Medicare enrollment periods SUCK!!! I was looking for a new plan. A different direction. Not realizing that because I was signed up for a supplement plan when I first started Medicare if I changed plans and ending up not liking it, which ended up being the case, I couldn't change it back. Which it was Capital Blue I swapped to in Dec and was told I had a 90 day "grace period" to change if I didn't like it. I signed up for UPMC for life yesterday and actually slept all night last night. Cap blue had 0 of my drs in their plan. They didn't even cover my area of anything medical. WTH???? I haven't slept a full night since Saturday. I was waking up around 1am with my insurance on my mind. Not really going back to sleep the rest of the night. Tuesday I had the idea it was possibly anxiety, because I was remembering feeling like my heart could've been racing. My chest would burn around my sternum. I would feel like the tin man when I would wake up. My back was stiff also had stiff legs. Which was making me wonder if my baclofen pump needed adjusted. I'm just very happy it's fixed. The agent that signed me up for the new policy was very good. He did his homework to find the right policy for me.
Medicare open enrollment: Medicare... - My MSAA Community
Medicare open enrollment
I have an insurance agent who helps me go through the different plans. He is a advocate for Medicare and goes thru all of the different policies and narrow it down for review.👍 I have been with United Health Care Complete the last couple years and has been great. It only cost $24.00 q month no deductible and $1750.00 year out of pocket 😊 Atena has a great one but I can’t afford $200.00 a month 😲. My in laws have this and has a $200.00 out of pocket and no deductible 👍. None of the polices like MS drugs 🥵. I have a grant that helps with co-pay for Aubagio and that helps a lot 👍. I also got help from St.Lukes Hospital advocate and the cover 80 percent of my out of pocket on co-pays🙏. What is really nice my agent checks all doctors, hospitals, facilities, etc. that are in each plan so I’m not surprised. Even better it doesn’t cost me anything as he is a Medicare advocate and gets paid by them👍😊🙏 Ken 🐾🐾
My policy is also 24.00 a month. But costs me nothing. I think my OOP is also 1750. I'm not an AETNA fan. The agent said he had another plan to show me. I said it better not be AETNA. He laughed and said it's not.
I think Atena works great for them but they have no autoimmune disease just getting old in good health which makes a big difference ✅. Ken
Kenu...thank you for sharing that bit of info...it was very helpful! 🦋🦋
With all these health plans and the accompanying mumbo jumbo, it's always sounds like you're 'dammed if you do, and dammed if you don't' So happy that you have help ~ advocate ~ to assist you with all this, though! So stressful 
I just went through Medicare open enrollment for the first time. What a nightmare! I got some help from local SHIBA reps thankfully. I was told by multiple people including my doctors not to go with an advantage plan. And since I’m under 65 I didn’t have much choice in supplemental plans...just 2 were available. 🤬 I’m paying a bunch for it all and it’s killing me. I’m also fighting Social Security who thinks I can pay a bunch more because my 2017 taxes included the 401k money I withdrew to buy my condo.
How long before you are 65? You can't get the advantage plan until you are 65 & this I know because they put off on disability at 64 & it was a mess. I couldn't afford a supplemental plan so I had to do with out one. It was touchy for that year & we had to watch our money. Medicare paid my pcp & all but $14.00 of my specialist (neuro). DMT was covered by a grant. Now I'm going to be 66 in a short while & I have Medicare advantage thru AARP & my Medicare covers it with what they take out of Social Security. BEAWARE of all those who say " you qualify for this or that" call 1800MEDICARE they will tell you what is & isn't. Mary
Interesting kycmary . I'm a ways from 65 so I'm stuck with the situation as it exists unless the rules change. One reason I hate this stuff is that I get different answers depending on who I'm talking with. The SHIBA people are trained by the government to help people through signing up for medicare. They are in every state and sometimes referred to as SHIP not SHIBA. Can't recall the translation of the acronyms at the moment.
When I used the online system to view the plans I was eligible for, there was a spot to answer if you are under 65. This eliminated all but 2 supplements and some, but not all, of the advantage plans. It could be that your result differed because we don't live in the same area. In Washington, plans even differ by county! Its nuts!
It could be that my doctor doesn't accept advantage plans so steered me away from them. When I asked if they accepted medicare, I was told they accept original medicare but only for existing patients not new ones.
I was also told by multiple people that advantage plans cost more in the long run for people with chronic illnesses and lots of medical related appointments. I have multiple issues that my PCP stays on top of so that's why I have so many appointments.
Glad everything is fixed!
Medicare can be very confusing I was put on it when I had to quit work & go on disability but I only had a RX plan then until I turned 65 & everybody & their uncle suddenly were EXPURTS!! Only they didn't know their head from a mole lump in my yard!! Did you finally get it straighten out?
Yes. The agent/advocate that signed me up for my new plan told me today when I talked to him to ask him a couple questions told me everything's good. No worries.
That's great news I'm happy for you.
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