Holy shit. Be prepared for the consumer to get screwed on your healthcare advantage programs.

[LilElf70]

225. UPDATE:

I am shocked this subject has so many opinions. Gee what a touchy subject. With that said, I have a few updates. The bottom line for me, as it is with a lot of seniors is saving the benjamins. We no longer have the option of making big bucks. Most baby boomers have not saved a ton of money for retirement. Being frugal with our limited income is quite important.

First of all. I have Aetna's version of Medicare Advantage. For 2024 and the past 7 years, I pay nothing out of pocket initially. They take my allowed payment I would have spent for Medicare, which for this year is 174.00. Next year it will go up about 11.00. It is transparent and is taken directly out of my SS, just like it would do if I had standard Medicare. What comes out of my pocket is co pays, which are extremely cheap. I pay nothing for my PCP, no matter how many times I see him in the year. Any specialist is 25.00 copay. Everything for A and B are reduced and my out of pocket is extremely low. PT is a very low co pay. I have a limit of 2400 a year on what I would have to spend out of pocket. After that's it's nothing out of pocket. I have come nowhere close to that. Overall I spent about 200K for medical bills (A&B) for 2023. My out of pocket was about 700.00. This year it's about 125K and 250.00 out of pocket. My drugs are covered at 100% up to 5K a year. That should get anyone on schedule 1 drugs through the year. After that its a percentage out of pocket until I reach a certain dollar amount. I never have maxed out and I'm diabetic 2, with high blood pressure and cholesterol. They give me 120 a quarter to cover OTC drugs. I use all of it. I have a 3250 allowance for dental, no matter who I go to. I will use all of that too. They pay 400.00 towards vision, 1000 towards hearing aids. I have the option to bump up my allowances by paying an additional monthly premium. IE. For an additional 170 a month, that will get me 7K in dental coverage. Does standard Medicare cover all this at this rate? I think not. Being on a fixed income, and at my age, I live for the moment, and try to not spend a lot of benjamins on healthcare. I was on the ACA from 62 to 65. What a waste of money that was, but I needed healthcare. The deductibles were extremely high(7K), which stopped you from using it. I called it catastrophic insurance. As you look and compare the above issues, this could cost a you lot over a year, based on all the variables above, if I was on Standard Medicare.

I see both sides of this story (Govt vs private care). For the time being, my current situation dictates I follow my current route. I'm not going to argue over whether or not I could go back to Medicare if I want to, tomorrow. I find it hard to believe my government would do this to it's citizens. My parents went this route a decade ago and they eventually went broke. They had no problem going back to Medicare and then Medicaid for a nursing home until they died.

As for my insurance broker, she replied with the following: It is anticipated that all carriers will be heavily impacted for 2025. She has until October 1 to review all the policies out there and will get back with me then so I can pick the best plan for me.