This is the year I'm supposed to sign up for Medicare, TIPS?

Some amount of social sharing makes sense, economically and morally. But it's got to be done right, and there are too many temptations to abuse the concept.

Nobody in the US gets denied medical care because they can't afford it. But people who can afford it can get astounding bills.

Trump wants to make hopitals post all their prices publicly. That's a great idea.

I have money, but only because I have lived on less than I earned. The way I did that, was to save money when I could on any transaction, and not be a consumer sucker. It seems to me, I have been paying for Medicare all these years and it should be cheaper to use than getting a private non-Medicare plan. As I understand it now, Part A is no cost, Part B is $135.50 per month. I will probably need to add some additional coverage to my Part A, haven't looked into it, but I would prefer a high deductible. I don't know if I also need additional insurance for Part B coverage, or if Medi-gap insurance covers both Part A and B. I also should sign up for Part D to cover drugs, at this point my drugs are only $10 to $25 a month, but to stop the penalty I need to sign up the first year. Mikek

eap but you can get good insurance where you get really good treatment, in more ways than one. I mean preferential treatment.

Don't listen to Alex Trebek or Joe Namath. Research it and find out things .

If you inquire with BCBS they should be able to let you keep the policy you have now. They just make Medicare the primary payer, and the policy you ha ve now satisfies the Part D requirement. And because Medicare is the primar y payer, they will refund all or a portion of your Part B premiums upon pro of of payment. All you do is sign up for Part A and B and let BCBS know you r new status and Medicare acct number. Nothing else changes and you keep th e same policy you've been using for your wife and children and coinsurance for yourself.

I don't have drug coverage now, so may need to add that. They do negotiate prices and I do get my cholesterol med free. Until recently it cost me $3.22, but now that I don't have to pay for it, I probably got a $9.00 a month premium increase to get the free med. I have a $10,000 deductible, but after that there is not much that isn't covered. Just before Obamacare regulations started, my family premium hit $9,900 with a $2,500 deductible. I found by raising my deductible to my $10,000, my premium decreased to $4,300. This saved me $5,600 on my premium, and in less than two years, I had my $10,000 deductible saved. But then Obamacare came and gave me 18.2%, 19,4% and 24.4% increases that really screwed things. Mikek

I can.

And there are many thousands of GPs who can do that. In some specialties, there is a large difference between the doctors you don't want near you and the top specialists and the latter can be counted on two hands.

There is nothing wrong with PAs or NPs. It doesn't take an MD to weigh you and tell you to cough.

Red herring?

...unless you need a specialist.

You haven't a clue, Blobby. You're too dumb to even know how stupid you really are.

Like I said. You too dumb to know how stupid you really are.

Have you ever heard of "Part-D"? No, you're too stupid.

Now go back to sleep Blobby. You'll never figure out how stupid you really are.

The guy who repaired my retina is the best.

It's astounding that they can do that.

I doubt it.

It is. My granddaughter was born with her Aorta and Pulmonary artery swapped. She had open-heart surgery when she was two days old to fix it. I thought that was pretty amazing. She's now a perfectly normal

BTW, for all the US medical system bashers out there, her parents work retail jobs. While their insurance isn't the best (retail never is), there was never any question of her getting the care she needed.

Apropos:

cheap but you can get good insurance where you get really good treatment, i n more ways than one. I mean preferential treatment.

t. Don't listen to Alex Trebek or Joe Namath. Research it and find out thin gs.

nth.

e,

rugs

you have now. They just make Medicare the primary payer, and the policy yo u have now satisfies the Part D requirement. And because Medicare is the pr imary payer, they will refund all or a portion of your Part B premiums upon proof of payment. All you do is sign up for Part A and B and let BCBS know your new status and Medicare acct number. Nothing else changes and you kee p the same policy you've been using for your wife and children and coinsura nce for yourself.

It's probably cheaper to add it to your existing BCBS than get separate Par t D coverage. Just make sure Medicare approves their plan as having Part D.

The rate increase was due to the mandate that everyone gets insured and als o the requirement that your insurer start covering pre-existing conditions. Your insurer took on more risk and also started making more payouts. Hence the big rate increase.

Ya, Obamacare cost ME a lot of money! Just after I figured out how to save a lot. Mikek

Log every one of the 50+ phony calls: caller ID fake name, fake phone number, note if selected "put on do not call list"/or talk (ASS-u-MEing there is an answer) saying 'do not call' (talk FAST as they will hang up yesterday).

In documentation, note all of the duplicate/undesired calls. For each dozen, file the online Fed complaint form and give all of those details.

One is supposed to be able to collect a substantial amount of money from a caller violating the rules.

So far, all of those Part D medicare costs have been automatically stolen out of my Social Security (10+ years running) every month. So i have had to find insurers that are "free"; AFAIK ALL insurers get that money from Social Security therefore why should one pay yet again?

The Trump wall will fix that...

• No, UHC plans are funded from Medicare and they add on some stuff and use "Medicare Plus" type monnikers.

Exactly how will the Trump wall dissuade a person living in the UK from spouting FAKE NEWS!!!!!

You have 4 aces or a straight?

Gardner? He's got 8!

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