How to Solve the Health Care Puzzle if You Retire Before Age 65

This article comes up short. There is another option, The Health Coop, in conjunction with Samaritan Ministries. It is sanctioned by the ADA and Obama care so there is no penalty if you choose a co-op. There are many coops and some that are Christan based. The monthly fees are a third of regular insurance. Most of the co-ops have been in business for 20 years or more and have up to 100,000 members each. Medi-share is another one out of Florida. I was looking for an alternative since I am a business woman and must have an affordable option. The Health co-op pays the bills of the members once they pay the first $300 per incident with a maximum of $250,000 per incident. Look into this--it is a viable option. Traditional insurance is not your only choice.

i imagine the only way I'll get an answer to this is if I actually go to a local health care navigator for the state of NY, but here goes anyway: How do these new Obamacare plans handle a transition in moving from one state to another? For example, if I sign up while I'm eligible in NY state, but then we sell the house and move to Ohio, then how does that get handled? Is there a grace period that covers me with the NY insurance in Ohio, until I can sign up for an Ohio plan? Portability seems to be a major question for this forum, as many of us are considering moving to other states. (I still have a couple years before I'll be impacted by this, but thought I'd raise it anyway). Thanks!

We just went through that type of transition when we moved from Pennsylvania to Florida. You need to call the Healthcare Exchange and explain the situation. You will then need to complete a new application for your new state and choose an available plan in your new state. They will then cancel the insurance in your old state and start the insurance in your new state. The insurance changeover will be effective the following month. That's the simple process. We had a few glitches in the process, so I'd suggest you call your old insurer and new insurer a few days after the process to make sure everything's okay. In our experience, I've found the Exchange people very courteous and helpful, but I question if they've had adequate training to do their jobs.

Quite frankly, the High Deductible plans I looked in to are yet another fraud foisted on us by the insurance companies. They cost as much as a regular plan, but provide less coverage. But then again this may be another California anomaly, where the insurance companies can charge just about anything they want.

I'm 59 and will be retiring next month (November 2014). I will be covered under my company plan through the end of November. I've looked at the Healthcare Exchange information and it says that I need to call then to get coverage for December 2014. Has anyone had experience doing this (getting coverage outside the open enrollment period)?

Anything special I should be aware of?

I retired in 2012 and have been going to the VA for medical care. I have one of the best doctors that I have ever had for my primary care. The co-pay is great, $15 and the scripts are $9 each. Specialist co-pays are $50.

The VA has been very good to me as far as I am concerned. Yes, it does take time to get into
the system, but once in, you will find quality care. All blood work, x-rays, or whatever tests you need are under the single co-pay for the doctor visit. While there, I always check to be sure that all of my shots, flu, pneumonia, zostor, etc. are up to date. Shots are also covered under the co-pay for the visit.

It sure beats paying $400 plus per month for health insurance. In a couple of years I plan to enroll in medicare.

The only draw back to the VA is that I have to travel about 50 miles to get there. I think that saving about 5K a year on health care is worth the trip.

Can we please have a discussion on the health care plans of our members under 65 who have chosen Obamacare? The article stated that it might be wise to take the high deductible plan, which I assume is the Bronze level plan. It stated that you could take the high deductible plan and also contribute to a Health Saving Account (HSA). The deductibles look high on both the Bronze plan and the Silver plan. Can some of you that are on these plans please give their opinions why they chose either Bronze or Silver. One plan I looked at in the Bronze plan was something like $107 a month for two family members (husband and wife). That seems really low priced The Silver plan that I looked at was around $470 a month for two family members. These plans are hard to understand! We have always had good insurance through employers and this is a rude awakening. If we choose the Silver plan that would be around $5640.00 a year, if we choose the Bronze plan it would run around $1284.00 a year. That is a difference of $4356.00 a year between plans! If you are on any of these plans please give us your experiences when going to doctor appointments and if you have had tests, prescriptions and hospitalizations. What was paid and what wasn't and if you are contributing to an HSA. Thanks in advance.

The VA is not an option if you have done any kind of saving or planning for your retirement. My husband is an honorably discharged veteran and was denied any kind of health benefits (Florida) because we have savings. It should not matter if you do or do not have money. IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, YOU SHOULD GET AT LEAST SOME BENEFITS FOR YOUR SERVICE. We are not looking for a handout, just some other options other than the high deductible health plan we are paying for.
If there is anybody who has information that could help, it would be greatly appreciated. Contacting the VA directly isn't an option. The frustration and raised blood pressure are not worth it! I still have a two inch high stack of papers from going back and forth with them for my Mom, who was an honorably discharged veteran herself. It took the VA over two years to deny her any kind of benefits.

Thanks, in advance, to anyone that can advise!

Editor's note: This sounds terrible if it is the case. However I have never heard of any means test for Veterans Medical care. Wonder if there is some other issue that caused the denial. Anyone else have facts on this?

Several years ago I applied for VA medical and was denied because of my financial status - even though I was unemployed at the time. I forget details but there ARE means tests.

More... VA has a "Priority Grouping" system that determines your eligibility. Here is the one that I was in... (Visit the VA website for details)

Priority Group 8
Veterans with gross household income above the VA national income threshold and the geographically-adjusted income threshold for their resident location and who agrees to pay copays

I recently signed up for an ACA Medical Plan (aka Obamacare). The insurance broker did all of the online registration. I chose a gold level plan through Humana. Based on an income projection of 47M the cost will be $477.00 per month out of pocket for me and my wife. The cost would have been over $1300.00 a month without the government subsidy.

Note to Editor:
I know it sounds terrible but it happened. There are "priority groups" and thresholds for income levels but we can't find any specific numbers anywhere. My point is that income should have nothing to do with a veteran getting benefits, period!
I understand that there are some who have financial issues but they are all veterans. We saved and planned and are now being penalized for that.
We have nothing to do with Obamacare, buying Humana insurance on our own. Individual deductible is the max, over $6,000 each per year. Monthly cost for medical, dental and eye is over $900 per month.
We are not looking for a "handout" from the VA. My husband would just like to have a little back up through the VA in case of a major medical problem. We have heard good things about the VA medical here in our area of Florida. He just wants what he deserves for his service.

Thanks to everyone for raising and filling us in on this important issue. We did a little looking online and found this:

http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/cost/copays.asp
"While many Veterans qualify for free healthcare services based on a VA compensable service-connected condition or other special eligibilities, most Veterans are required to complete a financial assessment or means test at the time of enrollment to determine if they qualify for free health care services. Veterans whose income exceed VA income limits as well as those who choose not to complete the financial assessment at the time of enrollment, must agree to pay required copays for health care services to become eligible for VA healthcare services."

(there is more under this, but it appears veterans do have a means test. Not that they will be denied care, but they will have to pay such as :
Priority Group 8 and certain other Veterans are responsible for VA's full inpatient copay rate.

Inpatient Copay for the first 90 days of care during a 365-day period……………$1,184.00
Inpatient Copay for each additional 90 days of care during a 365-day period……………$592
Daily Charge……………$10/day
)

Jim,
What state are you in? I just did a quick look up on Humana website and it says Humana is not available in Connecticut.

