I'm a geezer!

[RobbieB]

It's official. I got my Medicare card in the mail today without any need to apply. Effective start of my birthday month. Woo-hoo!

Now it's off to Kaiser to sign up for Senior Advantage and start paying $18/mo instead of $600. Hot Cha!

More dough to blow!

 

[SheitlQueen]

I became a geezerette in July. Have used Medicare with my medigap plan a couple of times and impressed with how well everything worked. My IRMAA surcharges dropped off at the end of the year, so I too will have more dough to blow.

 

[street]

You lucky folks got it made! LOL The only thing is when I think of Medicare is I'm getting older and I don't feel so lucky then.

Good for you.

RobbieB >>> you must be taking SS before you where 65 then, right?

 

[braumeister]

I felt like a geezer when I turned 50 and got the AARP membership application in the mail. Since then everything has been anticlimactic.

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah, I claimed SS on my deceased wife's account when I turned 60 and I'll let that run for a while and let mine build up.

 

[Mdlerth]

How did you escape bureaucracy?

Why didn't you have to apply? Everybody I know who turned 65 still had to fill out an application, even though the govt knows exactly how old they are.

Even people who were still going to be employed, and would still have employer health insurance, had to apply for Part A. Is your situation different because you were widowed and MC comes with the survivor benefits?

 

[NW-Bound]

I felt like a geezer when I turned 50 and got the AARP membership application in the mail. Since then everything has been anticlimactic.

I still remember receiving the AARP application. I felt so honored that I joined and was a member for a couple of years.

It was a letdown when I realized I had many more years to go before getting a Senior Pass for the National Park. It was no longer free when I finally got there, but hey, I am still grateful that I still get something compared to this.

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah, if you are on the SS rolls, you get signed up automatic I guess.

 

[street]

I still remember receiving the AARP application. I felt so honored that I joined and was a member for a couple of years.

It was a letdown when I realized I had many more years to go before getting a Senior Pass for the National Park. It was no longer free when I finally got there, but hey, I am still grateful that I still get something compared to this.

I like that! I guess that is fair to say.

 

[street]

Yeah, if you are on the SS rolls, you get signed up automatic I guess.

Ya, that is right.

 

[Another Reader]

It's official. I got my Medicare card in the mail today without any need to apply. Effective start of my birthday month. Woo-hoo!

Now it's off to Kaiser to sign up for Senior Advantage and start paying $18/mo instead of $600. Hot Cha!

More dough to blow!

With all that dough you are pulling out to blow, will you get hit with IRMAA? Or do Advantage plans avoid IRMAA?

 

[RobbieB]

I'll probably hit the first level of increase. I don't think MA matters.

 

[W2R]

Congratulations on reaching Medicare, Robbie! It's a very nice step in the right direction, financially speaking. More Dough to Blow.

And as far as IRMAA goes, join the crowd. It was somewhat aggravating to be IRMAA'd at first, but so far it hasn't killed me. They do automatically reconsider every year by looking at one's latest income amounts.

 

[RobbieB]

Hehe, yes, unlike many here I will celebrate any increase I have to pay as my part to reduce the national debt and evidence of my abundance.

 

[W2R]

Hehe, yes, unlike many here I will celebrate any increase I have to pay as my part to reduce the national debt and evidence of my abundance.

Exactly! That's a great way to look at it, and it is how I try to look at it, too. I also try not to pay much attention to it since there is no percentage in getting aggravated about trivia. IRMAA or not, I have enough, and I gather you do too.

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah Baby!

Wifey and I are gonna celebrate with 2 days in this deluxe room!

Blow another grand!

 

[street]

That is a room for a King & Queen. Lol Good for you and looks beautiful!

 

[W2R]

Yeah Baby!

Wifey and I are gonna celebrate with 2 days in this deluxe room!

Blow another grand!

Beautiful! It's worth at least that much. She will love it. I haven't been to Carmel since the 1960's, but it is so beautiful. Great memories.

 

[Ronstar]

Congrats on becoming a geezer! I'll be entering geezerhood in a few months. Can't wait.

 

[ghsebldr]

If you go with Kaiser's Senior Advantage 2 plan they will send you a check for $125 a month to offset the deduction from your ss check or to repay most of the quarterly premium that Medicare charges.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I hope you don’t end up sorry you took the advantage plan.

 

[Telly]

Even people who were still going to be employed, and would still have employer health insurance, had to apply for Part A. Is your situation different because you were widowed and MC comes with the survivor benefits?

For someone turning 65, who is working, will continue to work, and covered by their employer's insurance, do not have to sign up for Medicare Part A at that time, unless their employer's insurance requires it. Usually, an employer will send the employee/spouse of an employee (if spouse is covered), a letter well in advance of turning age 65 to inform the person if the employer's HI meets the comparable/qualifying coverage rule. Most do. Can't say I have heard of anyone whose employer coverage did not. The letter also says, "hang on to this letter for your records in case you should need to show proof in the future", or words to that effect.

Later, when the employee calls it quits, they are guaranteed coverage in Medicare just as if they turned age 65.

Also, Medicare is on a per-individual basis. Unlike Social Security, there is no sharing or linkage between individuals.

Medicare is very simple. There are only 1,379,642 rules to learn.

 

[RobbieB]

I dunno about the checks...

Here in the central valley there's senior advantage and SA plus. SA is $18/mo and the plus is like $80/mo. So dunno about the money back thing, never saw it.

As to Kaiser, I've had it now for 12 years and I like it.

 

[SheitlQueen]

Yeah, I claimed SS on my deceased wife's account when I turned 60 and I'll let that run for a while and let mine build up.

I doing the same thing, claiming on my deceased husbands account and will switch to mine when I turn 70. I did not receive my Medicare card automatically though, I had to call them and request it. They said it had been "lost in the mail" most likely and sent out another one.

 

[RobbieB]

Back from Carmel. That room was as advertised. The view through the 40 foot long glass wall was amazing. The spa tub was relaxing and there was a real fireplace. The only downside was a small parking lot that made for a lot of "shimmy" getting out if you were in a tight spot.

I ate 5 dozen oysters in 2 days - Most at a place whose motto is "only Otters eat fresher oysters"

What a way to blow a grand and a half!