Medicare Continued: What You Need to Know About Medigap Insurance

This is a good article. However, when I first started investigating all of this I found it super confusing! What was really confusing to me it that there is Medicare Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage Part C, and Prescriptions Drugs Part D. Then you have the Medigap plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, N. Wish they could identify these plans so the Medigap plans had a significant different name so they weren't so close to each other. Something like Medi-A, Medi-B...Maybe it is just me being a blockhead! I also thought when you got your Medicare card it was just Medicare, a health program. Didn't realize there was Part A and Part B and Part B is not mandatory but if taken costs $134 a month. Plus, Part D, not mandatory (various prices). I understand it all now, but whew, it takes some time!

Every state has a very helpful navigator to steer you through this process. An agent however stands to make money.

I signed up for a Medigap policy, Plan G, with the premium savings per month more than covered the deductible than with Plan F. I bought a Medigap policy premium and insurance company rating comparison for my address from "Weiss Research" which I paid $49.00 for and it covered every insurance issuer that offered Medigap plans for my address. It was very well done and makes choosing the lowest cost plan/premium easy. The plan G policy I selected was a top rated insurance company and the premiums were substantially lower than the next lowest premium, which was from a top tier rated insurance company also. The U.S. government's website also provides good information too, but isn't as extensive as to what the Weiss Medigap Report provided. The Weiss Report can be found on the internet, just "Google" it.

Do I need medical if I have TriCare for Life?

My mother had TriCare for Life and some sort of supplement plan from AARP which they no longer sell. She never paid anything for any of her medical adventures, of which there were many. When she would gripe about a $3 co pay for prescriptions, I would remind her how good she had it compared to the rest of us.

So take a look at what the supplement would cost, what TriCare doesn't cover, and decide if it would be worth it to you.

I live in Washington, DC and most Internal Medicine practices here do not participate with Tri-care, nor did the surgery practice that I worked with for 12.5 years. Too many hoops to jump through.

Most Florida practices accept Tricare. My parents paid very little, other than their Part B premiums, for Tricare for Life. However, Congress plans to increase the copays and fees that new and existing recipients pay. Sad to say that the increases may be quite steep. It is well worth getting on the various mailing lists and supporting the various military and retiree advocacy organizations ifor those of us covered by Tricare. We all could experience some steep increases in what we need to pay.

We are moving a group of comments about medical insurance from an unrelated topic here for a better fit:

Michael, I have to buy my own health insurance. Consider Christian Health share Ministries in Barberton, Ohio, It is a company that was founded in 1981 and has nearly 400,000 members. Their gold plan is $150.00 per month plus for $40.00 per year and $25.00 a quarter you can also get catastrophic coverage. It is NOT traditional insurance, but if you fall ill and it is not a pre-existing condition you submit your bills (over $500.00) to CHM and they share the bill among the members. You will receive cards and prayers from the members and feel the caring of the other members. Once I go on Medicare next year, I will use it as my secondary coverage. You will ask your providers for a cash discount CHM can also do this for you before they pay the bill. Many traditional insurance plans have high deductibles–much more than $500.00 and monthly fees that are unaffordable. There are other companies like Liberty Health share and Medi-share that you might want to check into as well. Many companies have changed to the health share model due to the high costs of traditional insurance. This has worked for me so far. CHM was endorsed by Dave Ramsey and my first $150.00 was paid because I mentioned that I heard about them from him. Also for Dental–check into 1Dental.com for $99.00 per year and they also cover vision as well. These are just suggestions…we do not have to be gouged by huge insurance premiums just because we are not yet 65.
Michael, I have to buy my own health insurance. Consider Christian Health share Ministries in Barberton, Ohio, It is a company that was founded in 1981 and has nearly 400,000 members. Their gold plan is $150.00 per month plus for $40.00 per year and $25.00 a quarter you can also get catastrophic coverage. It is NOT traditional insurance, but if you fall ill and it is not a pre-existing condition you submit your bills (over $500.00) to CHM and they share the bill among the members. You will receive cards and prayers from the members and feel the caring of the other members. Once I go on Medicare next year, I will use it as my secondary coverage. You will ask your providers for a cash discount CHM can also do this for you before they pay the bill. Many traditional insurance plans have high deductibles–much more than $500.00 and monthly fees that are unaffordable. There are other companies like Liberty Health share and Medi-share that you might want to check into as well. Many companies have changed to the health share model due to the high costs of traditional insurance. This has worked for me so far. CHM was endorsed by Dave Ramsey and my first $150.00 was paid because I mentioned that I heard about them from him. Also for Dental–check into Dental1.com for $99.00 per year and they also cover vision as well. These are just suggestions…we do not have to be gouged by huge insurance premiums just because we are not yet 65.
It is 1dental.com—sorry I transposed it by mistake. It is a $99.00 per year Dental/vision plan also endorsed by Dave Ramsey and they have a network of dentists who participate for pre negotiated prices. I called them and they checked my area in DC and there were 17 Dentists in my direct vicinity–two within walking distance. Before making an appointment, I would check on YELP for the ratings the dentist gets, just because a provider is in a program does not mean they are good. I vet them thoroughly.
Good Luck. Jennifer
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I belong to Dentalplans.com. It has worked out good for us since 2015. After the negotiated price is figured, it costs us $101 for a cleaning/check up. We are in CT so prices are probably higher here. Louise
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Michael Alwardt, My hub retired at age 63 and after that we went on Obamacare. We have kept our income below the 400% poverty level ($64,960) to get the subsidy to help pay for the insurance. For the two of us with subsidy we paid $495 a month. Hub went to Medicare last year and I stayed on Obamacare. Because they base the cost on family income the cost remained around the same for me, one person. Not sure what State you are in but CT is one of the highest cost state to live in too and that is where we live.

Not sure what the future of Obamacare is now that it seems to be on the chopping block but for now it is still hanging in there. I go to Medicare in August. Good luck on your decision to retire! Louise
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Sandyg sent in this question:

Hope someone can tell me - I'm still working and carry the health ins. for my husband who is retired and my self. I hope to retire in Jan.2019 at which time we will go on medicare -hope to take medigap plan G here in NY ,but plan to move to AZ after we sell our home . If that all takes longer than the 6 month free grace period where you don't have to answer any health questions - are you able to continue with medigap G without answering health questions in AZ if we have to change ins. co. due to NY doesn't offer same ins. co as AZ? Thank you
Sandyg