MurrayM
Guru
...Sorry, contributing to thread drift.
Threads, like conversations, are not linear
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...Sorry, contributing to thread drift.
Cobra is your only choice but it really isn't that much more expensive than mediocre with a supplement plan and a part "D". I think Medicare is about $165 a month, my supplement just went up to about $300 and part "D" is about $50. Cobra, depending on the policy is probably about $800, maybe $1,000 for both you and the Admiral. Cobra with the supplements is half way there.
Just bite the bullet.
pete
Well over Christmas week we finally got to attend Trawler school (after 2 previous reschedules due to Covid). We (Admiral and I) had multiple reasons for attending besides the knowledge and experience which was OUTSTANDING...Navigation is WAY easier from a guy who learned with Loran C...Old skills came back quick
Look at High Deductible Healthcare Plans (HDHP) with an Health Savings Account (HSA). NOT AN HRA!!.
The name "High Deductible" scares lots of folks away. But with the reduced premiums, pass through money, and portable HSA it is often cheaper that a traditional plan. The tax benefits are great too. No tax on what goes into the HSA on the front end and no tax on what comes out of the HSA on the back end (as long as it is used for health care). Like having an IRA going in and a Roth IRA coming out.
I retired at age 57, and for healthcare tried various "faith-based" plans as the premiums seemed low, but you get what you pay for - refusal to pay claims, really useless customer service, poor recognition by doctors, etc. We switched to a BlueCrossBlueShield HMO a couple years ago, virtually the only half decent plan available in this part of Texas for individual buyers. We don't qualify for Obamacare subsidies. We've been happy with the plan, but it costs $1740 a month (for two) and still has a high deductible. By far our largest cost in retirement. Watching Cruising Sea Venture on YouTube last week, they are in a similar age and retirement position, and they mentioned paying $1900 a month for a similar policy, which made me feel a tiny bit better. Can't wait to qualify for Medicare.
Is there any possibility you can link to your's wife's state pension for health insurance for the both of you before medicare and as a supplement? I am an MD who retired at age 56, but we had already spent 4 years cruising World wide in our late 40's. We accidentally self insured--I had to have back surgery--but that is a chance you take. I thought my medical group was covering my COBRA--a clerical error didn't make the payments..--we didn't pick up on it because we left the USA shortly after retirement and friends were paying bills..The admiral has a state pension when it comes time
Not all universal healthcare systems are as overloaded as the Canadian system. Like the UK's NHS, this is largely because of the embargo on charging any private fees. So the public system is overloaded.As a medical provider in northern Maine we see our neighbors (Canada) universal healthcare in action. Usually works very well, but to work, they have to ration advanced procedures...Come to US and say CP, (chest pain) and get fast tracked, get immediate EKG , abnormal EKG = stress test, that's done that day or next morning (not 6 weeks), ?abnormal = cardiac cath in morning, if abnormal = Stents, or Cardiac Bypass within next 1-2 days, in American model, not 6 mo-1 yr, in Universal healthcare.
Not all universal healthcare systems are as overloaded as the Canadian system. Like the UK's NHS, this is largely because of the embargo on charging any private fees. So the public system is overloaded.
Here in Australia, in most places, the above description of speedy attention to coronary disease would be similar to the US experience as described. However that's because we also have a private alternative that folk can elect to also be in, but can also access our Medicare, so the public system is not so over-loaded, and emergencies are treated very well in public as a consequence.
Point being, maybe somewhere in the middle between the two extremes is the right place to aim for, health system wise..?