Medicare...maybe we should have stayed home

Ss does not sign you up for supplementals or pharmacy. They will automatically send you your Medicare card. Check with your ins Agent to see if they can help you out. The supplementals are different in different states. At least that's what I was told.

that's what I'm gathering too....I just hope we can get a supplemental and prescription on the road, or I guess we head hone early...we'll be heading to the SS office on Monday to ask...even though I think it might not be helpful as we're in Arizona.

My head hurts reading all the regulations and requirements. They really know how to mess with seniors

amandasgramma wrote:
Ss does not sign you up for supplementals or pharmacy. They will automatically send you your Medicare card. Check with your ins Agent to see if they can help you out. The supplementals are different in different states. At least that's what I was told.

Insurance agent...don't have one yet....there is a thing in Washington called SHIP that we have to call on Monday too.

Welcome to the government insurance mess, SS & medicare. You have no idea what you are getting into. Good luck! Wait till you try to find supplimental insurance policies that will cover you wherever you are.

My wife and I have United Healthcare Medicare Advantage plans that include Part D coverage, and their "Passport" feature covers us nearly anywhere we go in the US. For our upstate NY domicile address, it's a zero premium plan, and we handled signing up and all related communications online. We do still pay the standard Medicare premium, of course, that's automatically deducted from our SS payments. Check what's available in your home/domicile area, and I think you'll find that most carriers and brokers accept online applications now, with no need for any office or broker visits.

You will qualify on his record. Part A hospital will cost you nothing. Nearly everyone has to pay for part B. As far as John02 remark about gov mess. He needs to realize that supplemental ins is private ins. Just become informed and it isn't that hard.

Your husband should have received a book titled "MEDICARE & YOU 2016".

In the back of that ~190 page book is a listing of ALL the supplemental and part D drug plans that apply to your husband.

You can also access this information on medicare's official website.

https://www.medicare.gov/

Your husband can save lots of money by going to a Medicare Advantage plan. Read all about a Medicare Advantage plan in PART C of the Medicare book or online.

I have a Part C Advantage plan and pay nothing. Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Drug coverage is included. Again I pay nothing. I actually receive $6 more in my monthly SS benefit because the amount Medicare pays my private provider is $6 less than what regular medicare costs the government. My wife has the same Part C plan and she also receives an additional $6 a month in her SS monthly benefit.

I'll add, I have no Medicare card. My private insurer issues a BC/BS card.

I'm 70 and have had a Medicare Advantage Part C plan since I turned 65.

What ever plan your husband chooses he can change, if not satisfied, every Fall during the enrollment period.

-Tom

How many credits are you short?
If you cannot qualify under your spouse Can you start a small business and pay into Social Security until you get your 10 credits? Many small business people have gone this route.
There is no problem finding national social security supplement policies. Humana springs to mind quickly and there are others

Medicare is not a mess. It is a lifesaver for many of us.I am very happy with our coverage.
#1 Take a deep breath, you will be covered when you turn 65 my spouse is covered on my benefits she has never worked at a career.
#2 You have time to deal with an advantage plan or supplemental and you can do it all on the internet and over the phone.
#3 For the additional insurance the SS will not be able to help much EXCEPT to perhaps get you website addresses or Phone numbers.
Get on your computer and search medicare plans in Washington. From there read and make some decisions about what you want, need and can afford.
We have United Healthcare and are very happy with it. Check them out.
Do you have insurance until you turn 65?? Washington state has a health exchange and you may get insurance at an affordable rate through that until 65.
DO NOT let anyone scare you off because it is "Obamacare". There is a plan that will work for you and be affordable.

jesseannie

Any SS office can access your husband's application and answer questions about Medicare. They won't be able to help much in answering questions about Part C (Medicare Advantage) or Part D (Drug coverage) as these will be insurance policies from private insurers.

If your husband has retiree benefits from his employer, like retiree medical coverage, they should have provided him with a phone number of someone to call who can help go thru the supplemental options and requirements of his retiree plan. If he has no retiree medical coverage then your best option is to talk to your insurance agent.

Be very careful with the low cost Medicare Advantage plans as typically the low cost ones come with very high deductibles. If you're healthy and don't see the doctor frequently the low cost plans can save you money, but be careful.

You can do a Google search for "Washington Medicare plans" and it should bring up a number of web sites that can give you information about what supplemental plans are available in your home county, along with cost, deductibles, coverage, etc.

Finally, if your husband does have retiree medical benefits from his employer you may find you don't need any supplemental plan at all, or only a Part D plan to cover drugs.

I agree it's all very confusing when you first get involved with Medicare. You'll get Medicare cards in the mail when you sign up. If you don't sign up for SS and sign up later you'll get a second card when you do sign up for SS. When you sign up for SS they'll automatically deduct the Medicare premiums and you're protected from premium increases if there are no SS cost of living increases as is the case for 2016.