Sounds like you got a good price on a Gold plan through Humana. So far in CT Silver plan seems to cost the same price but of coarse Gold is better!

Louise,
We are living in the Atlanta, GA area. Yes the cost was surprisingly low. I was paying more for a Silver Level Plan from Blue Cross through my previous job.

"In order to ensure the availability of quality and timely health care to Veterans with service connected conditions, special authority based on military service, low income, and those with special health care needs, in January 2003 VA made the difficult decision to stop enrolling new Priority Group 8 (high income) Veterans whose income exceeded VA Income Thresholds.

The new regulations went into effect on June 15, 2009 and enable the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to relax income restrictions on enrollment for health benefits. While this new provision does not remove consideration of income, it does increase income thresholds. You may be eligible for enrollment under this new provision."

We have health insurance through DHs job, but he is retiring at 61 this coming January. Since I am several years younger, and a veteran, (10% service connected), I called the VA and was told that they do means test. Because we have been saving for this time of our lives for so many years, I would not qualify for any assistance whatsoever.
So, if we end up having to go through Obamacare, (which truly makes us cringe) what do we do with our 2 kids that are under the age of 26? Has anyone had to deal with this yet?
Is there coverage for vision and dental?
If DH has insurance and I don't.....and we jointly File our income taxes.....will we still have to pay the fine?
Thanks to anyone who may know the answers to any of this.

I am not positive about the fine but I am throwing my 2 cents in anyway. I do believe every American has to be insured whether privately though an employer program, VA or other. I do believe you will have to pay a fine. To avoid the fine, why don't you consider one of the cheapest Bronze level plans. I saw one plan for 2 family members with an income of $62k, the credit towards buying insurance was close to $1k a month and insurance cost was something like $67 a month. It is the basic no frills plan that pays nothing till you reach an out of pocket minimum of something like $6300 per person or $12,700 per household. Most of the plans have the same OOP but some have copays and they pay the difference. This lowest Bronze level plan may offer an Health Savings Account where you could put tax deductible money to pay for copays, prescriptions and other medical things. I have been looking high and low to find something for my husband and myself and nothing makes me happy with this. Walmart and Costco are also offering some kind of insurance through them. I don't know much about it though. What I have read about Obama care is that Bronze pays 60%, Silver pays 70%, Gold pays 80% and Platinum pays 90%. As always, you get what you pay for. My husband will need to be on Obama care for 2 years then he will go to Medicare. I will have to be on Obama care for 3 1/2 years before Medicare kicks in. Don't forget too, if you make $1.00 more than $62,040 Adjusted Gross Income you will NOT, NOT, NOT be eligible for the insurance credits and for us that is close to $1k a month. If we choose the Silver plan at $470 a month it will escalate to $1,470 a month with no credit! With Social Security, one small pension and one inherited IRA which requires annual distribution our income will be close to $62k. The $62k is figured on Adjust Gross Income (AGI). So, please be aware if your income exceeds $62k you are screwed out of credits! I asked our tax preparer if we should exceed the $62k could we open an IRA to offset the AGI and she said yes. Do what you have to do but $1.00 can throw you over the cliff! This is really a smack in the face because my husband and I have always worked for well known corporations that offered excellent benefit packages with all the bells and whistles including excellent insurance coverage. Obama care doesn't provide Dental to adults, for children up to 18 only and I don't believe vision care either. So whatever you buy for insurance, you have to find a dental plan somewhere and a vision plan too. Ugh, I am glad there is an option for buying insurance for those who have preexisting conditions and the price is good if you get the credits, but this is a whole new world to me! Can't imagine what the next 20 years will bring!

Caps, I am sure you can sign up your children under the plan up to age 26. On the website, you put your income in, the ages of each person in the family and it will come up with the credit your family is allowed and will bring up plans in your state that you qualify for. It seems the less your income is, the more your credit is. I am not an expert but I have been trolling through this stuff for a few weeks.

Thanks Louise. I feel your pain. Sounds like we're treading the same water.
Do you know if we have to add the income of our grown adult children under 26, to ours? We put them through college and they both have pretty good jobs. No health care insurance,however.
I receive tenant income and that varies from year to year as well. (LLC). Having to worry about their $62k threshold,seems really stressful.

Good information on household income:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/determining-your-household-income-obamacare-credits.html

Caps,
I think this article will answer your question on your children's income. If you claim them as dependents and they work it looks as if their income has to be included as household income unless I interpreted it incorrectly.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/health-care/1913382-how-is-family-size-and-household-income-determined-for-subsidy-purposes-for-2014-obamacare

In your case you are a family of 4 if you are claiming your children as dependents so your income allowance is somewhere around $94k for a family of 4. I am a family of 2 and the limit is $62,040 to get the insurance credit.

Here is a good website to determine the size of your family and income limits: http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-subsidies.php

Yes, it is stressful to have to hold your income down when you could pull out more from retirement funds to enjoy or just to 'live'. I am determined to stick to $62,040 somehow because I do not want to shell out $12,000 a year additional money for health insurance! There is also a question on my part on Stock dividends if they are reinvested to buy more stock are they considered income if you don't receive actual money?

Caps, this just came to mind, why aren't your children on your husbands employer's health insurance plan if they are under 26 years old? I thought that was a law now that kids could stay on the families health insurance till their 26th birthday. Or are you saying that your children's employer's do not offer health insurance?

My biggest fear is that some income might come out of the woodwork to throw the upper limit out of whack. If you were to take a part time job, that would screw things up. If you won $500 in the lottery you'd have to add that to your income! Or maybe just donate it to charity so that doesn't screw up your income! What if you buy a new household ac unit and the power company gives you a $1,000 rebate, would that be considered income? Ugh, so many unknowns! I did receive a $1,000 rebate this year for installing an ac unit, not sure if I have to add that to my income but I am hoping NOT!

I personally do not know which way to go on insurance, Bronze or Silver. Go cheap on Bronze and get an Health Saving Account (which is tax deductible like an IRA) and put in $300-$400 a month there. Bronze with HSA costs like $67 a month with a $1,000 credit or Silver plan with no HSA would cost around $470 and has 'some' copays. Ugh, hate this stuff!

Caps, just curious -- if your kids have college degrees and "pretty good jobs," then they could get their own health insurance out on the health exchanges of Obamacare. And probably for pretty cheap. Unless they are still considered your dependents, I guess.

Thanks for including the link, Louise. I didn't,however find any info about kids under 26. They no longer live with us, and yet gov. Says they can stay on our policy. So....does anyone know if that includes policies through Obamacare as well? I know they can't be included if we are on Medicare.

Just fyi -- This is a great website, and they also have a toll free number that you can call and speak to someone: www.ehealthinsurance.com.

Please read this article from Forbes regarding electing Cobra when leaving your employer and how it can have a negative impact with the affordable health care act.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2014/04/21/the-latest-problem-with-obamacare-could-cost-you/

After spending several hours shopping for a healthcare plan for my under-65 wife, I called our her current insurance company where she has an individual plan. A startling fact was revealed to me. He said that they offer about 10 different plans for our are in Indiana. Not one plan covers medical issues out of state unless it is an emergency. He said none of the new Obamacare compliant plans are good for non-emergency care outside of Indiana!

