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Gender: Male
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Married
Location:
BETHESDA, Maryland
United States
BETHESDA, Maryland
United States
School:
Winston Churchill HS. Montgomery College
Winston Churchill HS. Montgomery College
Work:
Key Benefit Services Health and Life Group Benefits Broker from 1991 - to present.
Key Benefit Services Health and Life Group Benefits Broker from 1991 - to present.
Hometown(s):
Kensington , MD. Potomac , MD. Virginia Beach , VA. Bethesda , MD.
Kensington , MD. Potomac , MD. Virginia Beach , VA. Bethesda , MD.
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Confused about the new Medicare Plans and Part D ? You're not alone! Join our discussion group to keep informed or ask your questions:
Confused about the new Medicare Plans and Part D ? You're not alone! Join our discussion group to keep informed or ask your questions:
About Me
Ken Richter, has served as a Senior Group Benefits Advisor to professional employer groups, trade associations, and top law firms in the Metro Washington DC area.
Ken is licensed and bonded in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia for Life, Health, and Medicare products.
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My Journals (2)
Granted there are many issues we are still working through as Medicare Advantage plans enter their 2nd year. There is no question in my mind that Medicare Supplements insurance plans such as Plan "F" are the easiest to use. Quite simply, just ask any provider if "they accept Medicare reimbursements as payment in full". No co pays and no co-insurance to worry about. Your bills will be paid at 100%.
Of course this is the preferred plan to choose. Yet for many seniors who are in relatively good health and maybe see a doctor once or twice a year it can be hard for them to understand the value of monthly insurance premiums of $350.00 up to $550.00 per month for husband and wife policy’s. Medicare Advantage plans were designed to be offered to those who are on Medicaid and to offer more comprehensive coverage for those with "Special Needs" medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and in stage renal disease. Original Medicare was not designed to manage these types of conditions that have been rapidly affecting the baby boomers.
Another reason for Medicare Advantage plans was to address those Medicare Beneficiaries who become eligible and don’t understand this process of selection and enrollment into the new Part D prescriptions plans. Many seniors in the past simply would avoid this process as it required them to go to social security office and be told they needed give back a part of their merger social security earnings towards a part B Medical insurance that still left them exposed to large amounts of financial risk should they become ill. Now these individuals whose only means of income is from social security are now pre-enrolled into Part B Medicare and given the option to decline.
With help and guidance from well intended professionals, these seniors who qualify for "low income subsidies from both state and federal assistance programs can now receive Medicare Benefits paid at 100% with smaller affordable co pays per treatment.
Added: April 19, 2008
Views: 81 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0
Views: 81 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0
Comments (4)
jacobirose says:
well i for one will never go with an advantage plan as many Drs in my area are refusing patients on these plans .my understanding is they don't pay the Dr. as much as other medicare plans such as type"j" plans.
Posted: April 28, 2008 11:56PM EDT
MedicareMan says:
You are correct! The reason for this is under a Medicare Supplement plan the provider of service can receive from 100% to 119% of Medicare?s ?allowed amount" were as in a Medicare Advantage plans the provider may receive from 80% to 85% of the same allowable Medicare amount.
For this reason, some Doctors will not accept a Medicare Advantage plans. Then again, some providers choose to accept this payment and continue to see their patients. It works much like an HMO and or PPO plan. Some providers will accept both types of payments.
For this reason, some Doctors will not accept a Medicare Advantage plans. Then again, some providers choose to accept this payment and continue to see their patients. It works much like an HMO and or PPO plan. Some providers will accept both types of payments.
Posted: April 29, 2008 12:21AM EDT
Hermitr4 says:
Based on what I've read about Advantage plans they are nothing but an HMO, and should be called what they are, i.e. HMO....However, I have never owned one, and I don't plan to.
Posted: April 20, 2008 2:16PM EDT
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