As I See It: Understanding Medicare Advantage

[Midlevel]

Just curious,
How does your MA book split between the special Cost plans not accessible to agents and consumers in many other markets, and the more normal MAPD plans with wider availability?

Caveat, an agent....

60% MA
30% Cost plans + PDP
10% Med Sups + PDP

The Cost Plan still has 20% copay on Part B drugs but a lower OOP Max then MAPD. Also has dental, vision, OTC, gym, etc. but once again quite a bit less then an MAPD. Every age, gender, tobacco user, non tobacco user all pay the exact same premium with only ESRD question to join.

Not sure why you asked but there is my answer.

 

[Fisher]

Caveat, an agent....

I can appreciate this.

 

[LostDollar]

Caveat, not an agent.

"..... yet you know more then the agents."

Well........ After five years of watching posts in the Insurance Forums Senior Forum and approximately 5 months of watching some Medigap rate change information, I decided I was well enough informed to ignore 4 standard pieces of agent wisdom in relation to Medigap plans:
Agents don't like selling HDF and HDG because of low commissions.
One cannot predict future Medigap Plan policy rates.
Issue age Medigap Plan policies will change rates as Attained Age Medigap Plan policies do.
It is not wise to be stuck in one of a carrier's closed books of business.

For rate stability I chose an HDF plan with a specific carrier.
For rate stability I chose an Issue Age plan.
Because I believed I had identified a wise plan choice, I chose a plan I knew was going to be going closed book in a few months.

Kansas has since changed their online agent information systems and I do not understand the new system; but at that time I could do some agent lookup by carrier. I identified an agent officed near my home who was contracted with the carrier I wanted to use. I composed a short, direct email which he could open and read at his convenience, explaining what I wanted and asked if he would sell me that plan. He agreed.

"Eat that shit up LD. You have the worst option you could possibly pick ......"

I was sussing out some insurance concepts last week. Two that appear to apply to you are "FOS" and "Clueless". I am reliably informed that the worst plan I could have is a Part C plan.

 

[Midlevel]

Keep telling yourself you are on a good plan. Ha

 

[Fisher]

I chose a plan I knew was going to be going closed book in a few months.

Bear in mind that I could not care less what choices you (or anyone) make in your Medicare meanderings, but I sure can't figure out the wisdom behind this nugget.

 

[LostDollar]

Bear in mind that I could not care less what choices you (or anyone) make in your Medicare meanderings, but I sure can't figure out the wisdom behind this nugget.

For rate stability I chose an HDF plan with a specific carrier.
and
For rate stability I chose an Issue Age plan with the same specific carrier.
and
Because I believed I had identified a wise (specific carrier's HDF) plan choice, I chose that plan even though I knew it was going to be going closed book in a few months.

HDF + Issue Age + specific carrier will most likely have no to small premium adjustments even in the closed book. I would not have the same expectation with the same carrier's full plan F or G.

 

[Fisher]

HDF + Issue Age + specific carrier will most likely have no to small premium adjustments even in the closed book.

Over time, that is not how the economics of a closed book would naturally work out. But good luck with it.

 

[goillini52]

Bear in mind that I could not care less what choices you (or anyone) make in your Medicare meanderings, but I sure can't figure out the wisdom behind this nugget.

You beat me to it.

 

[LostDollar]

Over time, that is not how the economics of a closed book would naturally work out. But good luck with it.

You beat me to it.

Please note I also said this:

..................After five years of watching posts in the Insurance Forums Senior Forum and approximately 5 months of watching some Medigap rate change information, ...................

My decision may turn out to be incorrect, but it WAS considered and informed at the time I made it.

 

[somarco]

Over time, that is not how the economics of a closed book would naturally work out. But good luck with it.

I bought HDF from a mid-size carrier 7 years ago . . . currently healthy enough to move to HDG or any other plan but keeping the HDF ($56, only a $4 increase since original purchase). If I changed to plan G now the premium would be $171.

Normally I would not encourage anyone, including me, to buy a plan in a closed block but I rolled the dice on this. Current HDG is $60/month

YMMV