Applied for Medicare today

All right,
Most probably don't know or care, and that's fine, but I turn 65 in April.
So I can apply for Medicare as of Jan 1, which I did this morning (it becomes effective April 1).
Now I have to sift through all the competing Insurance policies that, hopefully, will prevent
me going bankrupt if I should encounter health issues later on.
Medigap, Medicare Advantage, Part B, Part C, Plan D; you "get it" IF you're over 65.
The rest of you; you won't have a clue, but just wait (I know somethin' you don know).
For those of you in the same boat here's the question.
What options did you take?
I'm self-employed, btw, so no "group coverage" to cover the "gap".
I hoping to lower my now outrageous Health Insurance costs (remember I'm self employed).
But something tells me that big insurance ain't let me go so easy.
And Part A (free! wowie zowie! look at the coverage; can you spell b-a-n-k-r-u-p-t-c-y?)
And Part B; $134 bucks a month to good 'ol Unka Sammy. Still you could quickly run through those benefits.
And guess what? You pay that $134 even if you buy "supplemental" doctors coverage; "such a deal I have for you!"
AND, "from each according to means, to each according to needs", that $134 goes up if you "maka 2 much monet"
Oh yeah, and if you don't buy Plan D, prescription drug coverage; they (good 'ol Samuel again) spank your
a$$ for that too.
I know getting old sucks, and no one wants to talk about it; but hey, we 'ol farts need to stick together; right?
 
T
 

"We're all a bunch of old washed up musicians."
some of us are not even washed  nor musicians but play a mean banjo!
 
 
I apply when I get settled in Shreveport. Getting old ain't for wimps!
 

DeeringAmps
So what "gap" plan did you settle on?
 
T

I have good retiree insurance, including prescription drug coverage, that costs less than I'd have to pay for Part B plus a gap policy so I'm sticking with that and the "free" Part A.
 
There's a lot to consider and an overwhelming amount of information to wade through. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that we've got options besides just hoping you don't get sick.

"never was been" here!

"My advice: don't get sick"
I hear you there!
I'm leaning toward staying with Regence (my current insurance provider).
Its a PPO, rather than an HMO (Kaiser).
I've got to "dig" a little deeper and see if I will save any money staying with similar coverage.
I can tell you one thing, I've been with them for years and its mo monet, mo monet; every year!
According to a Regence seminar I went to yesterday, cost is the same for 65, 85 or 105.
Did he have a bridge for sale, did I hear him say that?
Good news, I'm healthy, but who knows; right?
At least by being "on top" of things I won't be required to take a physical, and potentially be denied coverage.
Thanks to all.
T

I think I want to be reincarnated as a government employee.  They got all the luck.

I went through this last October. I ended up sticking with the HMO I've been with for the past 30 years (Group Health, recently absorbed into Kaiser), signed up for Part B and bought the HMO's Medigap plan.
 
Because I, too, have been self-employed for a long time and paying up the arse for my own insurance, I'm now saving a ton of money. And I now have dental insurance, too. I'd been paying my own way for dental services (e.g. $189 for a cleaning). Granted, I will have to keep working until I drop dead, because insurance costs would drain my assets even if I managed to stay well until dying suddenly from a meteor strike.
 
Such discussions must seem strange to everyone else in the rest of the civilized world, who don't equate illness with bankruptcy.

Hi,
 
I think I just got my 1st SS check in late December ... now comes the weird and bad part ... Plan D. Took them 6 months to figure out anything, and threw the file aside until 2 weeks before my birthday!