Supplement cost going up...again~

R

readheadedgal

New Member
My policy with Mutual of Omaha is going from $202 to $234.70. :mad: I'm very angry :mad:and just had to say this somewhere.
I can't afford this!!! along with the month Part B cost, I'll be paying over $400/month. I don't want an advantage plan, because I visit the dr too much and would pay copays. that, and I don't want to have to choose a network. I'm between a rock and a hard place. every year since I've been on Medicare, I've been angry at the cost. I thought we paid INTO it all our working lives, but nope. just for hospitalization. I'm rarely IN the hospital. sigh
 

My drug supplement policy monthly premium is actually going down! Of course, they've made up for it by raising the price I have to pay for the drugs, upping the "out-of-pocket" I have to satisfy first and moving some "maintenance" drugs from Tier One up to Tier Two so we have to pay more for them.

There's no such thing as a "free lunch".....we'll pay for it one way or the other.
 
I feel sorry for redheadedgal. I REALLY consider myself lucky after reading post #1.

Some of my advantage plan benefits.

Doctor visits. $0.00 copay
Specialists $0.00 copay
Dental $4,000.00 available
Vision $0.00 for annual checkup Had catarac romoval was $50.00 copay
Drug cost Only have one tier 3 that is $47.00 for 100 day supply. Donut hole once a year cost $418.00 paid for by HSA
Emergency room copay $140.00 for 2025 paid for by HSA
The OTC amount dropped to $40.00 per quarter for 2025.
 
As we speak some college graduates in computer science are entering the job market. These advantage plans are a place that is looking to improve their financial bottom lines. With the amount of diverse data and other relevant information on the patient, the algorithms being used will find the best match. Each company will of course be programming their computer to favor them., and so on. Probably the deals are going to start looking better, but they are going to fall way short of good health care. We do not have the doctors nd nurses and equipment needed to provide that, but pharmaceuticals they do have. :)
 
I'm sorry if I sound dumb, but are you all referring to private health care plans? I'm currently without any health care–related insurance because I am an independent contractor and thus have to buy my own. The cheapest plan I could find on healthcare.gov was north of $600. My income doesn't qualify me for Medicaid; I simply have a lot of debt to pay down—from medical expenses, ironically.
 
Paco Dennis said:
probably the deals are going to start looking better, but they are going to fall way short of good health care. 0
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I can't complain. Had pain in my abdomen I knew this was more than could be taken care of at an urgent care facility. The hospital emergency room copay was $90.00 Gall bladder surgery $0.00 8 days in the hospital $0.00 3 months later same kind of pain. Same $90.00 for emergency room copay. Stone removal from my bile duct surgery $0.00 4 days in the hospital $0.00

Didn't mention before that there is no out of pocket cost for my advantage plan.
 
I'm sorry it is costing you so much RHG!! I have an excellent plan with Aetna Medicare PPO. I hesitated to recommend Aetna, however, because mine is a group plan through N.J. State retiree benefits. I see that @Ken N Tx also has Aetna. Ken if yours is private pay, may I ask how much you are paying? I always wondered if private pay was more than group and if the level of benefits are the same.

I've had Aetna for decades and didn't have to pay for my coverage until I got on Medicare. I pay $174.90 a month and the State of N.J. refunds me $46 a month (it's added to my pension).
~My copays for in and out of network doctors is $10, except first post op visits are no cost.
~All my labs and imaging are free.
~I've had two eye surgeries and a hospital stay that were no cost.
~Additional laser eye surgeries were at the $10 co-pay
~Visual field testing, which my son says will cost him $600 after his insurance pays is $10 for me. I have those twice a year.
~ER visits are $75 except if I'm admitted, then the visits would be no cost.

RHG...the time period to change your coverage is coming up. Perhaps you can research and find a better plan and change during that time.

Welcome to Group.jpg
 
readheadedgal said:
My policy with Mutual of Omaha is going from $202 to $234.70. :mad: I'm very angry :mad:and just had to say this somewhere.
I can't afford this!!! along with the month Part B cost, I'll be paying over $400/month. I don't want an advantage plan, because I visit the dr too much and would pay copays. that, and I don't want to have to choose a network. I'm between a rock and a hard place. every year since I've been on Medicare, I've been angry at the cost. I thought we paid INTO it all our working lives, but nope. just for hospitalization. I'm rarely IN the hospital. sigh
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Inflation over the last 4 years amounts to 22%. How that has impacted Mutual of Omaha I wouldn’t know, but inflation has to be considered.

”$1 in 2020 is worth $1.22 today”
$1 in 2020 → 2024 | Inflation Calculator
 
A zero premium Advantage Plan works for me at this point.

You really need to do a little homework every year and see if your current plan still makes sense.

It also makes sense to bank the money saved on monthly premiums until you have a fund that helps to offset the higher hospitalization copays and deductibles that come with most zero premium advantage plans.

It’s all about how much risk you are comfortable with.

Good luck with your choice.
 
readheadedgal said:
My policy with Mutual of Omaha is going from $202 to $234.70. :mad: I'm very angry :mad:and just had to say this somewhere.
I can't afford this!!! along with the month Part B cost, I'll be paying over $400/month. I don't want an advantage plan, because I visit the dr too much and would pay copays. that, and I don't want to have to choose a network. I'm between a rock and a hard place. every year since I've been on Medicare, I've been angry at the cost. I thought we paid INTO it all our working lives, but nope. just for hospitalization. I'm rarely IN the hospital. sigh
Click to expand...
Suggest you go out for bids...we normally change plans every 3 or 4 years - always save money - just go on the web and get a free agent in your state to find lower costs ones for you, even if you have health concerns that require you to go to the doctors more often. Mutual of Omaha I think is one of the higher priced ones - like Don, we dropped them years ago. Good luck!
 
I got a letter from my Aetna that my current plan will not be available next year!!!

2 0f my neighbors also got letters from their insurance (not Aetna)!! All dropping drug coverage!!
 

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