Medicare

[Michael Weber]

Bordering on 65 and have been inundated with offers (three just today) from all kinds of organizations offering to enroll me for MedicarePlan B coverage. I have good health insurance with my employer and will continue to have it after I retire (hopefully). Am I correct in assuming that means I have no need for Plan B coverage with Medicare? Never thought getting older would be so confusing

[Mike Henderson]

Probably. Check with your employer.

Mike

P.S. Medicare is very good health insurance.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Mike,

If your employer is like mine, you can buy Medicare supplemental insurance through them. The rate is cheaper than buying it on the open market due to group buying power.

[Rod Sheridan]

Mike,

If your employer is like mine, you can buy Medicare supplemental insurance through them. The rate is cheaper than buying it on the open market due to group buying power.

I presume it's used to supplement the coverage provided by your employer once you're retired?

Regards, Rod.

[Al Wasser]

My wife died from cancer last fall. We originally did not take Medicare B. Something made me rethink that decision and we enrolled in B and well as the old insurance. Medicare B became effective on the day she was diagnosed. With the 2 of them I did not pay a single bill. I did not add up the bills but there is no doubt in my mind the cost was over $200,000. If I had just stayed with my insurance the deductible would have ben significant and the same if you only had Medicare B. A major illness will drain you unless you have both insurances.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have a friend who is retired from a well know company. They have very good health insurance through the company. But Medicare is their primary, Their company insurance then pays what Medicare don't. (the company reimburses them Medicare monthly fee))
In your shoes I would ask your company HR department how theirs work. It may be different. But would find it funny the company would pay for a primary insurance when Medicare is offered.

[David Weaver]

You're still actively employed and eligible for health care at your current employer, right?

Check with the HR department, but my understanding is that if you're on active coverage, you'll stay on the active plan. When you retire, you'll want part B coverage unless your employer offers some kind of coverage that has that type of coverage built in. You'll only know by going to your company HR group, though.

[Mike Henderson]

You're still actively employed and eligible for health care at your current employer, right?

Check with the HR department, but my understanding is that if you're on active coverage, you'll stay on the active plan. When you retire, you'll want part B coverage unless your employer offers some kind of coverage that has that type of coverage built in. You'll only know by going to your company HR group, though.

If you're still working and covered by your employer's health plan, that plan must be primary and medicare will be secondary. If you've retired, medicare will be primary and your employer's health plan will be secondary. But check with your company's HR department. This is one place you don't want to make a mistake.

Mike

[Kevin Gregoire]

just remember the old adage, you can never have to much money or insurance!

[Frank Drew]

just remember the old adage, you can never have to much money or insurance!

The company I work for disagrees with you and makes certain that we don't have too much of either.

[Michael Weber]

The company I work for disagrees with you and makes certain that we don't have too much of either.

Exactly what I was trying to avoid. Why pay for duplicate coverage? I did ask and they won't tell me if I need it or not, only what would be considered primary or secondary under different employment/retirement circumstances which I already knew. I guess I'll just have to find out more about the retiree's insurance plan and what it covers.