Monthly charge for medicare

[pb4uski]

It’s a continuation of the insurance he had when he was employed. Medicare is primary and union insurance is secondary. It covers vision (partially), dental and prescriptions. It covers both of us. We are in our late 60s. We also live in a high cost area but not sure if that factors in.

You might be better off dumping the union insurance and buying a Medigap policy, a Part D policy for Rx and self-insuring for dental and vision.

 

[pb4uski]

Medigap plans will vary in price with location. Some places are just cheaper than others when it comes to the cost of living and that even includes medical care.

I pay about $125 a year for my Medigap Plan F. New folks get plan G which is the same price, IIRC.

Chuckanut, I assume that you mean $125 a month rather than $125 a year?

 

[SDHiker]

My husband pays $141/mo for Cigna Plan G, and $90 per year for Aetna part So far so good. We travel quite a bit, and it didn't make sense getting an advantage plan.

 

[CRLLS]

It’s a continuation of the insurance he had when he was employed. Medicare is primary and union insurance is secondary. It covers vision (partially), dental and prescriptions. It covers both of us. We are in our late 60s. We also live in a high cost area but not sure if that factors in.

$475/mo doesn't seem terribly out of line with that coverage. Just spitballing here for 2 people, these are PFA guestimates:

260/mo Medigap Plan G
60/mo Dental
30/mo Vision
100/mo good drug plan
---------
450/mo total vs. your 475/mo

Yeah it could be lower choosing less expensive options. I was trying to guestimate plans that closely match an employer's benefits. If the union plan has a max out of pocket medical, that is a bonus as Medicare and many Medigaps do not. And possibly the union drug plan may not have a donut hole to deal with. Maybe even the drug medical/plan may share the same annual deduction. The devil is in the details.

 

[Texas Proud]

This is good information for me. DW turns 65 later this year but she can stay on my Megacorp plan until I turn 65 next year, so we have some time to evaluate. We likely will start on Medicare + a Medigap Plan + drug supplement as we like having a wider network of providers than what I have found with Medigap plans in my area so far (I have not finished my research). Right now we are paying about $950/month for the two of us. for Megacorp retiree insurance (which includes dental which I know we will have to do something about once we go off of it), I'm just hoping the roughly equivalent Medicare + Medigap plans we need are cheaper.

I think you might be confused or are confusing me with your post...


A medigap plan (or supplement) does NOT have any network... so I do not see how a medigap plan in your area would be any different..


Now, if you are talking Medicare Advantage... there are networks there...


For me, I am tired of playing the network game of insurance companies... I have had to go to 5 to 8 different Drs over the past years as they go in and out of networks and as I have changed insurance companies....


We also do not have to go through the crap that they make you go through to get the care you need... my DW had bone on bone in her knee... we did an injection that worked for a few years but the 2nd one did not... but we had changed insurance companies AND Dr... so they wanted us to go through this procedure etc. etc... she needed a knee replacement... fortunately the Dr said he knew what to put down so it would be approved without us going through stuff we knew did not work...

 

[Buckeye]

It’s a continuation of the insurance he had when he was employed. Medicare is primary and union insurance is secondary. It covers vision (partially), dental and prescriptions. It covers both of us. We are in our late 60s. We also live in a high cost area but not sure if that factors in.

If you have no annual deductible for medical expenses, it sounds like your current insurance is akin to a supplement Plan F which is no longer available. If you have an annual deductible, your current insurance is akin to supplement Plan G. You can easily price a Plan G locally but my guess is the monthly premium would be at least $150 per person.

Depending on deductibles, if any, your imbedded drug coverage could be very valuable. The deductible for most Part D drug plans this year is $480. Do you have a prescription deductible on your current plan? If you don't take any meds this won't figure in your current calculation but could be important if things change in the future. It's also easy to quote a drug plan that fits your needs to do a comparison. My mom needed a robust plan when she was alive (COPD) and it cost her $99 per month in 2018.

Dental coverage is another big benefit, in my opinion. I pay $45 per month for good individual coverage from Dental Dental, a group veterans plan through the VA. I'm thinking you would have to budget a minimum of $50 per month each for robust dental coverage.

We don't have vision insurance and I'm not familiar with vision insurance rates. Throw in a $10-$20 each a month for that.

Overall, it's possible your current insurance is right in the ballpark with what multiple insurance policies would cost if purchased separately. And you don't have to deal with purchasing separate policies!

 

[jollystomper]

I think you might be confused or are confusing me with your post...


A medigap plan (or supplement) does NOT have any network... so I do not see how a medigap plan in your area would be any different..


Now, if you are talking Medicare Advantage... there are networks there...


For me, I am tired of playing the network game of insurance companies... I have had to go to 5 to 8 different Drs over the past years as they go in and out of networks and as I have changed insurance companies....


We also do not have to go through the crap that they make you go through to get the care you need... my DW had bone on bone in her knee... we did an injection that worked for a few years but the 2nd one did not... but we had changed insurance companies AND Dr... so they wanted us to go through this procedure etc. etc... she needed a knee replacement... fortunately the Dr said he knew what to put down so it would be approved without us going through stuff we knew did not work...