We go to Florida for at least 3 months in the winter. So she is not covered for anything short of a broken limb! We have two more winters to get through before she is on medicare and get nationwide coverage.

If you have coverage under Obamacare, be aware of this......

Hi Bill:

Look into a Health Care Coop for your wife. They are much cheaper than traditional insurance and are ACA approved. The members of the Coop pay each others bills from a common pool. One I investigated has over 100,000 Members and has been in business for over 20 years. Medishare is one and the other is the The Health Coop both are Christian based and administered through Samaritan Ministries. Medishare has a yearly deductible of $1200 and is administered more like health insurance --only it is a co-op. My monthly bill is $345.00. The Coop will negotiate rates with your doctors before you see them. Just another option your wife can consider until Medicare kicks in.

Louise If you live in a stat that did not expand Medicaid the 62,040 doesn't matter.

I am still investigating Obamacare and have been doing so since October. Still unsure of what plan to go with and all of them leave a bitter taste in my mouth and make my pocketbook cringe. I have also recently discovered that there is a 'marriage penalty' that is a real eye opener. We will apply for Obamacare in February.
Okay, so we plan to keep our income at the Premium Subsidy Threshold of 400% of Federal Poverty Guideline for a 2 person household and that is $62,920 (maximum income) for 2015 to receive a 'credit' of $985 a month to apply towards the cost of Obamacare. I have found several Silver level plans starting at $471 monthly after using the credit of $985. So not getting into the pro's and con's of Bronze of Silver plan at this point, I would like to tell you about the 'marriage penalty'. Now fast forward down the road when Hub goes on to Medicare in two years. Hub is no longer part of the 2 person household for Obamacare purposes. However, our entire household income of $62,920 becomes entirely my income when applying for the credit to apply to the cost of Obamacare. Under the Premium Subsidy Threshold of 400% of Federal Poverty Guideline of a 1 person household to receive a credit I cannot exceed $46,680 (maximum). I cannot lower our income any further to qualify for the subsidy (can't stop Social Security, pensions, required minimum distribution (RMD) withdrawals from an inherited IRA). However, If we were not married but living together and each made $46,680 as single persons, that would be a household income of $93,360. Each person would qualify for a subsidy to apply to Obamacare! I am outraged that we get penalized for being married! So in two years when Hub goes off to Medicare land and leaves me behind, with no credit I will be paying $775 approx. for a Silver plan and in the $500 range for a Bronze plan which is just one step better than having nothing. This marriage penalty is outrageous! If they took my income which will only be Social Security, RMD IRA and a little being pulled out of my IRA it would be way below the $46,680 as a 1 person household. I hope some of my ranting makes sense to you because many of us will be faced with this situation. Just thought I'd share what I have learned.

Okay, I am going to admit I made a bit of a mistake on the marriage penalty. I spoke with an Anthem Insurance agent today and he set me straight. He said we would get a credit with an income level insuring one person. However, it still is a bit unfair. As a couple we would get almost $1,000 credit, as a one person household with the same income I would get $178 credit.

I will give you an example. You have to go to www.kff.org and use the subsidy calculator. When I plugged in the numbers of our income at $62K with a two person household but only one person being insured this is what it said:

Results
You are likely eligible for financial help

Based on the information you provided, your income is equal to 388% of the poverty level. This means you are likely eligible for financial help through the Health Insurance Marketplace. An estimate of your cost for coverage and amount of financial help in 2015 are provided below. To find out your actual amount of financial help and to get coverage, you must go to Healthcare.gov or your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace.

Estimated financial help: $178 per month ($2,141 per year)
as a premium tax credit. This covers 27% of the monthly costs. Your cost for a silver plan: $486 per month ($5,832 per year)
in premiums (which equals 9.56% of your household income). The most you have to pay for a silver plan: 9.56% of income for the second-lowest cost silver plan Without financial help, your silver plan would cost: $664 per month ($7,973 per year)
Other Levels of Coverage

The costs above are for a silver plan in your area. Silver plans are one of four levels of coverage that you can buy with financial help. These levels – bronze, silver, gold, and platinum – tell you about how much financial protection the plan will offer you if you get sick. Bronze plans have the lowest monthly costs, but when you need medical care, you will pay more for your care. Gold and platinum plans offer more financial protection if you get sick, but these plans have higher monthly costs. You can receive financial help to purchase any of these levels of coverage.

For example, you could enroll in a bronze plan for about $296 per month ($3,554 per year), which is 5.83% of your household income, after taking into account $2,141 in subsidies). For most people, the Bronze plan represents the minimum level of coverage required under health reform. Although you would pay less in premiums by enrolling in a Bronze plan, you will face higher out-of-pocket costs than if you enrolled in a silver plan.

Out of Pocket Costs

Although your insurance company may cover most of the cost of your medical care, you generally have to pay something when you go to the doctor or have a hospital stay. These costs – which are in addition to the amount you pay each month – are called your “out-of-pocket” costs. The health reform law sets limits on the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket each year. Your out-of-pocket limit for a silver plan can be no more than $6,600 in 2015. Whether you reach this maximum level will depend on the amount of health care services you use. Keep in mind that this only protects you when you go to doctors and hospitals that are in your insurer’s network. If you go to a doctor or hospital that is not in the network, you could end up paying much more.

You are guaranteed access to a silver plan with an actuarial value of 70% . This means that for all enrollees in a typical population, the plan will pay for 70% of expenses in total for covered benefits, with enrollees responsible for the rest. If you choose to enroll in a bronze plan, the actuarial value will be 60%, meaning your out-of-pocket costs when you use services will likely be higher. Regardless of which level of coverage you choose, deductibles and copayments will vary from plan to plan, and out-of-pocket costs will depend on your health care expenses. Preventive services will be covered with no cost sharing required.

There seems to be a huge amount of misinformation here. It's easy to call healthcare.gov or use their website to get accurate information. There are healthcare.gov facilitators everywhere to help you.

My husband was laid off from his job August 2014. We are just finished with severance pay and start getting unemployment and soon Social Security. We are both 64 and will get Medicare in August.

I struggled with healthcare insurance as our work insurance will be done the end of February. I was finally referred to a local insurance person who helped me immensely. He was someone that was referred to me, I did not call the person who covers our home and our cars.

I discovered your local people know a good deal about what needs to be done. My husband and I are both 64 and we have a daughter who is 21 and in college. Income levels for assistance in Iowa are up around $75,000 and we qualify for over $1,000 in assistance each month.

On the bronze plan, which was the lowest, nothing was paid until $12,500 in deductions were met. And the cost if something horrible should happen they will only pay 50%. Just so you are aware, as the website is not clear on that point. For the 3 of us we have a silver plan which costs $427 per month, that is with our assistance. The silver plan starts paying after a $2500 per person (for instance if I had met $2500 out of pocket, the insurance would start for me) and then the insurance pays 70% plus office etc.

What I am also led to understand is that each state has different plans and prices. If I went onto the website and put in the same information but a different state I would likely get a totally different picture. I think here in Iowa there are maybe 2 companies to choose from on healthcare.gov. In a more populated state you may have many more.

