Insurance options if not eligible for Medicare?
- Thread starter rraina
- Start date
Butterfly
SF VIP
- Location
- Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
Call an independent insurance agent for advice.
https://caregiversamerica.com/what-if-i-havent-worked-long-enough-to-qualify-for-medicare/#:~:text=Normally, you need to have,A services without paying premiums.
This is a helpful article, it appears that you can actually buy into Medicare if you don't have enough credits to get Part A for free. At the very least, you can buy into Part B for the same premium that we all pay, that will at least cover outpatient care.
You should also check what's available through your state. Here in MA, the Health Care Connector can match you up with low cost private insurance, some other states may have similar programs.
Good luck!
This is a helpful article, it appears that you can actually buy into Medicare if you don't have enough credits to get Part A for free. At the very least, you can buy into Part B for the same premium that we all pay, that will at least cover outpatient care.
You should also check what's available through your state. Here in MA, the Health Care Connector can match you up with low cost private insurance, some other states may have similar programs.
Good luck!
Dudewho
Member
- Location
- NORTH CAROLINA
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asp3
Senior Member
- Location
- Silicon Valley, CA
I think you might have accidentally mixed up months with quarters. A quarter is three months so it is my understanding that the OP had only worked 20 quarters. However I might be completely wrong about that.
Dudewho
Member
- Location
- NORTH CAROLINA
You are correct and I stand corrected. Thank you!
Dudewho
Member
- Location
- NORTH CAROLINA
I have deleted it because I don't want wrong info out there. Thank you.
asp3
Senior Member
- Location
- Silicon Valley, CA
I do the same kind of things myself, it's easy to do with numbers.
Are you still on pain meds? Cause the topic of discussion is insurance and Medicare.
jujube
SF VIP
Yep, I was pretty sure I saw the words "Insurance" and "Medicare" in the title.
Verisure
Senior Member
Yep, I'm pretty sure I saw the words "Insurance" and "Medicare" in my reply.
Verisure
Senior Member
No, I'm not on pain meds. Thank you for asking. I never have been on pain meds and I hope it will be a long time before I do. What about you? Does your insurance pay for it or does it come out of your pocket? Anyway, the topic of discussion is insurance and Medicare ... not pain meds.
Lara
Friend of the Arts
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic Coast
Aneeda72 said: ^
I see you joined SF years ago but just started posting a few days ago.
So welcome to the forum. It's nice to have you.
Come on in, the water's fine
...
@Verisure Of course you are on-topic for this thread and you're welcome to share your thoughts. You are just saying that you're from Sweden and that insurance and Medicare are not topics of discussion in Sweden because your healthcare is free. I understand you completely.
I see you joined SF years ago but just started posting a few days ago.
So welcome to the forum. It's nice to have you.
Come on in, the water's fine
...
Last edited:
Yes, I am seen in a pain clinic. Yes, I am on pain meds. Yes, I get steroid shots, into my spine for pain. Yes, my insurance pays for the meds and the shots. I also use two different pain creams and pain patches. I use NASIDS as well. Yes, I frequently wish I’d just die.
No I am not “hooked” on pain meds. No, I do not use them every day as I do not wish to be hooked on pain meds. I endure a LOT of pain despite having having a very high pain threshold. I sometimes just lay and scream in pain, hallucinate, and then arrive at the ER to be told-nothing they can do.
I have private medical insurance and Medicare. The private insurance pays for the meds.
Verisure
Senior Member
Thank you very much, Lara!Aneeda72 said: ^
@Verisure Of course you are on-topic for this thread and you're welcome to share your thoughts. You are just saying that you're from Sweden and that insurance and Medicare are not topics of discussion in Sweden because your healthcare is free. I understand you completely.
I see you joined SF years ago but just started posting a few days ago.
So welcome to the forum. It's nice to have you.
Come on in, the water's fine
View attachment 154156
And yes, I see the waters can be infested with sharks. Two tried to take a bite out of me but I'm a pretty good swimmer and I dodged them. I didn't even do anything wrong! 
Verisure
Senior Member
Wow! It's good that you don't have to pay the bill because it sounds expensive. Can you get around town on foot at all? Despite my pace-maker and knee replacement I try to get out every day. I walk as far as I can then take the city bus back home but some days just getting down the stairs is too much for me so I stay put.
Lara
Friend of the Arts
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic Coast
Unfortunately, premiums have increased for a lot of people who already had health insurance.
Up until 2019 everyone was fined who didn't get Obamacare. But people complained that it was too much government control to demand everyone to pay for Obamacare. My son, who at the time had no job, was fined $700 one year because he didn't sign up for Obamacare.
Taxes are going up as a result of Obamacare.
Many people complain that signing up for for the right family plan or business coverage can be tricky. In recent years the enrollment period has shortened to Nov1 - Dec15.
Businesses are cutting employee hours to avoid covering employees. Businesses with 50 or more employees must offer insurance or make payments to cover healthcare expenses for employees. By reducing hours, businesses are able to get the 30-hour-per-week definition of a full-time employee.
https://www.healthline.com/health/consumer-healthcare-guide/pros-and-cons-obamacare
Verisure
Senior Member
Huh? I'm shocked! Is that really legal? If it's compulsory why isn't everyone automatically granted it without needing to apply?
The law I believe was if you did now sign up for some type of insurance a fine would be levied against your income tax refund check. But 700.00?? That stumps me, unless there were other factors involved, like keep refusing to sign up??
Verisure
Senior Member
Yeah, I think $700 is a lot of money. Too much.
Lara may have mistyped the dollar amount too?
Verisure
Senior Member
I hope so.
Lara
Friend of the Arts
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic Coast
I was correct. Check it out:
"In the past if you went without Obamacare-compliant health insurance for more than two consecutive months during the year, you were sometimes subjected to a significant tax penalty. According to healthcare.gov, the penalty for 2018 (paid when you filed 2018’s taxes in 2019) was $695 per adult or 2.5% of your taxable income – whichever was greater"
https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/resources/affordable-care-act/how-can-i-avoid-an-obamacare-tax-penalty-in-2019#:~:text=According to healthcare.gov, the,taxable income – whichever was greater!
"In the past if you went without Obamacare-compliant health insurance for more than two consecutive months during the year, you were sometimes subjected to a significant tax penalty. According to healthcare.gov, the penalty for 2018 (paid when you filed 2018’s taxes in 2019) was $695 per adult or 2.5% of your taxable income – whichever was greater"
https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/resources/affordable-care-act/how-can-i-avoid-an-obamacare-tax-penalty-in-2019#:~:text=According to healthcare.gov, the,taxable income – whichever was greater!