Close to 65...

[CP]

Not MPH but years. Now I'm getting a lot of crap in the mail about medicare and other junk like that. I don't know what's important and what isn't.

What have others looked out for and used?

[Rob]

What have others looked out for and used?

Maybe you should try more fiber :D

[04 commemorative]

"The Power of Fiber Compels You".....:leaving:

[mrvette]

Maybe you should try more beer :D

There, fixed it 4 U......:cert::cert::seasix::rofl:

[lspencer534]

I've got some bad news for you. When you go on Medicare, you'll be paying more for health care than ever. Medicare has 4 parts:

Part A is paid for by a portion of Social Security tax. It helps pay for inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing care, hospice care and other services.

Part B is paid for by the monthly premiums of people enrolled and by general funds from the U.S. Treasury. It helps pay for doctors' fees, outpatient hospital visits, and other medical services and supplies that are not covered by Part A.

Part C (Medicare Advantage) plans allow you to choose to receive all of your health care services through a provider organization. These plans may help lower your costs of receiving medical services, or you may get extra benefits for an additional monthly fee. You must have both Parts A and B to enroll in Part C.

Part D (prescription drug coverage) is voluntary and the costs are paid for by the monthly premiums of enrollees and Medicare. Unlike Part B in which you are automatically enrolled and must opt out if you do not want it, with Part D you have to opt in by filling out a form and enrolling in an approved plan.

Part B can cost you anywhere from $100/mo. to over $300/mo., depending on your income. There's a deductible.

The cost of Part C is all over the board, depending on how fancy a plan you want, plus you pay an additionsl fee to Medicare. There are deductibles.

Part D is a policy you buy yourself for drug coverage. This is where the hurt lies. There's a gap in drug coverage -- the so-called doughnut hole. After the total cost of your drugs (what you and your insurer paid combined) reaches a certain level -- $2,930 as of 2012 -- Medicare stops paying. You have to start paying your drug costs on your own, although for 2012 there's a 50% discount for covered brand-name drugs and plans will pay 14% of the cost of covered generic drugs.

The cost to a 65-year-old for private insurance coverage is about $500/mo., depending on your health, of course. You'll now be paying more than that in all likelihood.

[04 commemorative]

well thanks for giving us that "HardOff"

[Mike Mercury]

http://www.cartoonaday.com/images/cartoons/2010/12/retirement-age-not65-598x373.jpg

http://zw.worldsingles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/getting-older-cartoon-measuring-belly.jpg

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban2143l.jpg

[Flatbush Harry]

Maybe you should try more fiber :D

I eat one sweater per week to maintain a healthy level of fiber in my diet.

Oh, and, if your wife (if you have one) has a pre-existing condition and is younger than you, keep her insurance intact. If tied to you, use that for a medicare supplement. That's why I kept my retiree health insurance...and we just ran up $246,000 in medical bills for my wife...our share was $5,000.

:D

Hayrr

EDIT: Everyone has retiree health insurance, don't they?

[CP]

EDIT: Everyone has retiree health insurance, don't they?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: