Sorta OT: GAWD, I hate chosing insurance

It's that time of year again...if you have Medicare/Medicare Advantage.

For 2012, our policy had (for a very small fee of $5.00 a month), a dental policy. this coming year, it's been dropped, the cost of the same plan has gone up $8.00 a month and we get less coverage. Oh, we do get a few things thanks to the AHC act but it's being offset by higher premiums, and less other coverage.

So we found another company who has a similar plan with no extra premium. We will have to purchase dental completely separate but it will end up saving us about $50 a month over this current year.

But I HATE comparing plans, trying to sort out what we need etc.

Thankfully, our prescription list is almost non-issue...with only THREE medications for both of us...it's not that big a deal.

Liz

DH changed his plan last year and it took me almost hammering him to get him to even look at the changes/possibities.  We are well educated, pretty bright folks and it is crazy.  I feel so sorry for the older seniors who don't have help to wander through the process.  DH is on oxygen and tons of meds so it really is important that he make good choices.  We changed to a plan last year that was cheaper by the month but had more out of pocket cost.  I think it was a good choice but we didn't have any major issues.  I'm not sure what the coverage would have been if he had any issues.

I can understand his not wanting to do it, Price...it is a ROYAL PITA!!!

I've had Medicare since 2001 (was my secondary until 2009 tho). And until the end of 2011, we still had dh's company insurance to back us up which had the vision and dental. This year is the first time we've had to deal with that.

Dh has a cousin who is an insurance agent and she helps many seniors...she also hates this time of year cause she gets paid next to nothing for writing Medicare Advantage policies and yet for the next two months, she will be swamped.

Liz

Liz,
I know what you mean.  I tried to help my dad when he first had to select a prescription plan.  I do HR and benefits at my job, but it is nothing like what he had to look at...   I don't know how some people can even begin to figure out what to do.  My dad had done payroll and benefits also when he worked and it was so confusing for us both.

Surely there should be an easier way for this.  Glad you found a better deal.

Linda

One would think...but no, this is it.

We found out today that we get a COLA "raise" of 1.7% for those of us on SSDI...but each year they have ALSO raised how much we pay for part B care...which is usually more than the raise we got.

Technically I make more than I did when I first went on SSDI & Medicare. The reality, I've been losing ground for 11 years now.

I'm just thankful for this surgery that took me off so many prescription meds...I no longer reach the donut hole in Part D.

Liz