Medicare with Medigap or Medicare Advantage?

[Jim Rogers]

Ok-- maybe we can continue to revive this thread occasionally over time in order to compare notes as we progress through our old-age insurance journey.

Others might be helped by our findings.

Talk to you soon!

 

[awguy]

My broker pushed the Advantage plans. Just a tidbit about dentists. I don’t see much of an issue with them not accepting insurance. I get mailed flyers a few times a week from them so I assume there is some competition. I’ve even received free offers and once a $50 Visa gift card. But then I’m talking about large metropolitan areas.

 

[mk378]

If regular Medicare directly paid 100%, absolutely no one would want to involve any sort of private insurance. What value are these "free market" middlemen bringing to the healthcare situation?

 

[alarmguy]

If regular Medicare directly paid 100%, absolutely no one would want to involve any sort of private insurance. What value are these "free market" middlemen bringing to the healthcare situation?

I guess it all comes down to what the public wants to pay in taxes which would be significant if we were forced into it.
Right now you get full 100% paid for hospitalization at no cost, no co copay, no deductible worth mentioning and for and optional $180 a month full medical insurance that includes doctors, procedures everything medical BUT you have to pay 20% of the cost each and every year. Plus you have to pay prescriptions.

That is were you can elect private insurance called Medigap (N or G) if you want the luxury of being covered 100% and never pay a medical bill. Plus pay Part D for drugs

or the Alternative and elect to go all private with an Advantage C plan.

Actually the choices are very fair, way better than the working public gets right now. We all know good medical care like we have in the USA cost money. Just so you know, Im not defending it but I wouldnt want a socialist country system and all the world (for those who can afford it) want to come here for care. I really dont know anyone unhappy with the system. People love it but let's face it, in a country with 350 million people the unhappy people have the loudest voice in the age of social media.

I think the value question amounts to, since when is government efficient? I dont know, I remember decades back the rave about the USSR and health care system. I read to this day about our neighbors to the north waiting for treatments and simple MRI's and overseas? They come here, including that guy in the royal family that came here for treatment and created a big scandal

IN reality if you want soup to nuts coverage (health only) you can have it for $500 a month and never pay a medical bill. Not a bad deal compared to the non medicare population.

or if comfortable choose an Advantage C and get some free vision, hearing, dental plus all the above and other perks. for $170 a month but have an exposure to an out of pocket co/pay limit every year. Depending on area can be high if you get really sick. I so far have kept my out of pocket exposure to less than 5k per year and for me to hit that I would need about one half million in expenses for the year.

 

[alarmguy]

My broker pushed the Advantage plans. Just a tidbit about dentists. I don’t see much of an issue with them not accepting insurance. I get mailed flyers a few times a week from them so I assume there is some competition. I’ve even received free offers and once a $50 Visa gift card. But then I’m talking about large metropolitan areas.

Yes, I mean, its easy to find out what series in an area your plan covers and with who before you sign up and if your unhappy in the first year can go back to a more expensive Medigap plan with no dental coverage.
Some dentists in my area take NO coverage from anyone or any age group, they demand payment at time of treatment and they will submit the claim for you and give you anything that is collected.

But to confirm with you, there is no issue finding dentists that will take payment from the ins company. Most Advantage C plans allow you to go to any dentist and will pay the contracted rates for in-network dentists if you go to an out of network dentist you would just have to pay the difference.

 

[mk378]

"Advantage C" premiums are paid from tax money the same pool as regular Medicare. Either way it's at least 80% socialized now. What is the big deal about going the other 20%?

Medical costs are lower for the "non Medicare population" for two major reasons: They are below retirement age, and they have to be healthy enough to hold a job in order to participate in employer insurance. If they become significantly ill, they switch to Medicaid, which of course is 100% socialized.