So, if you have a local person that you trust, I would call them first.

Vicki

My husband who is 59 would like to retire in 2 yrs,I am 58 and would stop working when he does. At 60 he will start collecting a small pension from the Navy he was in the reserves, and stay at his regular job until 62. Since he will be retired from the military we both can be covered under Tricare health insurance. Has anyone used this insurance and how is it? Thanks for any info!

Hi Barbara:

The medical practice where I am working as a nurse does not like Tricare--at all. They pay very poorly and in Washington, DC where I am most primary care doctors in private practice want nothing to do with Tricare. Check out all your options and see if there are doctors who will accept it. Our patients pay their fees out of pocket It would be best to see if your coverage offers out of network benefits.

I am retired military and I have had Tricare for over 25 years. It has worked great for me and i know that lots of personnel in California use it with no problems. In fact my wife is on Medicare with Tricare for life as the secondary insurance. In the last three years other than the premiums we have only paid 145 dollars out of pocket and she has lots of medical issues. My co-pay is usually very small and I have had great doctors. I think where you are depends on the quality and type of tricare you can use. Call a Tricare counselor and they will explain it all to you. Good Luck with your retirement.

Barbara - I am 20+ retired from Submarines Service. My wife (58) and I (64) use Tricare. We had Tricare Prime until Oct.. 2013 when we were switched to Tricare Standard because we live over 100 miles from a military facility. I got my wife a Tricare Standard Supplement policy and it has a 6 month preexisting condition clause and a $250 deductible but it only costs about $50 per month. It has been difficult here in SW Florida to find doctors who take Tricare but if you find a good GP he/she can be very helpful. Good luck on your husbands retirement and thank him for his service. - STSC(SS) Ret.

This is an update on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Finally picked a plan in April to go into effect May 1, 2015. My premium for two people, Silver Plan, is $495.30 per month and we get a $1011.00 credit per month. Without credit price for two would be $1,506.30. I started inquiring about the insurance through Access Health in CT in January. I started getting 3 letters each time I called. Each time the letters would have a date required documents were supposed to be submitted. I called probably 4 different times and did give them our income information over the phone but kept telling them we didn't need insurance until May. The letters kept coming and the dates kept changing to submit the documents. So finally I pay the premium in late April and get the acceptance letter with a new date of July 01, 2015 to submit docs. I started gathering the paperwork and had to get a letter from my Hub's pension company. He's been receiving it for 8 years. They said they needed to have the statement declaring his monthly income. So that was time consuming for whatever reason they were slow sending the documentation. It was about May 9th and had only been on the ACA insurance 9 days when we got another letter saying we lost our credit! They based the original letter on the final date of submission! So my journey to hell then began. The Market Place people just couldn't get it that the last letter I received said July 1, 2015. I must have spoken to 20 different people through the Market Place and no one could straighten it out. They kept saying April 15th was the date. I called Anthem and they arranged a 3 way conversation with no resolution. I finally found a number to call to set up a hearing. Weeks went by with no letter on the hearing and finally it came in the mail. The hearing was scheduled at the end of July. In June I had to pay the extra $1011.00 on top of the $495.30 to keep the insurance. Out of the blue last week a woman who works for Access Health called and went through all the paperwork I did send on or about May 11th and she was able to straighten the whole thing out. The hearing is cancelled but I am still waiting to get my $1011.00 credit back. Have called Anthem 3 times and finally got ahold of a woman who seemed to understand what was going on and asked me to wait 72 hours and she would call me back so that should be next Monday. So, please, if you get onto ACA pay attention to these dates. They mean business! However, it was a big mistake on their part to use that first date because I never even signed up for the insurance until April 23rd. My Husband and I were sick to our stomach's to have to pay that money and the way things were going at a turtle's pace, I wasn't sure if we'd ever fix this problem. The Market Place people have tunnel vision and if one thing is 'different' they don't know how to deal with it. We were able to get onto ACA because my Hub retired April 1 and could carry his company's insurance till the end of the month. Then we needed it May 1st. I was ready to lose my mind with the phone calls and no resolution. They would put me on hold and I would ask if they had my phone number in case we were disconnected and they said they can't make outgoing phone calls! Are you kidding me? I did get letters from Access Health that we are reinstated and let me tell you, I was so happy! Hub bought us a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

Wow, what a hassle, Louise. So happy yours had a good resolution!

Ella, thank you and believe me I didn't even cover all of my story! If I did, it would have been a book. This is a good example of government red tape. Two plus months of hell. When it was resolved so easily, in the end, I was totally astonished! The woman who resolved it never even mentioned a due date for the paperwork! OMG!

I signed up for the ACA online. They can access your income via IRS. Once I chose a plan it took about fifteen minutes. Sorry you had so much trouble Louise.

Easilyamused, I had no trouble either to sign up, it was the fact that I started inquiring in January on prices and did not sign up till April that screwed everything up. If I had signed up immediately, I am assuming there would have been no glitches. However, Hub didn't retire till April 1st so for whatever reason the clock started ticking for us when I picked up the phone regardless of not even picking an insurance plan till late April. UGH, makes no sense! Glad you had no problems because it is not easy to get them resolved. Another thing is that initially I did go through the online process but had no intention to sign up for anything. The program will not let you back out or cancel out. You are on a one way journey on the website. That's when I started receiving letters to finish my application which I had no plans till months later. You should be able to go on the website to check out prices without being obligated to buy NOW!

I have never gotten any letters from them. There are facilitators in every state to help you with problems like these.

easilyamused, if you have a telephone number for a facilitator in CT please let me know. I have dealt with Access Health and they seem to be the only one you can deal with in CT. They never offered any other telephone numbers. The supervisor I spoke with couldn't do anything for me either. I am still waiting for my tax credit ($1011.00) to be returned to me from Anthem. I called them again today and I got the run around. The woman whom I have spoken with has no direct line and I have to do through a generic line and push 3 for other billing issues. I then have to answer a dozen questions as in my ID number, name, address, phone, DOB and on and on before they will TRY to connect me with this person. Then the person wasn't available so they left a message for the person to call me! The person said they would call me within 72 hours and now it is 5 days later. Not sure why you didn't get any letters but I have at least 15 letters, if not more from them. Maybe due to my delay in signing up for the insurance caused that, I don't know. Maybe it is Connecticut Access Health. I think if you sign up immediately you would have no problems. I inquired in January and I didn't need the insurance till May 1st and their computer system seemed to have a mind of its own and decided I didn't send the paperwork in time. However, I was NOT in the wrong after all since they reinstated me finally. Still no call from the Anthem person...

I'm wondering how it works for the first year if they get your income information from the IRS. Can't you estimate your income based on your prospective retirement income and then have a true-up at the end of the year, or do they determine you're not eligible for a credit because you had income the prior year when you were working?

I have seen warnings, by the way, that you shouldn't immediately sign up for COBRA if you get laid off while you're trying to figure out the Obamacare benefits since that would make you ineligible for Obamacare.

I tried checking my possible rate for a Gold plan in SC (single, 60s, nonsmoking). The government site kept telling me my password was invalid (I changed passwords 3X and asked a friend who is a Director of IT for a Fortune 500 to help me out with it, and neither one of us could get it to work). Finally I just checked some insurance sites directly, and came up with an average estimated cost of $1450/mo without a credit. Ouch.

