If You Have A Medicare Supplement Are You Happy With It?

We have Anthem Blue Cross for a supplement plan and Silver Scripts for medications. Both are very affordable and the coverage very good. Our Blue Cross actually went down this year about $30.00 a month.
 

I had used Anthem for most of clients for years. They are still competitive for Plan N (this is California) but a complete ripoff for Plan F (which I rarely write). I haven't used them for at least 5 years because they generally are more expensive than other companies. Silverscript is a decent plan but they raised prices and copays for 2017. There are better alternatives.

It pays to contact an independent agent for an annual review. You'd be surprised how much many people are throwing away but not doing this.

There is rarely an excuse for overpaying except being lazy.

Rick
 
I have a Medicare Advantage plan through Cigna Healthsprings, and it works great for me. Besides the coverage for dental and eye glasses, it also covers our fitness membership. This has been a blessing for us, and we go several times a week, some weeks we go every day. My husband works out with weights, and I swim and do water exercises.
Besides covering my prescriptions, there is also an allowance for OTC medical items, and things like aspirin and even vitamins. It also covers transportation to and from the doctor's office if for some reason I can't drive to get there.
 

After I retired I kept the BCBS PPO Plan plan I had at work but it was very expensive as I had to pay the full cost. When I turned 65 Medicare became my primary and BCBS became secondary so it acts as a Medicare supplement. The premium for it went down, but it's still expensive. I like the coverage. Between the two almost every thing gets paid except for very nominal amounts. However my cost is $111 a month for Medicare (would be $134 except for the hold harmless provision) plus $388 a month for the BCBS PPO. That comes to $499 a month. So for $500 a month I get what Canadians and most of the rest of the Western world gets for free. But I'm told they have an onerous tax burden. Really? $500 a month extra? Plus I paid Medicare taxes my whole working life?
 
Trade,
Paying $388 for a BCBS PPO plan seems really high. Not knowing what the exact coverage is, I cannot say for sure if it's the best deal for you.

I would encourage you to look around for a Medicare supplement plan. Premiums are based on age, zip code, plan type, and your health. It sounds like you kept a group plan to work with your Medicare. That might not be the best way to do it. Medicare supplements are designed to work with Medicare. Group plans are not specifically designed to work with Medicare. They will work, but you could be paying a lot for extra benefits in that group plan that Medicare already covers.

I would suggest you find a local broker who represent a number of medicare supplement companies. If you aren't sure who to look for, shoot me a Private Message and I will try to help. I am licensed in 14 states, but know other brokers in various parts of the country.

The most important factor for you will be your medicine coverage. Whoever you talk to, make sure you have the total estimated cost of what the medicare supplement plan + the Part D plan premium + copays for your medicines. Compare this to what you are paying with the PPO + copays for medicines.

I have seen a few cases where the client was taking some very expensive medicines ($10k+/year) and it made more sense for them to keep the group ppo plan because it covered the meds better (lower out of pocket cost for the client).

Hope that helps!
Rusty
 
RustyatMMC said:
Trade,
Paying $388 for a BCBS PPO plan seems really high. Not knowing what the exact coverage is, I cannot say for sure if it's the best deal for you.

I would encourage you to look around for a Medicare supplement plan. Premiums are based on age, zip code, plan type, and your health. It sounds like you kept a group plan to work with your Medicare. That might not be the best way to do it. Medicare supplements are designed to work with Medicare. Group plans are not specifically designed to work with Medicare. They will work, but you could be paying a lot for extra benefits in that group plan that Medicare already covers.

I would suggest you find a local broker who represent a number of medicare supplement companies. If you aren't sure who to look for, shoot me a Private Message and I will try to help. I am licensed in 14 states, but know other brokers in various parts of the country.

The most important factor for you will be your medicine coverage. Whoever you talk to, make sure you have the total estimated cost of what the medicare supplement plan + the Part D plan premium + copays for your medicines. Compare this to what you are paying with the PPO + copays for medicines.

I have seen a few cases where the client was taking some very expensive medicines ($10k+/year) and it made more sense for them to keep the group ppo plan because it covered the meds better (lower out of pocket cost for the client).

Hope that helps!
Rusty
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I have done some comparisons and I am happy with what I have except for the cost, but I can afford it. Everything else that is cheaper has less coverage and requires me to stay in some kind of limited network. What I have will cover me anywhere in the 50 states.
 
Trade,
If you were comparing plans that have networks, you were comparing medicare advantage plans to your PPO plan you have now.
I recommend you find a medicare supplement plan (Plan F, G or even N). Compare those prices to what you have. If you want to put your home zip code up here, I will software to quote companies all over the US. I can post some rates for you to look at, then you can find someone locally to help you if that makes sense.
I just hate to see someone paying that much, when there is a chance you could get better coverage with a medicare supplement.
Again, the number of meds you are taking and the type could have bearing as to which plan makes the most sense.
Just trying to help!
Thanks
Rusty
 
I totally agree with Rusty. There in no network (other than Medicare) with a supplement. The only advantage the PPO might have is some extra benefits such as chiropractic and more comprehensive drug coverage.

