# health insureance costs?



## Brummie (Nov 4, 2021)

Called my health insurance today (advantage plan) to ask about something.
During the course of conversation the lady told me that my husband and my payment was $215 a month and I could have a better plan for $0 a month.
SAME drs and lowr co pays.
Very hard for me to understand why paying more doesn't equal more.
CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR THOUGHS ON THIS.
Living in USA


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## Gaer (Nov 4, 2021)

Lived my whole life without health insurance.  Always felt it extraneous as I'm in good health.


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 4, 2021)

I had a similar situation this year with Excellus BCBS.  Last year I chose an advantage plan with. $91.00/mo premium that was designed to help keep the cost of my insulin more manageable.  This year I went back to the previous years $0.00 premium plan without the cap on insulin.  Both plans seem to have the same total out of pocket cost even though the premiums, copays, and deductibles for each plan are different.

Take the time to read the annual Medicare manual to see what is covered and then shop for the advantage plan that is best for you.  Once you become familiar with original Medicare you will see that most of the advantage plan benefits are just smoke and mirrors.


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## Harry Le Hermit (Nov 4, 2021)

Brummie said:


> Called my health insurance today (advantage plan) to ask about something.


My answer would depend on whether you or your husband are turning 65 or over 65.


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## Butterfly (Nov 5, 2021)

Gaer said:


> Lived my whole life without health insurance.  Always felt it extraneous as I'm in good health.


The trouble with health insurance is that it seems like a real waste until you really need it.  Then sometimes it is too late.


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## mathjak107 (Nov 5, 2021)

Tell us about it …I was never in a hospital in my life .

then my wife and I both got hospitalized for covid ….our bills were 250k ….thankfully all it cost us was about 1k


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## mathjak107 (Nov 5, 2021)

Aunt Bea said:


> I had a similar situation this year with Excellus BCBS.  Last year I chose an advantage plan with. $91.00/mo premium that was designed to help keep the cost of my insulin more manageable.  This year I went back to the previous years $0.00 premium plan without the cap on insulin.  Both plans seem to have the same total out of pocket cost even though the premiums, copays, and deductibles for each plan are different.
> 
> Take the time to read the annual Medicare manual to see what is covered and then shop for the advantage plan that is best for you.  Once you become familiar with original Medicare you will see that most of the advantage plan benefits are just smoke and mirrors.


Many of the no premium plans can have out of pocket costs of over 7k a year ..get sick like we did at the end of the year and you can see 14k or more as copays and deductibles resurface


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 5, 2021)

mathjak107 said:


> Many of the no premium plans can have out of pocket costs of over 7k a year ..get sick like we did at the end of the year and you can see 14k or more as copays and deductibles resurface


That’s true.  

I’m comfortable with my choice of a zero premium advantage plan and my ability to self insure for the possible out of pocket costs associated with that choice.

My biggest challenge is with drug costs and the donut hole.  I’m not aware of any plan that will help me to manage that.  It’s always a trade off of premiums vs copays.

I bank on the notion that I will have several low cost healthy years in retirement and only two or three years of more expensive end of life care.

The good news is that if I’m wrong I have the opportunity to select a different plan each year during open enrollment.

In any case my costs with Medicare are significantly lower than when I was paying the full freight for medical insurance.


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## terry123 (Nov 5, 2021)

I have a Humana advantage plan.  It includes a drug plan and all my meds are free for a 90 day supply.  At home rehab is available with no co pay. Co pay for doctor visit is $5.00 and next year is zero copay.  I am satisfied with my plan and will stay with it for next year.


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## funsearcher! (Nov 5, 2021)

Now is the time to talk to an advisor but not one associated with a particular company, one which looks at all available options in your state--here it is SHIP-state health information providers


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