Louise, if your state navigators can't help you, I am at a loss. Kate, I am in SC.

Kate, we are in our first year of Obama Care. My husband worked 3 months this year before retiring so after he was done and he got his last paycheck we knew what his final income was. Then my husband gets a small pension from a former employer and I have to take a mandatory withdrawal from an inherited IRA. We have one stock that pays around $400 in dividends a year which has to be declared as income. I reported all this income to The Market Place (Access Health) by phone. They didn't contact IRS as far as I know. We also had to report my husbands SS income that he would start receiving as of May 2015. These streams of income seemed to confuse them and they had to put the information onto different screens on their computer. Once they added up all the income they came up with the credit we were entitled to which is $1,011.00 per month. We pay $495.30. To achieve this, our income has to remain under the threshold of $63,720 for two adults. See chart: http://obamacarefacts.com/federal-poverty-level/

I did not want to confuse them by using my IRS information from the previous year. My husband worked 3 months this year and last year 12. Incomes change from year to year. I was afraid we would be ineligible for the credit if they saw our IRS information from last year. I have had enough problems with them!

Kate as a single person, if you make no more than $47,080 as seen in the chart, you should be able to get a credit. If you can't get on the computer, call them. They can figure out the cost for you.

We are on a Silver plan.

I understand your frustration with the password issues, I have had so many problems with Access Health. GRRRR!

That price you gave of $1450 is not a surprise. I ran into a guy who is on Medicare but his wife is still on insurance from the company he retired from. They are paying $1,200+ a month for her alone. She only has a few months more before she gets on Medicare but that is a LOT of money per month!

I will go on SS next January and even with the other streams of income it is not enough so I have to tap savings till we are both eligible for Medicare. We have to stay under the radar screen to keep getting the credit so tapping savings, not IRA's is the only way to do it. Wish I had invested in Roth IRA's years ago but never thought much about it.

Good luck and let us know how you make out!

Louise - Thank you so much! You've provided very helpful information. I'll have to pay close attention to that cut-off point! I'm trying to do all the research now, in case I get laid off before I turn 65 (a probability at my company thanks to not-so-hidden age discrimination). If I get laid off, I am planning to use $40K from savings and $20K from widow SS benefits until 66, when I'll will claim SS benefits on my own record and start to pull money from my 401K. I'll have to watch the break point carefully. I've heard our COBRA for laid off employees is so high that people have done much better buying their own policies through the government site.

Kate, you are welcome! One thing I would think over in regard to your Widow SS benefits is that you are entitled to collect them till age 70 and let your SS grow. Find out what your benefit would be on your own record at age 70. My Mom collected Widow SS and at 65 switched over to hers because it was more but she may have been able to grow hers by delaying collecting it. We didn't know she could collect till age 70 on my Dads. Of coarse, it might be wise to call SS and talk to them about it. Here is an article you might be interested in: http://time.com/money/3638427/social-security-survivors-benefits-details/

As far as your 401k, if it is from your current employer, I would seek out a Financial Advisor and move your money into maybe an annuity. We just did that with my Husbands 401k and our FA moved the money into a Prudential annuity product. It has a pretty good growth rate. I am not pushing an annuity or Prudential and suggest you find a good FA, if you don't already have one, to help you with your particular needs.

Thanks again - yes, planning on weighing taking widows benefits as long as possible. I've checked the amount by calling Social Security, and it's pretty much my own benefit anyway. I was planning on deferring taking benefits on my own record until 70 if the rules still let me do that (I'll be lucky enough to qualify for the maximum benefit at 66).

I'm not a fan of annuities, since I remember when insurers selling annuities crashed and were liquidated back in the late 70s/early 80s when insurers couldn't meet annuity commitments as a result of soaring interest rates and inflation. It was a bleak time in this country's history. Even though there has been insurance reform since then, the state guarantee associations still only backstop annuity contracts to a limited value such as $100,000 or $250,000 (think of it like FDIC insurance, but for annuities). You can learn more about the state insurance for your annuity contract at the website of the National Organization of Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Associations (NOLHGA), which links to each state's guaranty association. They may be appropriate in a balanced portfolio, but they're definitely not for me. Of course, everyone's risk tolerance, portfolio balancing and estate planning will vary widely. I have two FAs and an estates/trust lawyer, and they don't agree on anything either :-).

These were various comments made about this topic on another, unrelated Blog post. So we are moving them here to keep the conversation going:

From Louise: Just a comment on the Affordable Care Act. You can get insurance anytime during the year if you have a qualified life changing event such as retirement. I was unemployed and Hub was working at his job until April 1st and then retired. His insurance covered us till the end of April. We filed for insurance through ACA and our first month was May 2015 to be covered.
—
From Journey 15: Thanks Louise but our income for 2015 was too much for the ACA. We went with Cobra, which is not too bad and is for 18 months if we desire, for right now. I know once we go to the ACA health insurance we can’t go back to Cobra so we will be looking very carefully at the ACA before making our decision. We will be eligible for the ACA, income wise, in 2016.

—
and from Bonnie: Your income does NOT matter to get an insurance policy through the ACA website. You may not qualify for the SUBSIDIES they offer to those with lower income, but you CAN purchase insurance. I am a dentist who, being self-employed, must insure myself. I purchased a policy with BCBS that is also offered on the ACA website. But, of course, I do not qualify for the subsidies and pay the full ACA premium. I feel that there is still a lot of misunderstanding out there about health insurance and the ACA…

Thanks to all who corrected me. This was my bad as I neglected to include that we were NOT eligible for the Subsidy for 2015. I know this but I failed to say it.

Journey 15, Now is the time to figure your budget for 2016 and if you can jiggle your income you may qualify for the subsidy. I think you can sign up for ACA now for next year. Not sure what the cut off date for enrollment is. Be sure to check it out.

I came into an inheritance and am drawing some income from that (as little as I can) and no taxes get applied to that and is not considered income. This coming year I will start Social Security, Hub is already on it and gets a pension. Those are our 3 main incomes. Then we will withdraw money from an annuity. The rest will come out of the inheritance. We also have some stock and get a small dividend from that which needs to be added to our income.

We have to stay below the radar screen of $63,720 (ACA limit) to get the subsidy in CT for a married couple. That's where I have to figure out all income BEFORE we withdraw money from the annuity. I do not try to get too close to the $63,720 and make sure there is wiggle room.

It is worth jiggling your income if you can. Our subsidy is $1,011 a month or $12,132 a year that I am not having to take out of savings. Without subsidy it would be $18,076.00 a year for affordable health care insurance! $5,944 a year with subsidy.

