Need thoughts on Health Insurance

[QRTRHRS]

Thought I would bring this thread back to the top with some questions/thoughts on Medigap.

My wife turns 65 in November and my employer's insurance offers no options for us. My wife doctors alot so I am looking at a plan F through Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company. At 101 per month, there is no deductable period and she can go to any doctor she wishes to that will accept the plan and supposedly, most do.

Anyone hear anything bad about Bankers? At least I have a local rep. We did some searching on the net and there is no end to the list of people that have a great deal. They seem to be in a big hurry to sign us up go figure!

I still have to find a prescription plan that works too. We only got more confused using the government's site.

 

[Bird]

I'm not familiar with Bankers, but I wonder if their Plan F and the AARP (United HealthCare) Plan F that we have is the same plan. If so, that premium amount sounds like a bargain. We're paying $321.32 for both of us and I've heard a rumor it'll be $250 next year. If so, it'll be the first time in my memory that health insurance premiums went down.

 

[mjarrels]

Just spent six days in the hospital... bill came to $57,495. Insurance carrier now does not want to pay and is looking for a third party to be held responsible.

mark

 

[milkman]

Thought I would bring this thread back to the top with some questions/thoughts on Medigap.

My wife turns 65 in November and my employer's insurance offers no options for us. My wife doctors alot so I am looking at a plan F through Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company. At 101 per month, there is no deductable period and she can go to any doctor she wishes to that will accept the plan and supposedly, most do.

Anyone hear anything bad about Bankers? At least I have a local rep. We did some searching on the net and there is no end to the list of people that have a great deal. They seem to be in a big hurry to sign us up go figure!

I still have to find a prescription plan that works too. We only got more confused using the government's site.

I see you're from Ky so maybe this will help. I called my Soc. Sec. office in Owensboro Ky. when I became eligible for medicare and they gave me the name of a place that walked me through all the options, and there are a bunch. They knew all the policies cost and the differences in them and are not allowed to tell me which one to choose, only give me the options and I decide which is best for me. All this is a free service and each eligibility period I can go to them and they will explain all the changes and at that time I can either stay with what I have or change to something else. It does change every year, seems some ins. companies offer good deal at signing, then if you don't watch at renewal time, coverage changes. Your Soc. Sec office would probably be a good place to start.

 

[Travelover]

..... when I became eligible for medicaid ..........

I think you mean Medicare. Medicaid is for people that are indigent.

 

[milkman]

I think you mean Medicare. Medicaid is for people that are indigent.

Thanks, fixed it.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I'm not familiar with Bankers, but I wonder if their Plan F and the AARP (United HealthCare) Plan F that we have is the same plan. If so, that premium amount sounds like a bargain. We're paying $321.32 for both of us and I've heard a rumor it'll be $250 next year. If so, it'll be the first time in my memory that health insurance premiums went down.

Bird, the 101 would be in addition to 115.40/month for part A & B. We had a local agent come out to the house who explained alot of things to us. I asked her a couple of times and she said absolutely no co-pays, or yearly deductable. We would still need a drug plan.

I still have a couple of years to go and our current insurance through my work runs 153 bi-monthly with 30-40 dollar copays for the two of us. Since most visits are 40, I figure we will be putting out less overall but who knows.

My employers insurance offers no plans for retired spouses. I have a request in to find out if I can keep my wife on the dental which is seperate from the medical but a relative bargain at around 7-8 bucks bi-monthly for both of us.

What a nightmare to wade through all this info!

 

[QRTRHRS]

I see you're from Ky so maybe this will help. I called my Soc. Sec. office in Owensboro Ky. when I became eligible for medicare and they gave me the name of a place that walked me through all the options, and there are a bunch. They knew all the policies cost and the differences in them and are not allowed to tell me which one to choose, only give me the options and I decide which is best for me. All this is a free service and each eligibility period I can go to them and they will explain all the changes and at that time I can either stay with what I have or change to something else. It does change every year, seems some ins. companies offer good deal at signing, then if you don't watch at renewal time, coverage changes. Your Soc. Sec office would probably be a good place to start.

milkman, thanks for the input. As I said to Bird though, we did have a lady agent come out and she was indeed helpful even though she represented Bankers Fidelity. She was not pushy nor did she insist her way was the highway.

We did some online searches and I was not thrilled with the sales pitches. The common theme is to hurry up and sign up.

My elderly mother lives with my wife and I. She has one of the lower cost advantage plans and is always complaining about the co-pays.

 

[ronjhall]

milkman, thanks for the input. As I said to Bird though, we did have a lady agent come out and she was indeed helpful even though she represented Bankers Fidelity. She was not pushy nor did she insist her way was the highway.

We did some online searches and I was not thrilled with the sales pitches. The common theme is to hurry up and sign up.

My elderly mother lives with my wife and I. She has one of the lower cost advantage plans and is always complaining about the co-pays.

You will find that Advantage plans, regardless of who is selling them is giving the seller a commission.
Look for a Supplemental plan that has no Deductibles or Co-Pays. Hard to find because no one is getting a commission.

 

[QRTRHRS]

You will find that Advantage plans, regardless of who is selling them is giving the seller a commission.
Look for a Supplemental plan that has no Deductibles or Co-Pays. Hard to find because no one is getting a commission.

We are finding several options for the plan "F" version with no deductable and no co-pay. Hard to figure. I don't mean this to be derogatory but there is certainly no shortage of people with health issues where we live.