Medicare vs, work insurance

[Tybee]

In about 8 months I will be eligible for medicare (yay!!) which means I will need to stay on my husband's work insurance until I turn 65, so will have to sign up for that again for next year.
He had to stay on his this year because I can't be on it if he is not on it.

In your experience, is it better to be on medicare than work insurance? We pay around 285 every two weeks for both of us at his work. But Id like to just get on Medicare as soon as we both can since it seems to work out better. We don't want to do Medicare Advantage so we need the A and B and then that supplement and medicine coverage.

Anyone still working that went on Medicare? How is it working for you?

[Alan]

This is a timely topic for me, my wife still works and we're both insured by her employer. When I received my Medicare card I was also advised by Social Security that my Medicare Part A & B cost would be $144 or so per month. I sent the card back as we'd decided that I should stay on her work insurance until she retires, which may be at the end of this school year, perhaps earlier depending upon Covid.

I understand that Medicare will send me another card whether I want it or not for Part A only. I'll eventually need to apply for Part B but I haven't yet researched how to accomplish that. I read somewhere recently that there may be fines involved with not taking Part B when eligible, so I'm hoping you get lots of first-person experience replies.

Thanks for the topic.

[Teacher Terry]

I have to stay on my work insurance until age 70 so my husband gets insurance. I took a and b at 65 and it’s primary and saves me money. I didn’t want to be penalized for life.

[pinkytoe]

I had/have health insurance through work at no cost to me and had DH on it for around $230 a month until he decided to go last year with Medicare instead when he turned 65. I am on Medicare now and my work retiree insurance is like an advantage plan so I feel fortunate to have that. DH purchased a low cost advantage plan and also a Part D drug plan to avoid the penalty. He has yet to use any of it. I am perfectly satisfied with Medicare the few times I have been to the doctor or had tests. I will say it was all very complicated to figure out this past year - in fact we went to an insurance agent for DH's coverage as we were confused by so many options and plans. And soon, the barrage of mail will appear trying to entice DH to change plans yet again for next year. There are usually regional offices for "seniors" who need counseling on all this Medicare stuff. Ours was very helpful.

[Alan]

I have to stay on my work insurance until age 70 so my husband gets insurance. I took a and b at 65 and it’s primary and saves me money. I didn’t want to be penalized for life.I'm of the impression that the penalty doesn't apply for those who reject Part B at 65 due to being covered under another plan such as a work plan or through their spouses work plan. Is that correct?

[Teacher Terry]

Alan, I totally forgot about that provision. My retiree insurance will pay my part b for life but I had to take it at 65. I hope you took part A because I thought you were penalized if you didn’t. Insurance has gotten so complicated.

[Alan]

Alan, I totally forgot about that provision. My retiree insurance will pay my part b for life but I had to take it at 65. I hope you took part A because I thought you were penalized if you didn’t. Insurance has gotten so complicated.
I don't think you can reject Part A.

[Tybee]

I'm of the impression that the penalty doesn't apply for those who reject Part B at 65 due to being covered under another plan such as a work plan or through their spouses work plan. Is that correct?

Alan and Terry, what Alan said is what the man at the social security office told us. My husband went in person because he just wanted to clarify it was okay to stay on his work plan. The social security man said that so long as you are covered under a work plan, you do not have to get on part B, you will not be penalized.

[Tybee]

I am also confused by how you can be on both your work insurance and Medicare? My husband is 65 and he is not on part A yet, just the regular work insurance.

[iris lilies]

Alan and Terry, what Alan said is what the man at the social security office told us. My husband went in person because he just wanted to clarify it was okay to stay on his work plan. The social security man said that so long as you are covered under a work plan, you do not have to get on part B, you will not be penalized.

I wonder what kind of documentation they would want to prove you were covered under part B? And is that documentation hard to get?

[Alan]

I am also confused by how you can be on both your work insurance and Medicare? My husband is 65 and he is not on part A yet, just the regular work insurance.It would appear I was automatically enrolled in Part A and B. Medicare sent me a card along with a separate letter from Social Security telling me what Part B would cost me in future benefits. There were instructions in case I didn't want Part B advising that I should sign a card included with the Medicare Card and send both back. The instructions said I would receive a new Part A only card in the mail but it hasn't come yet.

[ToomuchStuff]

There were three of us with company health insurance. When the oldest was turning 65, he went on medicare (not medicaid, so no confusion). His insurance went from just shy of 2K to around $250 a month.
No situations are the same, so best choice is to do a cost benefit analysis.

[Teacher Terry]

Tybee, I can be on both because I am on it due to my husband. It’s my retiree insurance. Once my husband is 65 we have to get off of it. Medicare is primary for me.

[catherine]

I am also confused by how you can be on both your work insurance and Medicare? My husband is 65 and he is not on part A yet, just the regular work insurance.

It's impossible to know all the nuances of our health insurance system, but I do know you can have secondary insurance--it just all depends on which is secondary and which is primary. My MIL had a fantastic pension and got great insurance coverage through the union until she died.. but Medicare was primary and her pension insurance covered whatever was left.

As far as my case, I WAS my own work insurance until the happy day I turned 65, so my insurance bill went from 1800/month to 540 a month which included Medicare A&B and a great supplemental plan (F)--for both of us. And my Medicare plan is better than my commercial plan was.

[iris lilies]

Who determines what is primary and what is secondary coverage?

[Teacher Terry]

I am guessing Medicare.

[Tammy]

I think Medicare always is primary. I don’t think it’s a choice.

[Tybee]

This says Medicare could be either:

https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/how-medicare-works-with-other-insurance

I am more confused after reading this.

[Tammy]

I agree it’s a confusing mess. And I’ve worked in healthcare for over 2 decades but it’s still hard to understand.

[Tammy]

I think sometimes the other insurance demands that Medicare is primary. To save cost in their end.

[jp1]

I wonder what kind of documentation they would want to prove you were covered under part B? And is that documentation hard to get?

Probably the certificate of credible coverage that you get when you leave your job and coverage ends.

[Teacher Terry]

My insurance sends me a letter every year saying to keep it to prove that I had credible insurance.