Just wanted to let those who are married and they or their spouse will go on Medicare and other spouse has to stay on Obamacare. My Hub is going on Medicare March 1st (2017) and I have to stay on Obamacare for 17 more months. Just called on Feb. 15th to report the change to Access Health, CT. So once again it is a grueling process with the millions of questions they ask and reading statements to you a mile long. So anyway, I chose to stay on the same BC/BS plan we are on. We were receiving a subsidy of approx. $1,400 a month and for the two of us it cost $507 a month. Now that Hub has been taken off, my subsidy is $404 a month and for one person (me) I will be paying $510 a month! Does this make any sense at all? Paying more for one person than two on a policy? The representative said she would look for another policy but I was so done and I have a silver policy so the prices can't be that different. I guess this is what they call the marriage penalty. For now I will just suck it up and pay it and hope the new president doesn't repeal it without replacing it. If replaced, I am sure it will be not in our favor. So for those of you who might be in the same situation at some point, be prepared to be shocked!

My mistake, I am getting a subsidy of $440 a month, not $404. But still paying $510 a month for insurance.

So I'm wondering with an income of $9100 yearly what our monthly policy cost might be. We're currently on the medicaid part of the ACA, but will be going on SS in a few month's.

Due to the change in administration and the agreed upon goal to repeal and replace Obamacare by the new administration and legislature, won't the information and advice in this column and the related comments likely change significantly and isn't it risky to rely on this information as written in stone going forward? Regrettably, to date, there has not been any clarity from the current administration as to what is going to happen going forward as it relates to pre-existing conditions, subsidies, and so on. As a result, isn't the current situation that the folks who are wondering what they can do about their healthcare situation if they retire prior to reaching the age of Medicare are all in limbo (the Twilight Zone) until the process of repeal and replace is completed? In fact, even many folks in Medicare are in the same boat as there have also been stated plans to alter Medicare (e.g., change the starting age to 67 and change the entire system structure). So, really isn't it essentially impossible to provide any concrete advise for 2018 and beyond that can be relied upon until after we learn what changes are going to be made to healthcare coverage for those who retire before 65 and even for many already using Medicare?

Brian - You raise some crucial points, thank you. The Trump administration has promised to repeal Obamacare but no one yet has any idea what the promised replacement will look like. Even Medicare is potentially up in the air as Paul Ryan and others believe it must be reformed, possibly as a voucher system. Our only advice on this crucial topic is that if you don't have coverage now, get it (we say that because it might be harder to take it away if you have it, and because pre-existing conditions could be a problem if you have a lapse in coverage). And stay on top of developments so you can act accordingly. Whether you believe any replacement is a good idea or a bad idea, let your political representatives know your opinion, and how any changes might affect your health. PS - we amended the beginning of the article to warn that change is a comin'.

Question??
Can someone who is Medicare age eligible apply for coverage even though that person is eligible for health insurance coverage through their employer?
Thanks

Mark Sanford is my Congressman. We had a teleconference with him last week. He and Rand Paul have a healthcare plan which does not cover pre existing conditions. He did not give many details but will be here for a townhall next week. I suppose there will be a lot of new plans floating around.

Staci:
Sure, that is done all the time. However, you may want to consider what you would be getting out of Medicare while covered by your group insurance. While you are still employed and covered by your group insurance, that insurance is your primary insurance and Medicare would be secondary. If your group insurance has good coverage, paying the Medicare premium may not be worth it. However, if you are in a high deductible group plan, it may make sense to enroll in Medicare. There is no late enrollment penalty for Medicare as long as you are still employed and covered by your group plan or if you are covered as a family member on your employed spouse's group plan. Once your are no longer employed or no longer covered by an employed spouse's group plan, you will have a window (I believe it is 8 months) to enroll in Medicare without penalty. At that time, Medicare become primary and any group insurance you may retain after employment becomes a secondary payer. You will need to furnish evidence that you were covered by an employer's group plan after you turn age 65 in order to avoid the late enrollment penalty.

Staci, you might want to check with your employer's benefits department on your employer-provided plan as some plans may require you to sign up for at least the “premium–free” Medicare Part A at 65 (providing you qualify for it).

Additionally plan may state Medicare Part A then becomes your primary, with employer-provided insurance covering what Part A does not cover as secondary insurance plan. Also this provision will probably be completely separate and different from what they require for Part B of Medicare (which requires a premium paid by you).

But if you're still working and your employer coverage is a high-deductible plan with a health savings account (HSA), be careful. Under IRS rules, you cannot contribute to an HSA in any month that you are enrolled in Medicare (A or B).

So, when making a decision on whether to sign up for either Medicare Part A (or B) at 65 there are multiple factors to consider: 1) whether you qualify for Medicare A with or without a premium, 2) whether you have a HSA with your employer, 3) what are the stipulations in your employer’s plan when you turn 65 and 4) the Medicare rules on signing up for Part A during your initial enrollment period.

It is probably best to get information from your employer directly. Always lots to think about-never simple.

Thanks so much for all the info.

BeckyN - Very good advice! I checked and my employer's plan is one that requires me to apply for Medicare at 65. At that point Medicare is primary and my employer's health care is secondary.

I just thought I would add a thought about ACA. I couple of years ago, I had a choice between ACA and COBRA and because my income was too high to qualify for subsidies, which are meant to help the poor, I went with COBRA which was much better coverage. When COBRA ended, I checked out ACA and the prices were astronomical and I could not buy a decent plan because the deductible was so hihg, so I purchased private insurance. The problem with ACA is that it really turned out to be a program to help the poorest of us, which is fine, but so many people find ways to scam that it cost the rest of us much more for less coverage. If you can stay on an employer's plan or COBRA and stay away from the ACA unless you are legitmately under the income level.

Mary,

How difficult was it to find private insurance when your COBRA ended? Did you have the choice of several different providers, or were you limited in choices? Were there any issues with pre-existing conditions (probably not as this was likely during the time frame when this was not allowed if it when ACA rules were still relevant). Are you still guaranteed that the private insurer cannot choose to cancel your insurance at any point? I have my concerns, given the current lack of information regarding the plan to replace ACA, as to what situation will be faced by those using COBRA once the coverage ends including what this means regarding ability to find private insurance and what guarantees there would be regarding protection from pre-existing conditions when switching as well as guarantees regarding private insurance coverage once on a private insurer plan.

I don't understand how a person can scam to get on ACA. You are either low income or you are not. When you apply you have to provide information so you may qualify. That was my experience living in California. I got layed off at the age of 58 and needed to move in with my elderly mother who has dementia. So not being able to work outside of the home it had been a blessing for my family.

My two person household income is at the 363% poverty level and 400% poverty level is the max to get a subsidy. At 400% your max income for two person household is $64,100 for 2017. Not exactly poverty if you ask me but that is the income cut off for ACA subsidy for two people. Hub has dropped off and they still base it on the 363% poverty level income. Our subsidy when hub was on it was $1,400 a month. Now that he is off, subsidy is $440 for one person with the same household income. As Mary11 said, there is no scamming to get ACA. You have to prove income and when you do your taxes they will find out if you had more income and will make you pay back. For some reason our subsidy payments were over by $39 and had to be paid back when we did our taxes this year.

As a side note, % poverty level income for Alaska and Hawaii is much higher than the contiguous 48 states.

If your income goes above the max % poverty level, it might be wise to examine your incoming money. If you are tapping IRA's or 401K money that will be added as income, you might consider taking less out and using savings to cover your expenses to still get the subsidy. Non taxable withdrawal of savings is not considered income. Wish I had put money into a Roth IRA back in the day but never gave it a thought at the time the benefits it would offer down the road.