But to think it's a good deal compared with a supplement Plan N (likely $125 plus $25ish for a drug plan) tells me there was no agent involved in the decision. While not always the case, people who do their own research almost always makes the wrong, or at least an expensive decision.

But it's not my money to waste so knock yourself out.

Rick
 
RustyatMMC said:
Trade,
If you were comparing plans that have networks, you were comparing medicare advantage plans to your PPO plan you have now.
I recommend you find a medicare supplement plan (Plan F, G or even N). Compare those prices to what you have. If you want to put your home zip code up here, I will software to quote companies all over the US. I can post some rates for you to look at, then you can find someone locally to help you if that makes sense.
I just hate to see someone paying that much, when there is a chance you could get better coverage with a medicare supplement.
Again, the number of meds you are taking and the type could have bearing as to which plan makes the most sense.
Just trying to help!
Thanks
Rusty
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I appreciate it Dude, but I'm really not stupid. I ahve my reasons for sticking with what I have. One is that my wife needs a very expensive drug for her epilepsy and the generic does not work for her. The PPO plan I have covers it with a $100 copay for a 90 day supply. No other plan I have seen will come close to that. Another reason is that once I drop this PPO plan I can never get it back. So if I switch to something else and don't like it I'm SOL.
 
Sorry I tried to help and no one called you stupid either.

In my line of work you would be surprised how many people make decisions when they don't fully understand their options. It's not because some one is stupid. It's because they don't deal with this everyday. Unfortunately, there are a few agents/brokers out there who are more interested in selling someone a plan than doing the homework to see if it's a good fit. I talk to people at least once a day that confuse plan types and coverage types.

Your case is THE reason (expensive meds), which I said several times, as to why you would stick with group coverage like you did. Your comment about networks worried me because it sounded like you were not doing a full comparison of your options.

For those who read this later, if you or a spouse is taking an expensive name brand med(s), it's the best reason to keep that group plan. Often the pricing for an expensive name brand med will be less on a group plan than on a medicare part D plan. It is the first thing you should check before you make a decision as to which to keep.

Coverage for doctors and hospitals will be better on a medicare supplement plans, but the medicines you take are the kicker for which one is the overall best for you.

Good luck to you.
 
RustyatMMC said:
Sorry I tried to help and no one called you stupid either.

In my line of work you would be surprised how many people make decisions when they don't fully understand their options. It's not because some one is stupid. It's because they don't deal with this everyday. Unfortunately, there are a few agents/brokers out there who are more interested in selling someone a plan than doing the homework to see if it's a good fit. I talk to people at least once a day that confuse plan types and coverage types.

Your case is THE reason (expensive meds), which I said several times, as to why you would stick with group coverage like you did. Your comment about networks worried me because it sounded like you were not doing a full comparison of your options.

For those who read this later, if you or a spouse is taking an expensive name brand med(s), it's the best reason to keep that group plan. Often the pricing for an expensive name brand med will be less on a group plan than on a medicare part D plan. It is the first thing you should check before you make a decision as to which to keep.

Coverage for doctors and hospitals will be better on a medicare supplement plans, but the medicines you take are the kicker for which one is the overall best for you.

Good luck to you.
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Actually it was Green Sky who implied that I was wasting my money. Which is pretty much calling me stupid. But I'll let that slide because I have been guilty of worse.

As for you Rusty, I just don't care for people trying to sell me stuff. If I want something, I'll go shopping for it. Otherwise, I don't want to hear any sales pitches. I get more than enough of that from the telemarketers that keep bugging me. So pretty please with sugar on top, put me on your do not call list.
 
The best thing you've done for insurance agents (and probably everyone else) is to do things yourself. I can't imagine having you for a client.

Nice edit job on your post. I liked it better when you went out of your way to insult the two people on this thread much more qualified to discuss insurance than you.

If you must have the last word, please have at it. You're not worth my time.

Rick
 
GreenSky said:
The best thing you've done for insurance agents (and probably everyone else) is to do things yourself. I can't imagine having you for a client.

Nice edit job on your post. I liked it better when you went out of your way to insult the two people on this thread much more qualified to discuss insurance than you.

If you must have the last word, please have at it. You're not worth my time.

Rick
Click to expand...

You're right of course. I should have just ignored your snarky remark about how I was wasting my money.

I keep forgetting what our High School football coach used to say. "Never retaliate when you are fouled because nine times out of ten the ref will flag the person that retaliates instead of the one that fouled in the first place."

My bad.
 

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