Where to Start on Medicare

[mplsmm]

Thank you all so much! I am printing everything out and trying to highlight everything except the part about magic beans, people that are always buying magic beans get mad when you point it out. She is in Minnesota, 55421 to be exact. I don't know much about her financial situation, we have lectured her too many times on said beans so we don't hear as much. She works part time retail to make ends meet however I know she has a large pension and 401k account, so I am not quite sure how that figures in with what she qualifies for. I think her hope is to just live off of social security and not touch it, if it hasn't been spent on magic beans by her advisor by now. We are in a delicate position of not knowing any of the day to day workings but have to help on these really big decisions right before or immediately after they get made. She has no LTC or anything in place.

 

[goillini52]

(Incomplete in progress saved in case of internet malfunction)
Except for a link which I cannot find, this is all-or most of what I wanted to say in the Beer portion of the notes. I have spent over 2 hours getting this thought out and am out of time. I will come back tonight or tomorrow AM with additional comments for the Burgers portion.

Hi.
My name is LostDollar.
I am 72.
I am a user. (of Medicare)
I can't tell you about my personal Medicare choice because I promised I wouldn't and I don't have one of Eddie Murphy's special flashlights.

Life experience taught me that employers and wives do not order their priorities with my health insurance needs as the pivot point. I was dropped kicking and screaming into the trough of Medicare. I was terrified because I couldn't swim.

I had no time to amass 785 brochures but that would have been the wrong starting point.

You need the crow's view of the cornfield.

Beer for the burgers--first stuff:

My wife has silver sneakers. She got them at Shoe Carnival. Elevating a gym membership to the top reasons to choose a health plan is likely NOT a good thing.

Use your tax dollars.
(For simplicity I'm calling Mother in Law Mom).

US Govt has a publication called Medicare and You. It is updated each year. Mom will probably receive a copy in the mail. You can find it online. You, Husband and Mom should look at that.

Your state's insurance department has written a similar booklet which you can also find online. (I stumbled onto several of these while looking for info for myself.) Depending on the state, there may or may not be other resources to help the State's citizens with their Medicare information and coverage needs.

SHIP. State Health Insurance Assistance Plan. Every state has one. It may have a slightly modified name and acronym. In Kansas it lives in county offices of the state agricultural extension department. No charge.

https://www.shiptacenter.org/

My advice, first step, make an appointment for you and Mom and use it as a Medicare information gathering and education experience. You may or may not like the counselor or advice -- treat it like a pair of glasses; something to improve your Medicare vision.

The manuals and the visit will give you vocabulary and concepts to help you follow and question and understand and clarify the advice and direction provided by an agent.

Vocabulary:

Parts and Plans:

Look at your hand. Ignore the thumb. 4 fingers. Medicare has 4 Parts.

There is an eBay bookstore that has a tagline selection " as wide as the Mississippi". That's Plans.

Medicare Part B-supplemental insurance and Medicare Part D each contain a selection of plans.

Plans are purchased in addition to the basic coverage costs of Medicare Parts A and B. The character and cost of Plans create much of the buzz and angst about "what to get" for Medicare.

(The following paragraph is oversimplified in relation to Part D)
Medicare Part C is a dietary exchange for Parts A, B and D. It is comprised of plans which may or may not charge you more than the money paid to the federal government for Medicare coverage.

Initial Enrollment Period.
Read about that so you know the relevant deadlines.

In preparation for looking at Part B supplement costs, read briefly about attained age, Issue age and community rating. You can then pursue the relevant items in more detail when you find out the particular price structures used in your state.

Minnesota:
https://www.medicare.gov/supplement-other-insurance/compare-medigap/minnesota/medigap-minnesota.html

"my" accounts:
Winston Churchill had a "victory sign". Two fingers.
Social Security and Centers for Medicare both get involved in Medicare issues.

You can go online in each bureaucracy and create a "MY" account which can be used to review your personal situation.

I didn't know until a couple of years ago that Churchhill's mother was American.

 

[DS4]

In addition to Medicare supplements, with zip code 55421, she is also eligible for 22 Medicare Advantage plans.
Her income will determine if she is eligible for "Extra Help" in paying her premium costs.

 

[somarco]

Churchhill's mother was American

So was Obama's ..........

 

[goillini52]

So was Obama's ..........

So he says..................

 

[somarco]

There you go again. Playing the bad cop.

 

[goillini52]

There you go again. Playing the bad cop.

Seems to come naturally...I guess I shouldn't fight it.