2017 Federal Poverty Level Chart – Income Brackets for 2017 Premium Tax Credits

Contiguous 48 States
Persons in Household (PIH)

PIH 100% FPL 133% FPL (138%)* 250% FPL 400% FPL

1 $11,880 $15,800 ($16,400) $29,700 $47,550
2 $16,020 $21,300 ($22,100) $40,050 $64,100
3 $20,160 $26,800 ($27,800) $50,400 $84,650
4 $24,300 $32,300 ($33,600) $60,750 $97,200
5 $28,440 $37,850 ($39,250) $71,100 $113,800
6 $32,580 $43,350 ($44,950 $81,450 $130,300
7 $36,730 $48,850 ($50,700) $91,850 $146,900
8 $40,890 $54,400 ($56,450) $102,250 $163,550
* The ACA law text reads 133 percent, but also calls for a new method of calculating income bringing the minimum to 138% and they are choosing to disregard the 5% discrepancy.

If your family contains more than 8 people, add $4,160 for each additional.

Brian, it was not diffiuclt at all to find private inusrance. There are only 2 companies in the state I live in. As far as preexisting conditions, if you have had continuous coverage with any healh insurance company, it is not an issue. The ACA did away with lifetime caps. That is my biggest concern. Anyone with a serious disease exceeds the cap very quickly. There are some good provisions in the ACA, but it was too expensive for less coverage.

Louise, you are very lucky to get a subsidy at all. Two people living under the same roof share expenses and one person would not qualify for any subsidy at all with that income. With your subsidy, you are paying about what I am for the Medicare that I just went on. When I was buying private insurance, I paid about a thousand a month. So you getting a subsidy of 440. Is a great deal for you! I don't know what hojr husband pays for Medicare, put I pay 500 and change per month.

The ACA does not figure assets, so you could have any amount in your retirement plan, several homes, and still get a subsidy in any given year that you did not draw income.

MaryNB Yes, one person who needs insurance in a two person household with that income and poverty level below 400% is qualified to still get a subsidy. Not as generous as a two person household with the same income. Reread my example above. It explains how we qualified. With 2 on ACA we paid $507 plus received a $1,400 subsidy. Now one person on ACA (me) I pay $510 and get a $440 subsidy.

Hub is paying (Medicare):
Part B $134
Part D $67.30
Part F $241.50
Total= $442.80 No Dental, No Vision plans

So between the two of us we will be paying $952.80 a month (Medicare and ACA).

Yes, you are right. You could have tons of money in the bank and other assets but as long as reported income is below the 400% level, you are eligible for a subsidy in most cases.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEE RETIREES: I would like to hear from someone, who, like me, opted to keep their BLUE Cross/Shield Federal. I am a Federal Employee annuitant. When I became "of age" I elected to keep my BC/Shield Federal but THOUGHT I could eventually get some sort of supplemental. A couple of years ago...I was told by BC/Shield that I could not do this.

Just would like to hear from some folks that may have elected to opt out of Medicare Part B....

Louise, believe it or not, 500 dollars a month is still a bargain for health insurance. That is about what ia pay now on Medicare and I am quite relieved!

Well hubs and I will be earning less than $15000 yearly in retirement. That means you can qualify for Medicare being paid for through the govt as well as medications. Sometimes it's better to earn less in retirement because you don't qualify for assistance or aid. My mother earns less than $1700 and doesn't qualify for anything. She does have Blue Cross Blue Shield through General Motors for only $17 monthly and that includes every thing including dental and vision. Shehas dementia and so I couldn't continue working because hiring a caregiver would be too expensive.

Mary11 if the government pays for your Medicare and prescriptions because your income is $15,000 are you allowed to have savings? My friend will be very low income but she came into a small inheritance. I would think that would be considered to make her ineligible for assistance.

MaryNB, My only gripe about insurance is that when Hub and I were on it together it cost $1,907 a month and we received a subsidy of $1,400 and we paid $507 for two people.

Now, because he is going to Medicare my Silver plan Anthem BC/BS policy is $950 with a subsidy of $440. So it is $510 a month. If it was fair, I would have gotten a $700 subsidy which would be half of what our previous subsidy was for two people. They call it a marriage penalty.

Two unmarried people could live together and each make up to the max of $47,520 and still get a subsidy. Household income would be $95,040 but each would only claim $47,520 because they are not married. The married couple can only claim $64,080 max to get a subsidy.

Fortunately, I can afford the insurance but not everyone can.

Louise, you are only allowed $3000 as a couple. So if you use all your savings on a new home you can then get all the govt benefits.

Louise, I think you are missing the fact that medicare is subsidiized. So, you are getting the same subsidies for being in poverty, but from 2 different government programs. You are getting a big subsidy from Obamacare and your husband is getting s subsidy from Medicare. 500 per month for health insurance is a huge bargain.

MaryNB you might be right on the bargain but paying $11,434 for two people per year for health insurance is hard to swallow. I only hope the new administration doesn't mess with Medicare. It seems to be a wonderful program. 17 months and counting for me to get on Medicare!

Just recently became eligible for Medicare Part A & B (November 2016) and would like to clarify my understanding.

When I read statements here that Medicare is subsidized I wonder what that means?

I elected to get my Medicare Part A & B through what is called Original Medicare (I will call it the traditional government administered program).

I understand Medicare (the government administered agency) approved private insurance companies to also offer plans that provide Medicare Part A and Part B services and labeled this arrangement as Part C plans or they are also called "Medicare Advantage" plans.

I can purchase Medicare supplemental insurance or a Medigap plan (these are not the same), BOTH from private insurance companies which will mean each company will charge different premium amounts, offer coverage for different items (prescriptions, Part A & B deductibles, coinsurance, copays and excess charges) and may vary by states.

Now back to my question – how is the cost of Medicare subsidized? I assumed that statement was referring to the premium cost of Part B (or possibly for Part A for those that did not qualify for no-premium for Part A)?

Is this subsidized comment really referring to benefits/coverage under Obama Care or perhaps low income Medicare Part A and Part B beneficiaries who get their premiums subsidized through some program like Medicaid?

BeckyN, I have no idea on Medicare subsidies. When Hub was eligible for Medicare he got a letter stating what Part B would cost and that is $134 a month. Part A is free for him as is for most people who have worked steady through out the years. His Part F is through United Health Care (AARP) and is $241.50 monthly and Part D also thru UHC (AARP) and is $67.30 monthly. Neither of those indicated there was a subsidy involved. Only my Obamacare (ACA) insurance comes with information regarding the subsidy and it clearly states it on the initial paperwork and on each monthly bill what the total bill is, what the subsidy is and what my monthly payment is. There is no mention of subsidies on any Medicare paperwork we received. We are in CT so our costs are probably more for Obamacare, Plan F and Plan D than other parts of the country.

