Her air-ambulance ride wasn't covered by Medicare. It will cost her family $81,739

[Northeast Agent]

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/27/1233606975/her-air-ambulance-ride-wasnt-covered-by-medicare-it-will-cost-her-family-81-739?fbclid=IwAR0o_qCzjRfnS6Ws5-AoxvCjLfQKmkdUCltbo1-0xjzfRenvalG1xhqA8nU

But Prichard declined other Medicare coverage, including Part B, which handles such things as doctor visits, outpatient treatment, and ambulance rides. Her daughter suspects she skipped that coverage to avoid the premiums most recipients pay, which currently are about $175 a month.

Loren Adler, a health economist for the Brookings Institution who studies ambulance bills estimated the maximum charge that Medicare would have allowed for Prichard's flight would have been less than $10,000 if she'd signed up for Part B. The patient's share of that would have been less than $2,000. Her estate might have owed nothing if she'd also purchased supplemental "Medigap" coverage, as many Medicare members do to cover things like co-insurance, he said.

 

[straightnochaser]

I just read this - very misleading headline. Her air-ambulance is covered by medicare but she declined Part B. Explained well in the article but of course headline had to be clickbait nonsense...

 

[Russ]

Misleading title of thread. She didn't have part B

 

[somarco]

I talked to a lady last year that "just wanted the free part".

Well, OK, but you need to know this . . .

Without B you will pay the FULL price for any outpatient health care.

When/if you do sign up for Part B, you will pay a penalty. "The penalty for Part B is a 10% increase on the Part B premium for each full 12-month period not enrolled but eligible. This is a lifelong penalty."

When/if you sign up for Part B, you may have to wait until the GEP (general election period).


Do you still only want Part A?

She said she did.

I sent her the link to sign up and never entered her information into my contact file.

Your thread title is verbatim from the NPR link . . .

 

[fed up]

So Mom saved $10,000 in premium in order to saddle heirs with an $80000 bill. Way to go Mom!

 

[rmhaire]

So Mom saved $10,000 in premium in order to saddle heirs with an $80000 bill. Way to go Mom!

It's doubtful that mom saddled her heirs with anything. This bill will probably never get paid.

It's doubtful that mom had a lot assets that needed to be probated. All her heirs would need to do is avoid probate.

Still not worth the risk. Medicaid would have carved out her premium and paid it for her.

 

[Special Agent]

It's doubtful that mom saddled her heirs with anything. This bill will probably never get paid.

It's doubtful that mom had a lot assets that needed to be probated. All her heirs would need to do is avoid probate.

Still not worth the risk. Medicaid would have carved out her premium and paid it for her.

Don't tell her this but if her assets are under the limits ( no income limits but the higher the income the higher the share of cost amount)she could probably apply for share of cost medicaid and if applied for and approved this month the state would pay the full amount retroactive to 2/1 and maybe even further back and of course she qualifies for medicare savings program they would pay her premiums.

i just helped a 86 who was using VA enroll in part b for the first time.VA told him he had to enroll in part B?Filled out his medicare savings program and they are going to pay his 550.00 part B premium.Good stuff

 

[LeeV]

Typical news story, I will bet most people did not read enough of the article to realize what had truly happened. Had a very similar situation with a group client years ago. Woke-up to the local Sunday paper front page story about how a dependent child could not get an ocular prosthesis following removal of the natural eye. It would have been covered had the group purchased a rider. Our quote listed each of the 15 or so riders available and their costs, the employer checked "no" to each of them.

 

[straightnochaser]

It's doubtful that mom saddled her heirs with anything. This bill will probably never get paid.

It's doubtful that mom had a lot assets that needed to be probated. All her heirs would need to do is avoid probate.

Still not worth the risk. Medicaid would have carved out her premium and paid it for her.

I read another article that said she had a 50 acre property... they'll claim against that for sure.

 

[fed up]

My state, no will or trust, goes to probate. $80K? There will be a claim against the estate. Might not lose the entire 80K but could lose a portion. If she wanted to save premium, someone should have suggested Hi Deductible Supp or moved her to a MA plan.