My first week on Medicare. What's different?

[stopbush]

Sept 1 marked the start of my Medicare coverage. I have a Kaiser Permanente Advantage plan, so in addition to the $135 a month I have deducted from my SS for basic Medicare, I pay an additional $20 a month for hearing, vision and dental coverage.

That’s $155 a month, total.

Previously, I was on a KP plan thru Covered CA. I had a subsidy from Obamacare, so my monthly premium was under $4. But the devil is in the details. Under my old plan, I not only had co-pays, but I would get hit with charges later. For instance, I paid $60 to see my doctor at the time of the visit, and a month later I would get a bill for an additional $130 for the same visit. My deductible was $6500 a year.

I had been holding out to have a few things done until Medicare kicked in. Boy, I was not disappointed. Here’s what I paid today v what my old plan would have cost:

Specialist visit with ortho for my knee injury: $0 v at least $250 (got an exam, a cortisone shot and a new knee brace at no charge. Assuming that would have cost $250 on the old plan).

Labs: $0 v $10-200

Flu shot: $0 v $0

Topical ointment prescription: $0 v $90

Yes, I sure wish there was a way to have Medicare for All.

[Cartoonist]

1. I'm on the Kaiser senior health plan

Check your benefits. Mine include free membership in a local gym.

[True Blue American]

3. Most Medicare plans

Include Silver Sneakers. That is free gym membership. It is great.

I visited a Clinic the other day, cost me $5. Doctor Office call, $5. Specialist $45. Deductable for Hospital, $4000, but have heard you can negotiate that.

Yes, I would like Medicare for all. We can get that if we vote democratic.

[brush]

2. Good into. Many forget the big $6500 deductible before ins. companies start paying. And...

there's also the payroll deductions from every paycheck.

Glad you made out.

[whathehell]

4. So you pay no deductible?

Wow..My spouse & I are paying WAY more than - I'll check out Kaiser Permanente.

[stopbush]

5. No. My deductible is $4500 under KP. The difference is that there were services

and procedures under my old plan that were not covered until the deductible was satisfied 100%. For instance, my wife ended up in the Hoag ER in February with a bill over $5000 for a two-hour stay. Our Covered CA plan paid 0%. Treated the whole bill as deductible. Fortunately, we were able to apply for financial assistance thru Hoag’s Foundation- they covered it 100%. The ambulance bill for that ER trip was $900. Medicare is $250.

[whathehell]

6. Okay, thanks stopbush.

I checked KP and, unfortunately, it's not available in my state. (Illinois)

[stopbush]

7. Today, I made a same-day appointment for an eye exam.

Cost for exam = $0

And, my Medicare vision plan gives me a $325 benefit to the purchase of glasses every two years. I was able to get one pair of distance and one pair of reading glasses for $325.75.

I pay $20 a month for this coverage which also includes dental and hearing.

[cstanleytech]

9. "I guess people want a socialist country and wants government to handle everything." What do you

think the military is? Or the law enforcement not to mention the fire department they are all services needed to keep a country of our tech level functioning just like good healthcare is needed.