could tote me on in to the office!!!! LOLOLOLOL!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packnrat Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 i am not far behind you on this. been trying to understand it all. can be confusing. the ss office is about 60 moles from me. and always has a line out the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffnon Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 Well kind of hard I'm in the wrong part of the world.😁 I'm in the USA not the Republic of Texas. If I can get my passport/visa stamps for the republic I'll wonder down. Seriously, The SSA and Medicare have good and accurate info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbaraok Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 50 minutes ago, coachmac9 said: I know this has nothing to do with RV's but I think it concerns probably 90% of the posters (including me...soon) I will be turning 65 in Feb and was wondering where is the best place to find out good info about Medicare. I am still full time teaching/part time traveling and do not plan on retiring for a while but one never knows. I have found that when you reach a certain age our health can change quickly and unexpectedly. Any advice from those of you that have dealt with or used Medicare would be greatly appreciated. If you are still working, you need to sit down with your HR folks and have them go over how your insurance and Medicare will be handled. Most group health insurance plans now stipulate that they will transition to cover the 20% Medicare doesn't while Medicare becomes your primary insurance. And if your employer is paying most (or all, like ours) of your premiums, that may be the best deal for you while you are working. Also discuss with your HR representative what benefits as a retiree you will get - we still have our health insurance which is now our secondary, and they still pay our premiums - best retirement perk we got. Barb & Dave O'Keeffe 2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmac9 Posted September 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 12 minutes ago, packnrat said: i am not far behind you on this. been trying to understand it all. can be confusing. the ss office is about 60 moles from me. and always has a line out the door. Exactly! I feel like am at least semi literate and can understand or figure out most things but after reading some of the literature and speaking with someone from the SS office I was more confused that ever...that's why I turned to this board and its members. Most are always very helpful with just about any topic I have ever brought up. Thanks again for those with helpful hints and experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmac9 Posted September 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 2 minutes ago, Barbaraok said: If you are still working, you need to sit down with your HR folks and have them go over how your insurance and Medicare will be handled. Most group health insurance plans now stipulate that they will transition to cover the 20% Medicare doesn't while Medicare becomes your primary insurance. And if your employer is paying most (or all, like ours) of your premiums, that may be the best deal for you while you are working. Also discuss with your HR representative what benefits as a retiree you will get - we still have our health insurance which is now our secondary, and they still pay our premiums - best retirement perk we got. Thanks Barbarok, good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Paranoid Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 2 hours ago, coachmac9 said: Thanks Ronbo, that was one of the first questions I had...I see all kinds of advertisements about suppliments and was wondering if that was something I needed or not. Be very careful of supplemental plans. I'm a retired state worker (NY) and I got to keep my state health insurance when I retired. It was a real sweetheart deal, and it serves as the 'supplemental insurance' that you see advertised on tv. But if I ever sign up for a different plan, I'll LOSE my state sponsored insurance and can never get it back. As other people have pointed out, you need to see how your current health insurance will work with Social Security once you retire. Regards John DON'T FEED THE VULTURES! My Body is a Temple! Ancient, Crumbling, Probably Cursed . . . I Don't Like to Make Advanced Plans. They Cause the Word "PREMEDITATED" to Get Thrown Around in Court! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 As long as you continue to work the HR people are the place to start, as others have said. When you do retire you will probably be able to convert the insurance from your school district to a Medicare supplement. Your HR department should be able to explain all of those options to you. If you plan to travel extensively when you do retire, I strongly suggest the standard Medicare and a supplement and not one of the Advantage plans. At least in this area, many doctors will not accept patients who have Advantage plans. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandsys Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 50 minutes ago, Kirk Wood said: If you plan to travel extensively when you do retire, I strongly suggest the standard Medicare and a supplement and not one of the Advantage plans. We chose our Advantage plan because it is a PPO with a list of providers all over the USA. Linda Sand Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/ Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D&J Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 I went to a independent supplement policy agent 6 months before I turned 65. They walked me through the whole process and answered all my questions and some I didn't even think of asking. First thing they said was all plans are the same and the only difference is the price and coverage is anywhere Medicare is taken. The next confusing thing is all the different plans, more letters than you can believe. I started out with a N plan and just this year I changed to a G plan mostly because of the excess charges part of the plan. Choose your supplemental carefully because if you start having major problems it may be hard to change to a better plan. You can also change your supplemental anytime during the year not just during open enrollment. For a RX plan I went with a Wall Mart RX, the cheapest one I could find because at this time I take no meds and Wall Mart's are everywhere we travel. Denny Denny & Jami SKP#90175 Most Timing with Mac our Scottie, RIP Jasper our Westie 2013 F350 SC DRW 6.2 V8 4.30 Gears 2003 HH Premier 35FKTG Home Base Nebraska Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 2 hours ago, D&J said: I changed to a G plan mostly because of the excess charges part of the plan. We also have plan G for several reasons, one of them being that it will cover you for international travel. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twotoes Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 I too am turning 65 and will be looking for a Medicare Supplement plan. I have been told that the Medicare Advantage Plans are all PPO and HMO Plans and I will never be In Network so a Supplement Plan is better for me. I use the Escapees SD address. Does anybody know of an independent agent for SD I can contact for information? 2015 Itasca Ellipse 42QD 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock Edition 2021 Harley Street Glide Special Fulltimer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duraduk Posted September 27, 2018 Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 This outfit was a great help to me....... http://www.rverinsurance.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D&J Posted September 27, 2018 Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 I used United Medicare Advisers, they are licensed in multiple states. Denny Denny & Jami SKP#90175 Most Timing with Mac our Scottie, RIP Jasper our Westie 2013 F350 SC DRW 6.2 V8 4.30 Gears 2003 HH Premier 35FKTG Home Base Nebraska Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmac9 Posted September 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 Great info guys! Thanks again for all the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted September 27, 2018 Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 While the plan may be the same from state to state, the cost is not. I was quoted anywhere from $112 to over $1000 based on the state. Also some states do not offer supplements under age 65,which I am. Be careful when discussing anything with Social Security. You will get 5 different answers from 5 different people and none of them may be correct. They are not held accountable for their answers. If it constantly you mmo year and you don’t discover it for years, they will only reimburse up to 6 months. Do your own reading and stay informed. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FL-JOE Posted September 27, 2018 Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 23 hours ago, sandsys said: We chose our Advantage plan because it is a PPO with a list of providers all over the USA. Linda Sand Exactly Linda. Our plan is a Medicare Advantage Plan but it is a PPO so it doesn't matter is we are in Illinois, Florida, or in between there are always doctors, hospitals, and other medical facilities we can use. There may be just straight Advantage Plans out there (non PPO) where this may not be the case, maybe that is what Kirk is referring to. Like others, my previous employer granted me coverage but once I reached medicare age it reverts to just a supplemental, or an Advantage Plan. Joe & Cindy Newmar 4369 Ventana Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Paranoid Posted September 27, 2018 Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 5 minutes ago, FL-JOE said: Like others, my previous employer granted me coverage but once I reached medicare age it reverts to just a supplemental, or an Advantage Plan. With mine, at least, if I go out of the country, where Medicare doesn't cover me - yes, I'm looking at YOU, Canada! - it goes back to being full medical coverage for me. Regards John DON'T FEED THE VULTURES! My Body is a Temple! Ancient, Crumbling, Probably Cursed . . . I Don't Like to Make Advanced Plans. They Cause the Word "PREMEDITATED" to Get Thrown Around in Court! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonJim Posted September 29, 2018 Report Share Posted September 29, 2018 On 9/26/2018 at 7:29 AM, coachmac9 said: Any advice from those of you that have dealt with or used Medicare would be greatly appreciated. When I became disabled, I was eligible for Medicare 2 years later (even though I was only 47 at the time). When the time came, I enrolled. I was NOT aware that you have to enroll in Part D (prescription coverage) AT THE SAME TIME. I figured I'd add that when I needed it. Big mistake. A year later, I added Part D, and now I have a $7/mo "late enrollment fee" that I have to pay for the rest of my life. -Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbaraok Posted September 29, 2018 Report Share Posted September 29, 2018 On 9/27/2018 at 11:18 AM, FL-JOE said: Exactly Linda. Our plan is a Medicare Advantage Plan but it is a PPO so it doesn't matter is we are in Illinois, Florida, or in between there are always doctors, hospitals, and other medical facilities we can use. There may be just straight Advantage Plans out there (non PPO) where this may not be the case, maybe that is what Kirk is referring to. Like others, my previous employer granted me coverage but once I reached medicare age it reverts to just a supplemental, or an Advantage Plan. What former employers are able to provide is different from what people can purchase on their own. What you are describing isn't applicable to most Medicare Advantage plans that people purchase on their own. The only way companies can offer the Advantage plans is that they contract with groups of providers and limit their subscribers to those providers. They will all cover emergency work. Barb & Dave O'Keeffe 2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FL-JOE Posted September 29, 2018 Report Share Posted September 29, 2018 4 hours ago, Barbaraok said: What former employers are able to provide is different from what people can purchase on their own. What you are describing isn't applicable to most Medicare Advantage plans that people purchase on their own. The only way companies can offer the Advantage plans is that they contract with groups of providers and limit their subscribers to those providers. They will all cover emergency work. I'm not an insurance expert, far from it, but I do have a basic understanding. A Medicare Advantage PPO plan can be purchased by an individual. The employees company isn't the one contracting with the medical providers, it is the healthcare company (in my case Healthlink) that contract with certain doctors/hospitals/others in their network so we pay less. But you can use almost anyone throughout the U.S. but you may pay slightly more. That is why it is a perfect fit for us traveling. ANYONE can go online and check HealthLink's site to get the information reference purchasing a PPO Medicare Advantage plan if over 65. I'm not pushing them, I'm just using that particular insurance company as an example because my previous employer uses them. Joe & Cindy Newmar 4369 Ventana Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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