Oh, just wanted to share. On February 15th I called Access Health CT (ACA) to report my Hub would be going on Medicare on March 1st. They say if you cancel on the 15th of the month, the cancelled person will continue on the insurance till the end of the month. If you report the cancellation on the 16th or later, the person is covered till the end of the next month. So anyway, I went through all the thousand questions and swearing to give up my first born child...just kidding... and then finally we were done. I despise calling them because it is a grueling process and you start from square 1 with all the income sources, addresses, SS numbers...on and on and on. So approximately 4 days later, I got 7 letters in one day, in the mail from Access Health! Seven letters basically stating the same information. This is what I went through when we initially signed up for it. The letters kept coming and coming. Why seven letters? Quite inefficient if you ask me.

http://kff.org/medicare/fact-sheet/medicare-spending-and-financing-fact-sheet/

I could try to explain it, but you can see a chart for yourself at the above website. See "How is Medicare financed".

Louise, if you are paying 500 a month now on Obamacare plan, you won't pay any less on Medicare, which for me is about 500 per month. People who don't get government sudsidies pay a heck of a lot more! For me, paying 500 per month is a great deal!

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/worth-keeping-medicare-im-covered-new-employer/

Is it worth keeping Medicare if I’m covered by my new employer?

Recent article on PBS News site.

Interesting how Part D and F costs can vary by State. The cost for each of us here in Georgia is
Part B $109.00
Part D $55.00
Part F $161.00
Total $325.00 (individual cost)

Jim C, Yes, it is interesting and it sure makes moving down south very enticing! Between the cost of Plan D, Plan F, and being exempt from school taxes in some localities in Georgia, it could be quite helpful to a retiree's budget. Our State of CT is in a huge financial mess. Our Governor is doing everything in his power to raise money or cut money. In our town alone he has cut 6 million in school money. So, you can imagine the town taxpayers are going to take the hit!

Medicare coverage is not ACA...has nothing to do with ACA. Medicare Part A is hospital coverage 65 and older and covered by the Fed govt. Part B is office visits, labs, etc., and your premium is dependent on what your income is. Medicare pays 80% the rest is up to you. Therefore many people buy a supplemental plan from an insurance company...the plans are alphabetized. Each state's premium for a particular plan is different depending upon the plan you choose. You also pay for a Part D plan (drugs) through the same insurance company. All of this is traditional Medicare...it has nothing to do with Medicare Advantage Plans nor the ACA. In answer to a Joann, if you are 65 or older and you are still working and will get coverage from a new employer, you certainly should apply for Medicare as you will pay a higher premium when you are ready to receive Medicare. It is basically a penalty because you didn't sign up when you turned 65.

Can anyone from SE Florida tell me what it cost for Medicare part F and D plan along with a good donut
hole coverage plan? Trying to figure out a retirement
budget regarding these expenses. We plan on moving to Delray in late 2017 from Texas.
Thank you
Skip from Texas

Skip you need to investigate on line. The cost in each state is different.
B Petony-- you have to apply for Medicare part A when you are age eligible. As long as you have other medical coverage through an employer, you do not have to sign up for part B until you lose your employment coverage.

Skip..go to Medicare.gov...go to Supplements and Other Insurance and then go to Find a Medigap Policy. Put in zip code for SE Fl such as 33301 which is Ft. Lauderdale. They will list all of the supplemental plans avail in that zip code from insurance companies. The lettered plan you choose will be the same benefits no matter what insurance company you choose, but the premiums will vary between the insurance companies so you need to shop around among those insurance companies.

B. Pentony, I don't think anyone mentioned that ACA had anything to do with Medicare. If you are referring to my post, I said that I called Access Health, CT which is ACA and reported that my Hub was leaving ACA to go onto Medicare. Not sure where you picked up that information that anyone thinks ACA has anything to do with Medicare.

Actually, Medicare WOULD be affected by the repeal of the ACA as there are many ACA provisions that were added to address Medicare that would lead to increased Medicare costs, if ACA is repealed and these provisions are not included in the replacement plan. For more information, see, for example, http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/what-are-the-implications-of-repealing-the-affordable-care-act-for-medicare-spending-and-beneficiaries/

From JoannL
I just read this article regarding a kind of healthcare insurance fraud imo. I tried posting it yesterday to another topic – but it seems to be lost. It’s worth the read.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Buyer-Beware-When-religion-politics-health-14065418.php?

Its about Healthcare Cost Sharing Ministry – “Customers paying thousands of dollars to a religiously affiliated healthcare cost-sharing ministry under Aliera Healthcare shouldn’t have much faith that their medical bills will be paid.”

Traditional insurance also does not cover many bills and has high deductibles to boot. One must be careful no matter what route you take on the road to healthcare.

I have been using Christian Healthcare Ministries since Feb 2018 after my fulltime job was eliminated. I was unable to find full time work at nearly 64 years of age. I compared many health sharing plans including Liberty Mutual, and Medi-share. I chose CHM because they have been in business since 1981 and have 450,000 members and are endorsed by Dave Ramsey. They are very professional and operate out of Barberton, Ohio. The fees are reasonable and I have the Gold plan with catastrophic coverage. I may stay with them as my secondary when I begin with Medicare Sept 1. I turn 65 in late September. I have found them to be entirely professional and I have had to call them often with questions. So far, the only thing that bothers me is that they do not cover chiropractic care, which I feel as a former nurse is an option I would want to pursue. A good corrective chiropractor has as much experience as a medical doctor in many cases and can save one from major surgeries and a lifetime on toxic pharmaceuticals. I had a severe back injury when I was still nursing and a chiropractor and his wife (who was also a chiropractor)saved me from major surgery.

Due diligence is required before signing up for any insurance plans. I am still exploring options for my secondary insurance (Plan G) and Plan D for pharmaceuticals--if I ever need them. No insurance guarantees payment--one must read the small print. Aetna, Cigna, BC/BS have this statement on all their policies.

Jennifer, when reviewing Medicare plans prior to turning 65, don’t forget Medicare Advantage plan possibilities, as well as the typical supplement plans. Talking with a qualified, licensed health insurance agent can be helpful. Their commissions are the same on all plans, so they have no reason to work in any way except for your best interests.

Hi Clyde:

Thanks for your comment.

I am well aware of insurance brokers, how they are paid, and Medicare advantage plans. I have been studying this for some time. The only MA plan I would consider is Kaiser Permante` as they have a five star rating here in Washington, DC and include pharmaceutical coverage as well. The problem is that they are often not portable when you travel. I need to be covered no matter where I travel in the USA.

A plan G supplemental planthrough United Healthcare through AARP is $106/month but then I also would need Part D ($17.00/month)drug coverage (even though I do not take ANY drugs--even over the counter).

Christian Healthcare Ministry coverage covers any bills and that includes drugs per incident, once Medicare has covered their portion and the bill is over $500. They cover me no matter where I travel. I have lots to consider and since I am a former nurse I have seen what can happen if one makes a mistake. Part G secondary coverage covers the full 20% of what Medicare does not cover at 80% once you meet the $183.00 annual deductible--they cover Medicare overcharges as well. These plans go up a lot each year. CHM has not gone up and since it is a sharing program most likely will not go up each and every year.

Update from 2017 post....I came across new information if you are a low income couple and qualify for help from Medicare for payment of your monthly Medicare premiums. It seems now that Medicare will allow you to have up to $11,000 in savings and still qualify for help with your Medicare monthly premiums.