How Has Medicare Part B Been For You?

[RetiredGypsy]

Has it been worth the monthly premiums? Have there been many headaches in using it? Can you use quality care and Medicare Part B in the same sentence without laughing?

I ask because I've been enrolled, and I'm not sure if I should roll with it, or try to get out and stop premiums before they've even begun.

 

[REWahoo]

Has it been worth the monthly premiums?

Absolutely!

Have there been many headaches in using it?

Zero headaches, even fewer hassles.

Can you use quality care and Medicare Part B in the same sentence without laughing?

Not sure why you think there is an issue with quality - I see none in our area.

I ask because I've been enrolled, and I'm not sure if I should roll with it, or try to get out and stop premiums before they've even begun.

What would you do if you opted out - go naked?

 

[Chuckanut]

If you stop Medicate Part B, what are your insurance options?

It has worked well for me along with my supplemental insurance to cover some minor issues. I have followed the advice of several older friends who told me to "get the best medical insurance you can afford".

Hopefully, it will all be a huge waste of money.

 

[Fedup]

So far the benefit has not exceed the premium. But it certainly made it easier, we don't have to argue with the administrator whether our copay is $30 or $35. They consistently made mistake on this. So the benefit is it we get to stop spending time on stupid things. But my guess is in 10 years, it may make a difference.
We have another health insurance with it, we as in my husband doesn't just have Medicare part B alone.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Not sure why you think there is an issue with quality - I see none in our area.

My friends have Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna, and I've had the privilege of listening in on speaker phone conversations and the headache it can be at times trying to find out whether or not something's covered. With BCBS specifically, phone and online portal systems seem to go down a surprising number of times.

I didn't know if Medicare faced those kinds of hassles.

What would you do if you opted out - go naked?

If you stop Medicate Part B, what are your insurance options?

The alternative for me is the VA. Although as much metal and bolts as I've been collecting in my body over the years, I'm thinking I might want to add a good mechanic here soon.

 

[REWahoo]

The alternative for me is the VA. Although as much metal and bolts as I've been collecting in my body over the years, I'm thinking I might want to add a good mechanic here soon.

If I had to choose between part B and the VA, the VA would be a distant second choice.

One other suggestion: Rustoleum

 

[Bestwifeever]

My friends have Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna, and I've had the privilege of listening in on speaker phone conversations and the headache it can be at times trying to find out whether or not something's covered. With BCBS specifically, phone and online portal systems seem to go down a surprising number of times.

I didn't know if Medicare faced those kinds of hassles.





The alternative for me is the VA. Although as much metal and bolts as I've been collecting in my body over the years, I'm thinking I might want to add a good mechanic here soon.

Are your friends on Medicare or are you assuming Medicare Part B will be like BCBS and Aetna health insurance?

Having no alternative, I personally have been very happy with my post-65 healthcare with Medicare as primary and a Plan G secondary, and have never made a phone call to discuss benefits. DH, who has the same coverage I do, may have a VA option but he has yet to explore it and doubtful that he will.

I think you are a good thirty years away from having to decide this? You have plenty of time to worry about it

 

[Corporateburnout]

DW started on Medicare in March and has had numerous doctors visits, CAT scans, Ultrasounds and a surgery with an overnight hospital stay. We have not had to pay a dime out of pocket to any providers yet due in large part to a Medigap policy from BCBS. The monthly premiums of $134 for part B and $155 for the Medigap policy are well worth it.

 

[imoldernu]

IM_HO... perfect. We've been on it for 15 years, and never a problem.

One caveat...not the fault of Medicare... Some doctors and Hospitals will send out those illegible coded bills, shortly after they are incurred, then, a follow up a month later, with the same "due" amount. We've learned not to pay that either because we haven't reached the deductible, or the payment from the supplement policy has not been received.

We've had cases where we did pay early, and even though the medical provider received payment from the "B: plan... One of those "OH!... we missed that!", situations. Our current Hospital and Doctor are trustworthy, but we've had problems over the years.

One more afterthought... We've learned not to worry about our credit rating being compromised because of late payments. Even where the account has not been settled for three months, have never had a negative report. The one time that it went that far, the care provider, sent a warning first.

Very few problems over the 15 years, and if unsure, we call the insurance provider or the doctor/hospital.

We've had years where our costs were much less than the premium, but years when the supplement paid for five years worth of premiums.

Medicare is peace of mind.

 

[W2R]

I have had Medicare Part B for four years, and it has been fine. No hassles, and definitely worth the cost, in my case.

Along with Medicare Part B I have the federal employee/retiree BCBS Standard insurance. So, what Medicare doesn't pick up, BCBS does. But I have noticed that Medicare picks up most of it, by far.

For me, everything has worked seamlessly with no hassles at all. I have never had to call BCBS to see if something is covered, because the doctors' offices all do that for me. So far all I have had to pay for is my prescriptions and my regular monthly BCBS and Medicare premiums.

 

[Walt34]

I've been on Medicare Part B for a bit over a year and no issues so far. My former employer subsidizes our health insurance heavily. It is secondary to Medicare after age 65 both of us. DW is not yet 65 so BCBS is still primary for her.

 

[aja8888]

Has it been worth the monthly premiums? Have there been many headaches in using it? Can you use quality care and Medicare Part B in the same sentence without laughing?

I ask because I've been enrolled, and I'm not sure if I should roll with it, or try to get out and stop premiums before they've even begun.

See post #2 for my answers. Been on it 9 years and all has been very good.

VA coverage? Never tried it although it's an option I have.

 

[donheff]

I have Medicare Part A but not Part B but I carry (and pay for) my Federal health insurance over into retirement. I am already paying for doctors care and will just knock off some copays and deductibles if I also pop for Part B so I skipped it -- nevertheless I often second guess myself on this choice. I can't imagine why anyone without a backstop as strong as the Federal insurance would forgo Part B. If you get a chronic illness you would be on your own -- exactly the fearful situation the ACA uncertainty is wreaking on potential ERers.

 

[Koolau]

Yeah. MC is great. You need the private ins. as well to cover what MC doesn't. All in all, it's much less expensive for us than when we were w*rking. Having said all this, I do wonder about the times to come when they will say "Uhh, you're too old for us to cover this particular procedure." YMMV

 

[youbet]

I'm on Part A + B + D + Part B supplement and it works fine. Haven't run into any docs that don't take it and never have to pay anything other than Part D drug co-pays.

DW is on a Medicare Advantage plan, has used it a lot (including specialists), and it's working fine.

Really can't complain

 

[athena53]

DH was on Medicare for 3 years before he died; before that he was on my employer's policy. We were very happy with Medicare. His supplement and prescription plans were through United Healthcare and other than some manageable prescription copays, everything was covered. I'll be eligible in early 2017 and I'm looking forward to it even though I'll need to join AARP to get the United Healthcare coverage.

The only bump in the road was when DH was going for regular treatments for a leg ulcer and the hospital and doctor sent us bills, with boilerplate stating that they'd already submitted it to all the available insurance carriers and this was what we owed. I called and asked if they'd submitted it to UHC and they didn't have it in the system so I gave them the policy number. They still didn't submit it even though I called the hospital later and an employee said they had. Finally I printed out all the Medicare Explanation of Benefit forms and sent them to UHC myself. They were paid promptly. If I'd believed the boilerplate on the bills, we would have lost out on $500 in payments from UHC.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

Be aware that there is a 10% per year addition to the premium if you don't sign up when you are first eligible and decide you want it later.

https://www.medicare.gov/your-medic...s/penalty/part-b-late-enrollment-penalty.html