Why does Medicare have to be so danged complicated?

[llmart]

43. I have AARP's United Healthcare Supplement Plan G

I am so glad I opted to pay the higher premium because you rarely have to worry about anything. I can't think of a scenario where you'd end up with a huge bill for medical care unless you had some terrible health problems that required extensive, lifelong assistance. I've never looked into those types of scenarios. I pay $192 a month for Plan G and am 74 years old. When I was 69 I vacillated between waiting until I was the magic number of 70 to change to Plan G, but instead I did it at 69 and boy, was I glad I did because my dry macular degeneration turned to wet in one eye and I needed monthly injections for one year. The cost would have been $2000 per injection. The retinal specialist's charges not included. I never paid a penny after I met my deductible which that year was about $138.

I take no meds, have no underlying conditions, have been fit and healthy my entire adult life, but you never know what can happen once you get older. I do know that very few get into their senior years without something. Just this summer I had major surgery for a rare type of tumor that is benign but still had to be removed. I've just now received all the bills and what I owe. All the charges added up to about $60,000 and I didn't pay a penny. It was all covered by Medicare (80%) and UHC picked up the rest.

I also have my Part D prescription plan with them and it's the lowest one they offer because I take no meds. I needed one antibiotic post surgery and that cost me about $9. I pay approximately $28 per month for the plan.

I can afford the higher premium for my Plan G and I understand there are a lot of people who that might be scary to fit into their budgets, but my experience shows that the higher premium is much easier to stomach if you think about the cost of any major health issue if and when that happens.

Also, I don't care what any of the celebrities say who hawk Advantage plans. Not for me. I need the security of knowing that any odd thing that may crop up in my health will be covered.