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88 yr. old father has been using VA for medical care and has Medicare A and B. Lawyer we spoke with regarding some estate planning suggested a supplemental policy. He has very limited income (Soc. Security only). Having been on borrowed time...one emergency room visit away from some heavy co-pays, etc.? A supplemental plan will be a budget stretch, but does VA, Medicare A and B still leave him (us) too exposed to major costs?

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I would say yes. H E double hockey sticks yes.

I don't know how much VA helps out, but medicare only pays for 80% of the bill. That other 20% is up to the recipient. So if someone falls and is in the ER for a few hours, that can be $10,000. Can he handle a $2,000 copay? Say someone needs their appendix out, that's $40,000. Can he handle a $8,000 copay.

Supplemental insurance also helps out with rehab. It can either greatly reduce the copay or eliminate it altogether. It can also put aside the 3 day rule.

That's why I say that medicare for all is the wrong goal. We need medicaid for all. Since even a 20% copay will bankrupt a lot of Americans.
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Check with Medicare. The last time I checked my dad was on the hook for 20% up to 4,500.00 annually.

It was actually cheaper for him to get a supplemental insurance policy.

Can I suggest that you find a Medicare specialist broker, they can help you determine what is the best plan for your dad.

Did your dad serve during war time? Usually a war veteran gets really great insurance, check with the VA and find out if they have a policy.

Most importantly be sure what his out of pocket annual expenses would be if he did nothing.
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My mom paid about $4000 for her supplemental at 97. That’s been a few years ago (5) and she had her plan since age 62 so it was increased over the years but was nice to know there would be no additional charges as her plan paid whatever Medicare didn’t. She could go to any hospital anywhere. She had congestive heart failure for six years. Was in the hospital four times, rehab three times. No extra charges. It was worth it to me. At 90 my mom was on no meds. Was growing a huge garden. Felt great. 91 needed a pace maker. Accelerated aging is a real thing. At age 90 my aunt looked and moved great. At 93 she hasn’t been hospitalized but creeps about with her cane. Many live to 100. Not many to 110. Your dad has saved boocoo bucks if no supplemental until now. I would get it. Something will happen sooner or later.
My dad also had VA and this supplement with A and B. He was never in a VA hospital. He suffered with meds he was prescribed by VA. So glad we had the supplement insurance to go to alternate doctors to find out why the VA prescribed meds weren’t right for him. Just our experience. Others are surely different. An uncle had VA but when he needed a new valve at 92 we didn’t even consider VA. No charges over insurance premiums. My aunt, his wife knee replacement, kidney failure etc. No extra charges. The best thing that could happen is you pay the premium for a supplement and he dies in his sleep having never needed it. It gave my mom peace that she would have her bills paid regardless of what happened.
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