KennyG
Elite Member
I'm not trying to start a rant here but just retired and have had some interesting experiences with Medicare. I'm wondering if this is typical.
I have a Medicare Supplement plan and a Part D plan from a private insurance company and it's been a very positive experience. They provided very clear information on the options. When I call them I get someone on the phone right away. When there has been some problem, they just fixed it, and sent me something for a confirmatory form for signature.
Medicare itself has been different. The people are very courteous but they can't directly do anything. They can only fill out forms or refer you someone else. The first problem was they set Medicare to start a month early, before I retired. Although the form I filed showed the correct date of retirement, they automatically start the coverage the month after the form is signed. I gather this happens all the time but nothing tells you this. Additional forms have to be filed to appeal the original start date. After a month I'm still waiting to see if this is corrected. My next step will be appealing my "high income" surcharge based on 2015. The website suggests making an appointment when visiting the local office. However, the voice mail system at the local office has no way to reach a real person unless you know their name or phone extension. Fortunately, the first time I went in the wait was less than 45 minutes. It will be interesting to see if that is typical. I'm hoping everything will be on autopilot once I get the signup issues resolved, but it's not encouraging.
I have a Medicare Supplement plan and a Part D plan from a private insurance company and it's been a very positive experience. They provided very clear information on the options. When I call them I get someone on the phone right away. When there has been some problem, they just fixed it, and sent me something for a confirmatory form for signature.
Medicare itself has been different. The people are very courteous but they can't directly do anything. They can only fill out forms or refer you someone else. The first problem was they set Medicare to start a month early, before I retired. Although the form I filed showed the correct date of retirement, they automatically start the coverage the month after the form is signed. I gather this happens all the time but nothing tells you this. Additional forms have to be filed to appeal the original start date. After a month I'm still waiting to see if this is corrected. My next step will be appealing my "high income" surcharge based on 2015. The website suggests making an appointment when visiting the local office. However, the voice mail system at the local office has no way to reach a real person unless you know their name or phone extension. Fortunately, the first time I went in the wait was less than 45 minutes. It will be interesting to see if that is typical. I'm hoping everything will be on autopilot once I get the signup issues resolved, but it's not encouraging.