HORSE, or any other old farts out there, can you give me the short-course on Medicare?

Source: Pacman
Published: 2025-12-05
Author: Pacman
Post Date: 2025-12-05 15:01:51 by Esso
Views: 86

I'm going to be 65 in April. I got an eMail today that I have to make a decision on a Medicare plan supplement plan by the 7th.


I know nothing about this nonsense, my hospitalized sister was trying to help me, but her future is bleak.

I don't even know how to go about signing up for it, but was warned by Rainman if I miss a date, I'm screwed.

Post Comment   Private Reply

#1: Horse    To: Esso (#0)

True, you have to sign up. You will have to pay a monthly premium, maybe $135. Not sure. The state pays my premium. If you want a Medicare advantage plan you need to select a company to administer your Medicare plan for free. If you have money, you can but a Medicare supplement. Medicare Advantage and Supplements are 2 different things. 
On Saturday you can call Blue Cross and find what the costs and benefits of both their Advantage and Supplement plans are. 

Horse posted on 2025-12-05 18:02:44   Reply   Private Reply

#2: Ricky    To: Horse (#1)

Watch some YouTube videos on the topic.  That will get you up to speed.

Ricky posted on 2025-12-06 17:20:32   Reply   Private Reply

#3: Horse    To: Horse (#1)

Did you call Blue Cross and get an idea of your options and the costs? Blue Cross has lots of Supplement plans.

Horse posted on 2025-12-06 19:10:17   Reply   Private Reply

#4: Esso    To: Ricky (#2)

"Watch some YouTube videos on the topic."

I should've thought of that. EweToob is my goto for about every other project I haven't done before, thanks.

Esso posted on 2025-12-06 19:12:51   Reply   Private Reply

#5: Esso    To: Horse (#3)

"Did you call Blue Cross and get an idea of your options and the costs?"

I haven't done anything yet. This crap going on with my sister has me pretty tied-up.

Esso posted on 2025-12-06 19:14:16   Reply   Private Reply

#6: Esso    To: Horse (#1)

"True, you have to sign up. You will have to pay a monthly premium, maybe $135."

I was finally feeling well enough to go down to my mailbox today for the first time in about a week. I have a bad cold or something.
Apparently the sign-up is automatic, I got my card today. It becomes active 1Apr2016.
The only option is to opt-out of Part B, which is $118/month automatically taken of my SS.
The Medicare guide is about as thick as the owner's manual to my Clown Car, which I've never read either.
I pay Chip to take care of that, I've only seen the engine once. It was dirty.

I think I have until 3 months after the Medicare starts until I have to make a decision about Medicare supplements, I'll look at it closer after I get feeling better.
I just paid my Obamacare until that happens. I went with a new provider which I think was half of what my old provider wanted for 2026, so I'm only paying twice as much rather than 3 times as much.

What a clusterfuck.

Esso posted on 2025-12-18 16:51:57   Reply   Private Reply

#7: Horse    To: Esso (#6)

I would only pay for my current insurance bill until I get Medicare. 

1) opt to pay the Medicare premium starting in April. 

2) Call Blue Cross. Tell them you will be on Medicare starting April 2026. Ask them for
their range of Medicare Advantage and supplement plans, their coverages and costs. You
might be amazed at how much cheaper it is than Obamacare.

3) Once you have the range of prices and coverages from Blur Cross call up other insurance 
companies to get their estimates for their competitive plan to the one Blue Cross you like'
best.

Horse posted on 2025-12-18 18:56:49   Reply   Private Reply

#8: Horse    To: Horse (#7)

Check on what hospitals and physicians and hospitals are in Network.
My old plan from Wellcare Advantage was so bad that not one 
dermatologist within 60 miles would see me. Luckily, it turned out I
did not need to see a dermatologist. So I switched to Blue Cross's 
cheapest plan. 
I might be coming into money, at least I hope so. 
When God and I were both younger, I was promised that I would have 
my own farming community in east Tennessee where my great-grandfather
Wyeth was born. I currently live near the New Madrid fault. My 8 story  apartment 
building would be a total loss in a major quake of the 7.8 to 8.2 magnitude which
we would expect from  a Rift fault. I am expecting a lot of earthquakes and volcanoes
as we are by my calculations close to the End of this Age. I expect another "1816 year
without a summer" type of event. Though this time with 7 billion more people 
competing for food.
I want to build climate battery Greenhouses. I also want to build Faraday cage houses. 
All you need do is to add Biochar to Portland cement. Or to  add copper flakes to paint 
and paint an existing home to convert it into a Faraday cage. 
If I do have that promise fulfilled, I will opt for the best plan from Blue Cross. 

Horse posted on 2025-12-18 19:19:38   Reply   Private Reply