Hi. This will, I'm sure be a question that's been dealt with thousands of times here.
I'll turn 65 next month. I have literally not looked at what to do as far as anything to do with Medicare til this week. Yeah, call me irresponsible. Despite being pretty ignorant about it I need to make some choices pretty fast.
I'm self employed and have been on a Marketplace HMO (previously performer-union-PPO) I'm in excellent health and have minimal prescriptions and doctor expenses; basically an allergist, a primary care doc and a psych in order to maintain an anti-anxiety/depression med. My PCP suggested i see a healthcare advisor he and some mutual friends use for their medicare 'plans' and I met with him today. He essentially suggested a supplement plan (Advantage plan i guess) be it with Aetna or AARP/United HealthCare... But priority one was/is, that i go to the SS office asap to enroll in Medicare... in order to expedite getting the coverage to start April 1st - about a week or so from today.
I question what the real need is for anything beyond basic Part A/B Medicare. What IS the realistic downside in just rolling with basic medicare vs any supplemental plan. Is basic medicare - that is, as I understand it Parts A and B - generally sufficient for immediate purposes and if i wanted to say, add a 'supplement' later, can i just defer that decision til a later date? btw I'll not be taking SS til probably 67. I'm trying to wrap my head around the compelling necessity for an "advantage" or "supplement" plan... let alone weigh that vs a "Gap" option. The advisor suggested an Advantage plan as a wiser way to go that just signing up for basic Parts A/B... He spoke of being able to have more options similar to that of a PPO - in being able to get care if I traveled...and that basic medicare was generally less sufficient than say, an AARP/United Health advantage plan or Aetna - and made reference to some facilities and/or providers potentially not covering procedures/care if on basic Medicare --
Who REALLY needs an "advantage" or "supplement" plan - or, is it generally ok to just sign up for basic Part A/B. As it stands I have very few meds so... I don't see drug coverage being a big deal - i.e. whether i need Part D. Can I not just take the basic coverage right now...and decide down the road if i want to add a supplemental coverage option? Also, if a medical condition arose say, 10 years from now, is there any thing that would preclude me from just adding a supplemental coverage plan then? (pre-existing condition). Is it true that if I don't opt for an 'Advantage' plan at 65, i can't do get one later? The insurance advisor suggested i have to decide 'now' and if i don't - i don't necessarily get another chance. Sufficiently confused at this point. Thanks for any clarity.
I'll turn 65 next month. I have literally not looked at what to do as far as anything to do with Medicare til this week. Yeah, call me irresponsible. Despite being pretty ignorant about it I need to make some choices pretty fast.
I'm self employed and have been on a Marketplace HMO (previously performer-union-PPO) I'm in excellent health and have minimal prescriptions and doctor expenses; basically an allergist, a primary care doc and a psych in order to maintain an anti-anxiety/depression med. My PCP suggested i see a healthcare advisor he and some mutual friends use for their medicare 'plans' and I met with him today. He essentially suggested a supplement plan (Advantage plan i guess) be it with Aetna or AARP/United HealthCare... But priority one was/is, that i go to the SS office asap to enroll in Medicare... in order to expedite getting the coverage to start April 1st - about a week or so from today.
I question what the real need is for anything beyond basic Part A/B Medicare. What IS the realistic downside in just rolling with basic medicare vs any supplemental plan. Is basic medicare - that is, as I understand it Parts A and B - generally sufficient for immediate purposes and if i wanted to say, add a 'supplement' later, can i just defer that decision til a later date? btw I'll not be taking SS til probably 67. I'm trying to wrap my head around the compelling necessity for an "advantage" or "supplement" plan... let alone weigh that vs a "Gap" option. The advisor suggested an Advantage plan as a wiser way to go that just signing up for basic Parts A/B... He spoke of being able to have more options similar to that of a PPO - in being able to get care if I traveled...and that basic medicare was generally less sufficient than say, an AARP/United Health advantage plan or Aetna - and made reference to some facilities and/or providers potentially not covering procedures/care if on basic Medicare --
Who REALLY needs an "advantage" or "supplement" plan - or, is it generally ok to just sign up for basic Part A/B. As it stands I have very few meds so... I don't see drug coverage being a big deal - i.e. whether i need Part D. Can I not just take the basic coverage right now...and decide down the road if i want to add a supplemental coverage option? Also, if a medical condition arose say, 10 years from now, is there any thing that would preclude me from just adding a supplemental coverage plan then? (pre-existing condition). Is it true that if I don't opt for an 'Advantage' plan at 65, i can't do get one later? The insurance advisor suggested i have to decide 'now' and if i don't - i don't necessarily get another chance. Sufficiently confused at this point. Thanks for any clarity.