Apologies, sentence was meant to say "We likely will start on Medicare + a Medigap Plan + drug supplement as we like having a wider network of providers than what I have found with Medicare Advantage plans in my area so far" . I type faster than I think sometimes .

 

[tango2]

We have Aetna drug plan and pay 77 per yr each. We do take any drugs so we went with cheapest plan. Out metigap is United American wife is about 170 month and I am 205 month. I am a little older than her when I started it. So far no complaints about coverage. Had surgery and rehab after and paid very little out of pocket.

 

[tango2]

Remember if ppo or hmo think aarp plans, you have to be in network or may have to pay a lot. If you travel in U. S. Something to think about. Plus I go to whomever I want to.

 

[sengsational]

I'm not mistaken, the differences between G and N are more than just a copay. It's missing other coverage that G offers. The savings too me doesn't seem like it would be worth it but probably depends on one's state.

I'm looking at the plan benefit tables that UHC/AARP sent out. There are exactly two differences:

1. Medicare Part B excess charges.
2. Medicare Part B copayments.

Item 1: gives the doctor the ability to charge you as much as 15% more than the standard Medicare rate. From what I understand, the large majority of doctors don't charge more than the standard Medicare rate anyway, so this might not impact you.


Item 2: means you pay $20 per office visit or $50 for the ER (unless you're admitted to the hospital, then there's no $50 payment required).


That's it. Those are the only differences. Everything else is identical between plan N and plan G, as documented by UHC.


If the premium savings between N and G is something like $250 per year, as it is for a 65yo in NC, then you'd need to go the doctor 12 times to break even, presuming your doctor isn't one of the few that don't accept standard Medicare rates.

 

[Dash man]

I'm looking at the plan benefit tables that UHC/AARP sent out. There are exactly two differences:

1. Medicare Part B excess charges.
2. Medicare Part B copayments.

Item 1: gives the doctor the ability to charge you as much as 15% more than the standard Medicare rate. From what I understand, the large majority of doctors don't charge more than the standard Medicare rate anyway, so this might not impact you.


Item 2: means you pay $20 per office visit or $50 for the ER (unless you're admitted to the hospital, then there's no $50 payment required).


That's it. Those are the only differences. Everything else is identical between plan N and plan G, as documented by UHC.


If the premium savings between N and G is something like $250 per year, as it is for a 65yo in NC, then you'd need to go the doctor 12 times to break even, presuming your doctor isn't one of the few that don't accept standard Medicare rates.

The copays for plan N are up to $20 (often less) and only for certain codes of office visits. Nothing for procedures or lab work.

About 96% of doctors accept Medicare assignment, so don’t charge excess charges. It’s also an administrative pain for them to collect the 15%, so fewer are doing it each year. Several states, including my Pennsylvania, prohibits excess charges for Medicare by law. Since I live in Pennsylvania, it totally makes sense to use Plan N.

Edit to add: Urgent care centers don’t charge copays with plan N. The $50 emergency room copay is waived if admitted to the hospital.

 

[Texas Proud]

Interesting info on G vs N....



I will have to take a look at N when it becomes time

 

[CRLLS]

In Illinois, the difference between AARP G and AARP N is $9.25 per month. After having to watch over every last bill from providers and keeping them on their toes while we were on ACA plans and our previous Medicare w/ Plan F-HD, I gladly pay the upcharge for not having to deal with the hassle. Frankly when I get to be older, I'm not sure I will be able to reconcile between Medicare, Supplement, Doctors and their subcontractor's different forms of billing statements. With Plan G, I only have to watch them during the deductible stage each year.

 

[REWahoo]

In Illinois, the difference between AARP G and AARP N is $9.25 per month. After having to watch over every last bill from providers and keeping them on their toes while we were on ACA plans and our previous Medicare w/ Plan F-HD, I gladly pay the upcharge for not having to deal with the hassle. Frankly when I get to be older, I'm not sure I will be able to reconcile between Medicare, Supplement, Doctors and their subcontractor's different forms of billing statements. With Plan G, I only have to watch them during the deductible stage each year.

Unfortunately, having Plan G does not mean you won't need to constantly watch for billing problems. Example: A coding error resulted in me receiving a $250 bill for a service Medicare said was not covered. Had to contact the billing folks at the Dr's office to get it resolved.

FWIW, DW and I went with Plan N here in TX as the difference between G and N @ age 65 is $22/mo month for her and $26/mo for me.

 

[Time2]

Your ages?

For comparison, DW and I (74 and 75) currently pay a total of $217 for MoO Plan N.

I'm in Fl. My medicare premium is $184.50 and my plan G premium is $185.21. I'm 67 years old. Part D $22.70.


Why is my Medicare B $185.50 when I see it is $170.10 online.
My 11/23/21 payment was $445.50 / 3 = $148.50 and my 2/25/22 bill is $553.50 / 3 = $184.50?

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I'm in Fl. My medicare premium is $184.50 and my plan G premium is $185.21. I'm 67 years old. Part D $22.70.


