Dutch_12078

When we park in a space, I need the door nearly wide open so I can reach out with my cane to support myself as I get out. My wife needs the door wide open so she can exit with her purse and portable oxygen concentrator with my assistance.

Another vote for the TST TPMS. We've been using our 10 sensor 507 system since 2013, and a 510 system before that on our previous motorhome since 2008. The performance has been very good, and the rare times I've needed to contact tech support, the response has been great, even getting a call back on a Sunday one time.

Even the parking lots with multiple handicap spaces often have the problem with end spaces. And I agree on smaller vehicles taking the extended van spaces. I suppose if that's all that's available maybe, but the one you mentioned was definitely rude.

The simplest setup would likely be to just replace the existing cylinder hoses from your auto change-over with longer ones and connect your two 100 lb cylinders in place of the smaller cylinders. Switching back would be as easy as moving the hoses back to the smaller cylinders.

They typically have a space on one side, but not both sides for a space next to a standard space. Here's a photo showing what I mean. The parking layout apparantly assumes only one person in the vehicle needs the extra space for exiting/entering the vehicle.

I agree handicap parking is problematic at times. My wife and I both have hang tags as well as handicapped plates on our toad. I use a cane and have difficulty walking long distances due to arthritis, while she is on oxygen, has spine damage, and also can't walk long distances. One pet peeve is when we're in a handicap space with a regular space next to it and the regular parker pulls in so tight to our car that opening the door wide enough for easy entry is impossible. I'd really like to see stores add a marked no parking space next to the handicap spaces. It wouldn't need to be the full width of another space, just wide enough to allow full door opening. I've only seen that done once in the time we've used the spaces.

Given the number of zero additional premium Advantage plans available, I don't think cost should be an issue, so there's no "waste of money". And there are benefits to most Advantage plans over original Medicare even if you're quite healthy. Annual physicals for example, are not covered by Medicare beyond a very basic "Wellness Visit". Most Advantage plans do include annual physicals though, including EKG's, blood tests, and other tests that may be indicated by your health status. Given the zero cost, having an Advantage plan could be worthwhile if for no other reason than having it available "just in case".

If your former employer is paying for your supplement, that's great. The fact is though, Advantage plans cover things Medicare doesn't, and with the zero additional premium plans, my wife and I pay less in co-pays per year than the premiums on any supplement. The majority of our doctor visits are with our PCP, and there's no co-pay. Specialists are $40 per visit, but those visits are usually no more than 3 or 4 a year, with most once a year.

So does mine, Linda.

Yes on the eye care. I should have been more specific that some Advantage plans include glasses or contacts, as well as routine eye care and of course more serious issues like cataracts, glaucoma, etc.

I very much agree that everyone needs to assess their own needs and budget when choosing a plan, either with professional help or extensive research on their own. Are none of the PPO Advantage plans like those offered by United Healthcare available in your area?

Don't supplements just pay the amount that Medicare doesn't cover (20%?) that otherwise would be paid by you? Medicare Advantage plans pay the providers what ever amounts are included in the contracts the providers agreed to. Do supplements include any of the additional coverage that Medicare doesn't cover, like the annual physicals, eye care, hearing testing, dental coverage, and fitness programs that many Advantage plans include? I'm not arguing, just trying to understand why providers would prefer Medicare's fixed rates versus the negotiable rates that Advantage plans pay. With Medicare and a supplement, it seems they get paid the same with or without the supplement. What am I missing?

State and national parks are usually not picky about what you camp with. I've seen a number of cargo trailers on sites over the years, some just hauling tent gear, while others are homemade camper conversions.

I'm not trying to shoot the messenger, just refuting the message. Fortunately, our PCP doesn't gear our treatments to what makes the most money for her. As part of a non-profit hospital practice, she's paid a salary. Every provider signs a contract with the various insurance companies whose patients they accept. If they don't like the payment terms of the contract, then that's on them, not the patients for choosing that company's coverage.

Yes it has, but the rapidity of the changes since the beginning of the industrial revolution are remarkable and a bit scary. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/climatescience/greenhousegases/industrialrevolution.html

Thanks, Kirk, those are much more balanced articles. As I've said before, do your due diligence to find the best fit for your circumstances. Our UHC Medicare Advantage Plan has worked quite well for my wife and I for the past 12 years, and we've found no reason to switch so far.

As Jay said, that article is quite biased obviously. I did get a good laugh from their list of "disadvantages" though, since our zero additional premium Advantage Plans have none of the ones listed. Our annual out of pocket costs for instance, have consistently been less than most supplemental plan premiums for the 12 years we've had them. Our coverage is nationwide, requires no referralls, and the only annual changes have been to the better, such as additional coverage and lower co-pays. Our PCP co-pays for instance have gone from $15 to $10 to $0 over the years, and our specialist co-pays from $45 to $40 and next year to $35. Our Part D coverage includes $0 co-pay for Tier 1 drugs. The bottom line is doing your homework before choosing a plan that fits your medical needs at the lowest cost from a reputable company pays off.

Does she say they also don't like Medicare itself? Advantage plans cover everything Medicare does plus more...

I can agree with that. Due diligence pays off.

That's a good deal for you of course, but not one that's available to many others. I wouldn't call our UHC PPO plan "basic". They've paid thousands for my wife's cancer and COPD treatments, with our out of pocket costs less per year than most supplement plan premiums. We pay $16/mo for our prescription coverage, and our highest co-pay is $20 for a 90 day supply. All of my meds are $0 tier 1 prescriptions.

Our zero additional premium UHC Medicare Advantage plan lets us see in-network providers anywhere in the country, but we can also see any out of network provider we choose at a higher co-pay. An network specialist for instance has a $40 co-pay (drops to $35 next year), and an out of network specialist co-pay is $75. Urgent care and ER services are covered at the same co-pay regardless of in or out of network. So far, we've never had to pay an out of network co-pay.

Switching the SIM card will work. No need to contact VZW. I doubt the 8800 is at fault though, since a digital signal is pretty much go or no go as long as you have a good signal and decent speeds.

Last summer we watched a fellow backing a ~36 foot Class A into a paved NY state park site with plenty of room all around. I lost count of how many resets he did over about 20 minutes before finally getting it parked semi-straight on the site. I think his partner was doing her best to guide him, but she spent a lot of time with her hands on her hips or arms in the air in an "I give up" posture.

Our two favorite Senior Access Pass parks in Florida are Salt Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest with full hookups at $31/night and Midway Campground in the Big Cypress National Preserve with electric only at $15/night. We won't be making it to Midway this winter, but we'll be at Salt Springs for two weeks in February. The rest of the winter we'll be at state parks in southern Georgia and Florida. The Georgia state parks give us both a senior discount and a veterans discount. Georgia also participates in Reserve America's "Loyalty Points" program that we redeem from time to time for free nights. NY state parks also are in the points program, and we've gotten a number of free nights there as well.

I have both VA and a Medicare Advantage plan coverage. I keep the VA coverage available as a backup to my primary care. That requires an annual physical to stay active, although I do use nearby CBOC's for some shots that my private carrier doesn't cover in full. I have my annual VA physical scheduled 6 months apart from my private coverage physical, but I must say my private coverage physical is much more thorough than my VA physical. It probably helps that my wife doesn't hesitate to tell or ask our doctor about things I may have forgotten to bring up during the exam.