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I just found out my mother has never changed her medical insurance from a co-pay type of insurance to a supplemental. Should her insurance company offer a supplemental? She has been with them since when my dad was still alive back to the 1950's. He passed away in the 1980's. It was insurance from his employment. How do I find out if she is paying too much in premiums and co-pays?

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Since Mom has Medicare, go see someone at Office of Aging. They can help you choose one that Mom can afford.
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If on Medicare then you can shop for supplemental plans. It’s not up to Medicare to find a supplement for her.

Google Medicare supplement and her zip code to see what’s available as a supplemental & enroll her. You’ll get links to different prices, plans or providers offering a supplemental plan for a secondary insurance. Medicare HMO (Medicare Advantage Plans) have lower premiums but may have a higher deductible & higher copays. For instance those programs pay the monthly fee for Medicare part B which is approx $134/month from the subscriber taken from their SS check.

Is a supplement even necessary? That’s for you and she to decide. How much out of pocket expense does she have now or is she relatively stable? Depends on if you feel she can cover the 20% out of pocket Medicare doesn’t cover.

How has this been managed for all those years when your mother’s had to go to a doctors office or a hospital? Take a look at the AOB or EOB letters she’s received in the past.
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gaylynn Aug 2019
Thank you for this information. I've been reading an easy explanation Medicare book, which is helping. I didn't think Medicare was responsible to find her a supplement. What I was wondering is whether she ever received something about a supplemental plan they offer from the insurance she has now (which was my dad's insurance). I have been going through her file cabinet, but so far nothing. But of course, it has been 30 years since she turned 65 and started receiving Medicare. So, I guess my next move is to call her insurance Co and see what is available to her from them. If they don't offer anything, I will do some shopping and see if I can find something better for her. Thanks again for your help.
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Yes, knowing Dads employer may help. If he was a employed by the Railroad would make a difference too.
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Was your father a federal government employee? Some of those employees opted to forgo Medicare and receive a monthly pension from the federal government instead.

Subsequently mom may not be eligible for Medicare. Does she have a monthly source of income and where does it come from? At 65 if she was eligible she should have applied for Medicare unless dad was a FEP (Federal Employee Program).

All this in general is so confusing. Wonder if it’s supposed to be this way? (Only kidding).

Good luck to you two!
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gaylynn Aug 2019
I was needing to know why she doesn't have a supplemental. She has been receiving Medicare since she was 65. I can't figure out why her insurance co didn't offer her a supplemental when she started receiving Medicare.
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Does Mom collect SS? If she started before 65 she should automatically be on Medicare. If she started collecting at 65, she should have applied for Medicare at that time. This is what you need to find out by calling or making an appt at the nearest SS office. I am really surprised at 65 ur Dads employer didn't switch her to a supplimental.

So, if Mom does get Medicare, you need to find out if what she is paying the employer is a supplimental or full insurance. If full, then ask about dropping it to a supplemental and what the cost will be and the coverage. By getting it thru an employer, it maybe cheaper and may cover pretty well. You have to also ask SS if Medicare is primary or secondary, her employer insurance being primary. This will need to be changed when getting a supplimental.

I just had a friend, who turned 65, go to her County Office of Aging to help her choose the right supplimental. To have no copays may come with premiums that Mom can't afford. You have to weigh copays vs a higher premium, is it worth it. Then there is Medicare Advantage vs regular Medicaid and a supplimental. Its best to have someone explain all of this.
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gaylynn Aug 2019
Per your second paragraph, I definitely need to know from her insurance company if she can get something less costly in a supplemental. If Medicare isn't being treated as her primary, that could make all the difference.
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Yes, she is the United States. She has been paying for insurance for just herself through my dad's previous employer for almost 40 years. I asked her if when she turned 65, her insurance company contacted her about having medicare and offering her a supplemental plan. She says she doesn't remember anything like that. Should I contact her insurance company and ask them about it? Wouldn't a supplemental cost less than the co-pay plan she has been on all of these years? It is almost time for the open enrollment period. I would like to know her options before that period starts. Thank you everyone for your responses.
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I agree with Geaton777. If Mom gets sick and incurs medical bills, she will get charged just as if she were younger. High medical costs don’t age discriminate.
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Not sure if you're in the states or not...isn't she on Medicare? My mom's 90 and has good supplemental insurance in addition to her Medicare. Make sure she pays for a good one, it's worth it.
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