Why is my Medicare B $185.50 when I see it is $170.10 online.
My 11/23/21 payment was $445.50 / 3 = $148.50 and my 2/25/22 bill is $553.50 / 3 = $184.50?

I think your November bill paid for 2 months in 2022. The higher rate of $170.10 took effect in January. So they added $21.60 X 2 = $43.20 to your February bill to retroactively cover the 2 months’ higher rate. So the February bill is 3 months at the new rate ($170.10 X 3 = $510.30) plus the $43.20 in catch up funds. I expect your next bill will drop back to $510.30).

 

[Calico]

I'm in Fl. My medicare premium is $184.50 and my plan G premium is $185.21. I'm 67 years old. Part D $22.70.


Why is my Medicare B $185.50 when I see it is $170.10 online.
My 11/23/21 payment was $445.50 / 3 = $148.50 and my 2/25/22 bill is $553.50 / 3 = $184.50?

You and I are on exactly the same quarterly payment timeline, apparently.

On 11/23/21, we were both billed for the premiums for Dec. 2021, Jan. 2022, and Feb. 2022. We were billed at the monthly rate that was in effect at that time ($148.50 x 3 = $445.50).

The new monthly rate of $170.10 then took effect on January 1, 2022.

On 2/25/22 we were billed for the premiums for March, April, and May 2022 ($170.10 x 3 = $510.30).

BUT - Medicare also tacked on the difference between the old rate and the new rate (170.10 - 148.50 = 21.60 x 2 = 43.20) for January and February 2022, because we had technically underpaid for those two months.

If you add $43.20 to $510.30, you get $553.50.

This info was buried somewhere in the very fine print in one of my bills at the end of last year. I started Medicare in December, 2020, and have been kicking myself that I should have waited until January 2021, because now every time there is an increase, I (we) will have this weird "catch up" amount in the February bill.

I hope this makes sense and isn't totally confusing! It was to me until I figured out what was going on.

The rest of our quarterly payments for 2022 should be for $510.30 - and then the whole vicious "catch up" cycle will begin again in February, 2023, assuming there is an increase in the premium!

This is the price laugh I pay for starting Medicare in my actual birth month of December!

Edited to add: I see Paunchy Pirate said what I said, but much more succintly.

 

[Time2]

OK, great, I understand. Now what can you do about my $173 cellphone bill?

 

[PaunchyPirate]

OK, great, I understand. Now what can you do about my $173 cellphone bill?

Haha. Yikes! That’s a big cell phone bill. How many people is that for? I pay $28 per month for myself.

Sorry. I’m diverting the thread. You may want to look at other threads about cell phone options posted on the forum.

 

[Calico]

OK, great, I understand. Now what can you do about my $173 cellphone bill?

Can't help you there! I have a TracFone that costs less than that per year.

El Cheapo here.

 

[finnski1]

Can't help you there! I have a TracFone that costs less than that per year.

El Cheapo here.

Me too.

 

[Calico]

Me too.

TracFone rules!!

 

[Rianne]

I posted on a different thread, but this thread is one is the right one.

A broker called me yesterday, I turn 65 this year. He had all my information, somehow.

Bottom Line:
Parts A & B: $170
Part D: $7
Plan G: with Mutual of Omaha (an A+ rating...does that matter?) $90
Dental: $40, no waiting period for major dental work through Cigna

Do I have to have a medicare number before I apply? Do I have to apply through my SS online account to get that even though I don't take SS yet and won't until next year?

 

[Dash man]

I posted on a different thread, but this thread is one is the right one.

A broker called me yesterday, I turn 65 this year. He had all my information, somehow.

Bottom Line:
Parts A & B: $170
Part D: $7
Plan G: with Mutual of Omaha (an A+ rating...does that matter?) $90
Dental: $40, no waiting period for major dental work through Cigna

Do I have to have a medicare number before I apply? Do I have to apply through my SS online account to get that even though I don't take SS yet and won't until next year?

Yes, you can apply for your Medicare number three months before your birth month. You want to apply for both Parts A and B. Once you have those you can sign up for MediGap Plan G or N and a Part D prescription plan. I have the AARP/UHC Plan N. I’ve heard Mutual of Omaha has a tendency to close books on plans resulting in increasing costs higher than most other insurers. You might want to consider another company.

 

[Another Reader]

I posted on a different thread, but this thread is one is the right one.

A broker called me yesterday, I turn 65 this year. He had all my information, somehow.

Bottom Line:
Parts A & B: $170
Part D: $7
Plan G: with Mutual of Omaha (an A+ rating...does that matter?) $90
Dental: $40, no waiting period for major dental work through Cigna

Do I have to have a medicare number before I apply? Do I have to apply through my SS online account to get that even though I don't take SS yet and won't until next year?

I would never do business with a broker that called me out of the blue. How does he have all your information?

I am required to use Via Benefits because my former employer provides a subsidy for the supplement and the Part D drug plan. If your employer subsidizes any of your Medicare premiums, they will have someone you are required to use.

If you are ready to shop, many people here use Boomer Benefits. Worth a call as a place to start. Do more research before you make any decisions.