Best Medicare plans, and where to get help with figuring out all the mess?

[Mtnbiker]

I know there are all kinds of people with all kinds of different professions background and knowledge. So I’m wondering how best to learn and find out about Medicare or even Medicaid and what plans are a rip off? Plans are great if any such thing.
I live in Virginia Northern Virginia if it matters.
Thank you and
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[csandste]

I've used Aetna and it's predecessors Medicare Advantage plans for nine years. No additional premium other than Medicare which I am upcharged on because of my tax bracket. Any of the major players should work well if they cover the major medical systems in your area. The Feds track satisfaction levels. I prefer an HMO to a PPO cause you're not going to want to pay out of network anyway. Much superior to the employer based insurance when I was working or the medigap insurance I was forced to take during my first year when United Healthcare kept losing my initial enrollment. (Nothing against UHC per se assume that was a fluke). TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY FOR ENROLLMENT IIRC.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

I know there are all kinds of people with all kinds of different professions background and knowledge. So I’m wondering how best to learn and find out about Medicare or even Medicaid and what plans are a rip off? Plans are great if any such thing.
I live in Virginia Northern Virginia if it matters.
Thank you and
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here in CenLa (Central La.) we have a government funded place (La. Counsel On Aging) that does everything for you if you're just starting on Medicare, or if you're currently on Medicare. I send them my meds by e-mail every open time of the year and they find me the best/lowest price for my Part D prescription plan. Those that are just starting on Medicare they set them up with the best way of approaching Medicare and the best/lowest prices on a supplemental plan (20%). And, all of the services are FREE. The government pays their salaries to do this for people on Medicare and/or getting on Medicare.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Have you looked what's available in your county from medicare.gov? My county has 23 plans to choose from and you can scroll through to see what you are interested in. There is also some rating info provided, so you can get a feel for how well others feel about the various plans. You can create an account or do some analysis without signing in.

My sister and BIL use a broker to help find their chosen plan, because they find the process rather complicated.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

OP, why don't you look into your local county (Parishes here in La.) organizations, similar to what we have here in CenLa. I bet there is some kind of group that might help you.

 

[vwmaniaman]

We just reset ours to Anthem again but a different policy. This one is less money so we added a comprehensive dental adder that also covers eyeglasses. We just hope it all works. So far this last year I have been very pleased. We have saved over $400/month.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

We just reset ours to Anthem again but a different policy. This one is less money so we added a comprehensive dental adder that also covers eyeglasses. We just hope it all works. So far this last year I have been very pleased. We have saved over $400/month.

WOW! That's awesome! Good for you.

 

[NormanBuntz]

www.checkbook.org is a decent website for health insurance guidance.

 

[CKN]

Look for reviews for a local agent to help you-there are good ones out there and it's zero cost to you.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Plans are regional. I would check with a broker who can advise you.
Good luck.

 

[DwightFrye]

I signed up for Medicare in June when I turned 65. I added Parts B&C and also I think it is Part D which covers dental and eye care/glasses.
My biggest takeaway is that it is going to cost some money to have anywhere near the kind of coverage that you may have had when employed and most of the costs were paid by your employer.

For example, the prescription drug coverage for a simple refill that used to cost me $10 when employed now costs $35. And my dentist, who is awesome and I have been going to for more than 20 years doesn't accept an HMO plan so it costs me about $60 a month for upgraded to a PPO dental coverage.

I looked into the so called "$0" coverage plans and they really only apply if you are at or near poverty level and want bare bones coverage that will cause sticker shock with the co-pays if you ever have to use it.

Figure on at least a couple hundred bucks a month for decent coverage, and possibly more.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I signed up for Medicare in June when I turned 65. I added Parts B&C and also I think it is Part D which covers dental and eye care/glasses.
My biggest takeaway is that it is going to cost some money to have anywhere near the kind of coverage that you may have had when employed and most of the costs were paid by your employer.

For example, the prescription drug coverage for a simple refill that used to cost me $10 when employed now costs $35. And my dentist, who is awesome and I have been going to for more than 20 years doesn't accept an HMO plan so it costs me about $60 a month for upgraded to a PPO dental coverage.

I looked into the so called "$0" coverage plans and they really only apply if you are at or near poverty level and want bare bones coverage that will cause sticker shock with the co-pays if you ever have to use it.

Figure on at least a couple hundred bucks a month for decent coverage, and possibly more.

In CA, at least where I live, dental plans are pretty much worthless. I hope yours is better.

 

[vwmaniaman]

My Anthem coverage is costing each of us $40/mo with the add on dental and eyeglasses. But we also each pay out of our SS each moth for our Part B from Medicare I think that is around $142/mo for each of us. When we wee buying part F and part D plus part B It was around $500/month each. WE feel like we won the lottery. Recently my wife had an AFIB incident and I took her to the emergency room. Has been covered with what we have.

 

[alarmguy]

Im not "there" yet but need to start learning about the same stuff as the OP.
Comments arent helping as much as maybe some comments on a central source? If that makes sense?
I am sure there has to be some excellent websites out there to help with this.

I dont trust brokers, Im sure there are good ones and bad ones, but I am sure many know nothing except to sign up people.
I do think once source I can trust is Blue Cross/Blue Shield which I assume is the "standard" of excellent coverage and very competitive prices.