Supplimental Medicare Health Insurance

[joelc]

We are full-timers, and our domicile is in North Carolina. We have Medicare Parts A and B. Our supplemental insurance carrier sent us a letter stating that they were discontinuing the Medicare PPO Enhanced plan we have.

Blue Cross states that we have to be in our domicile are at least every 6 months, which is no problem. The plan did cover out of state doctors when we were traveling.

We need a plan that would let us do the same thing: be able to not be in our state all the time and cover us elsewhere. We generally, like many full-timers are snow birds. We just completed a cross country trip and were covered when we had a problem out West.

I am looking for suggestions of companies that others have that will cover this type of life style. We only have until December until Blue Cross cuts us off.

[Thunder_Mountai]

ditto on the AARP United Healthcare Plan F. Had major shoulder surgery in May. Between Medicare and AARP Plan F it cost me a total of $33. Not sure why I had to pay that, but it wasn't worth hassling with.

[NCWriter]

Note that Plan F is the Cadillac version, but there are other less expensive choices with deductibles and other variables. The various alphabetical plans' features are uniform from company to company, but prices vary by company. They don't have to take you except during a set window time frame when you first have joined Medicare. My monthly payment has gone up every year. I have had no out of pocket expense beyond the monthly payment.

You are correct. With Medicare Supplemental, you also have to purchase a Part D drug plan. I don't think the drug plan is ever included in Supplemental.

It can be with any company you choose. Medicare's website will show you the part D plans in your domicile state with an online tool where you can enter the meds you take to find out their standing in the plans you are considering, how much deductible there is, and your monthly cost.

I currently buy the cheapest possible plan through AARP United Healthcare. It runs about $20-$30, has about a $300 deductible, and has gone up up every year. If I need drugs, its website will tell me where to find them in my area at what cost. Usually you can go into any Walgreen's,(or Costco, Walmart etc ) branch in the country that has has your prescription on record.

You can switch to a different Part D company every year if you want to during open season.

If you don't buy drug coverage (even if you don't need it), you will pay a penalty to add it in a future year.

I have both the BCBS Plan F supplemental and the United Part D drug payments deducted automatically from my checking account.

Edited to correct that my part D plan runs $20-$30 a MONTH, not year.

[joelc]

I forgot to mention that my current plan has pharmacy built in. I had looked at plan F and it does look good. Are there any plans like F that have pharmacy built in? For what I can tell you have to purchase them separately. I take about 4 pills daily.

[stickdog]

There you have it shop for a Plan F. I know mine BCBS is good nationwide but it's part of my retirement plan and have used it along with medicare in a couple of states other than my domicile.

[Captain_Happy]

United of Omaha, Plan F. I've used this all over this fine country of ours. No problem so far. And I see doctors a lot with my medical problems.

[Bill-n-Chrissy]

I also have the AARP United healthcare Supplement plan F.

[harley-dave]

Well, Google says its a Medicare Advantage plan and we all know Google never lies..... Hopefully its not an issue if you have to move to a Supplement plan instead to keep your coverage while traveling. We use the AARP United healthcare Supplement plan F to ensure coverage while traveling.

Dave

[joelc]

Thanks all. I will check all leads. Keep them coming. The letter I got from Blue Cross indicated I have Blue Medicare PPO Enhanced.

[Twomed]

AARP United Healthcare Plan F. Works everywhere zero hassles. No co-pays.

Doctors offices/hospitals love this one. Just our experience... regular visits, ER's, hospitals/surgeries...all were just show the card.

Will ACA screw it up eventually... probably. AARP views issues? opted out and never get any junk mails.

Good for now (7 years)... like everything else, ride that horse until it drops. JMHO

[NCWriter]

joelc wrote:
We are full-timers, and our domicile is in North Carolina. We have Medicare Parts A and B. Our supplemental insurance carrier sent us a letter stating that they were discontinuing the Medicare PPO Enhanced plan we have.

Blue Cross states that we have to be in our domicile are at least every 6 months, which is no problem. The plan did cover out of state doctors when we were traveling.

It sounds to me that you have a Medicare Advantage plan, not Medicare Supplemental coverage because to my knowledge, there's no such thing as a PPO Enhanced Plan under Supplemental. (I could certainly be wrong.)

I used to live in Cedar Point, NC and had Plan F BlueMedicare Supplement coverage through Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I still have the same policy through BCBS NC, even though I live in Florida because the policy is portable. The government regulates the specific types of supplemental medigap policies sold and they are guaranteed to be renewable, though the price can increase.

I bought the plan through Valerie Styron in Morehead City. They might be able to answer your question - 252-726-0062.

[Jim-Linda]

Have been with Humana for 10 years.

Jim

[darsben1]

If you qualify try USAA

[2oldman]

Sterling