It is the time of year where I am being bombarded by ads for Medicare advantage plans however I am going to keep my traditional Medicare with a supplementary medigap plan
I have an an Advantage plan and I plan on keeping it. I look at it as being no different that it was when I was working. The insurance company may put some bullshit requirements up that only end up costing them more. when I was working my doctor, whom I had seen for 20 years, ordered a nuclear stress test. A doctor at my insurer, who didn’t know me from Adam decided I needed a regular stress test first. So my doctor ordered one, I got it, and before he got the results he ordered the nuclear stress test again
I don’t know if it’s because of the hand I was dealt in life, but while places like the Mayo Clinic might not take Advantage plans, if I get cancer or some other disease in my 70’s, I’m okay with getting “local” treatment.
We have had a supplemental plan since enrolling in Medicare and have no plans to change. We’ve had zero issues with it. Advantage plans greatly vary among the states. One needs to decide what his/her medical needs are and what plan matches those needs. They remind me of HMOs that an employers offered as a benefit.
The advantage plans here in NM range from so-so to not very good for us. Just remember that advantage plans generally claim to be the same as Medicare, but they usually charge higher copays and deductibles than Medicare, require more preapprovals that Medicare and limit your providers.
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