<p>As a physician I checked on getting health insurance for myself when H turns 65 and loses the current plan. I am unisurable. I checked a couple of years ago and at that time if you ever have even diet controlled diabetes no company will cover you, at least melanoma only lasts 8 or 9 years for inability to buy insurance. Joining the AMA +/- the state medical society wouldn’t help- no group insurance available. One reason I want “Obamacare”. I can afford high premiums but no one would sell me any policy. The costs of care and prescriptions without insurance is horrendous. Seems pretty ridiculous a doctor can’t be insured. I shudder to think of the consequences of Paul Ryan’s plan of Medicare vouchers et al- either they effectively make insurance companies controlled by the government with a zillion rules or they abandon the concept of elderly care. My father tells me not to worry as I’m over 54 and changes won’t affect me. At worst I may have 1 1/2 years or so to worry about in a few years (buy enough meds, get physical et al before policy ends…).</p>
<p>midwestmom- My guess is that your COBRA starts as soon as your husband goes on Medicare and gives up his group coverage. That is what he meant by the 18 months. I would be surprised if you got 18 months of coverage and THEN COBRA.</p>
<p>This thread makes me feel worry.
I thought life would be simple when I am older than 65.</p>
<p>Heck no. When our ex company decided to dump their retirees from their prescription plan, Medicare D is so horrible and complicated that the local over 60s club hosted some sessions to explain it and help people negotiate the process. We were confused, so you can imagine some of the more elderly retirees in their 70s and up trying to cope with it. </p>
<p>We have fond the combination of Medicare A, Medicare B, and the supplementary F plan have given excellent coverage for my husband’s cancer treatments. Though when we look at the bills we are completely baffled - charges go in and are adjusted for medicare rates and medicare pays some and the supplementary policy pays some and stuff is tweaked and adjusted and it all is multiplied by a gazillion procedures. Trying to understand it all makes our heads spin. And we were both accountants.</p>
<p>Yes, I like that under the affordable care act, there are supposed to be policies available to EVERYONE. All of us in this household would be unable to purchase insurance, as we all have asthma and were unable to purchase when we tried to on our own. Fortunately, H has insurance through work & S has been offered insurance through his work as well. D & I are still covered under H’s plan.</p>
<p>It is alarming to me how many people are uninsured, underinsured, and otherwise worried about their medical insurance. The only ones I know who are relatively secure are those who have excellent policies through their state, county or federal jobs that follow them into retirement.</p>
<p>I have thought for a long time that it is a very bad idea to have health insurance linked to employment. This thread illustrates some of the reasons. Also, I know people who would like to leave their jobs, perhaps to open a business, but don’t, because they have conditions that make them uninsurable. And a healthy person with good insurance though an employer is still in a precarious position - if a serious disease strikes and it is no longer possible to work, there goes the insurance, just when it is most needed.</p>
<p>After I read on this thread about the COBRA limit of 18 months, I also wondered if that was what my husband was talking about. He got that info from one of his partners who is a year or two older and is just now going to sign up for Medicare. This doctor put off signing up and continued to be on the group BC/BS policy so his wife could be insured. I am betting that what he meant was he is going to go on Medicare and his wife will be able to get COBRA to cover her until she is 65. </p>
<p>One idea I passed by my husband is getting a small part-time “job” in his office so we can continue to get my insurance through the practice. They could pay me some nominal amount, which would actually be paid by my husband. Then we could buy my medical insurance that way. Heavens!!</p>
<p>Monday morning - 1. call BC/BS 2. Call the practice office manager 3. Call the Department of Aging in town!!! </p>
<p>The whole thing is disconcerting!</p>
<p>This article gives a good overview of when to apply for Medicare. I did not know that the size of the company one works for can determine whether you delay filing for Medicare at age 65.</p>
<p>[Survive</a> the Medicare enrollment maze](<a href=“http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0712/medicaid_maze.php3]Survive”>http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0712/medicaid_maze.php3)</p>
<p>Good article silverlady. Our situation was simple as my husband retired early, but definitely some good info there for those planning to work beyond retirement.</p>
<p>Why do they have to make it so darned complicated. Don’t they realize they are dealing with old folk here???</p>
<p>HImom, IIRC, this is what you were looking a few months back. It sounds like your husband doesn’t have to pay for Medicare Part B
</p>
<p>We have to keep FEHB, because I am many years from being eligible for Medicare and uninsurable unless I get a group plan somehow. D also will lose her student coverage and is happy that H’s plan will cover her until she turns 26. Very nervous about not getting Medicare Part B at least 8 months after H retires, since he’ll be over 65 and we don’t have to pay any penalties. No saying whether FEHB coverage will change and worsen, in which case it would be good to have Medicare B as well as the FEHB. Anyway, we have nearly a year to figure this all out.</p>
<p>It should be that EVERYONE can purchase reasonable priced medical insurance at affordable rates, just like we can shop for auto insurance and few become “uninsurable” even when they’ve had 5 accidents in 3 years (premiums just get increased to reflect greater risk). Ah, how to achieve that goal is another matter entirely. Here’s hoping that the US is heading in that direction, but who knows?</p>
<p>silverlady, thanks for posting the link to that article. It’s very helpful.</p>
<p>Midwestparent, According to that article, a spouse in your situation is eligible for COBRA for 36 months. There is also some information about small companies (< 20 employees) that might apply to you.</p>
<p>Thanks for that article, silverlady. We’re in our late 50’s, but DH thought he’d have to wait to retire until I turned 65 (he’s 8 months older than me) since I’m covered by his plan. It looks like even he can retire before 65 and we can both go on COBRA. That may just make his day.</p>
<p>I am 56 and our family’s medical is through my employer. My DH will turn 60 next month.
My employer plan still covers retirees who are >55 years and > 25 yrs employment as of 15 yrs ago, so I am grandfathered. Newer employees won’t have this option.</p>
<p>So, even if I ‘retired’ tomorrow, I would have medical coverage. NOT enough in retirement savings yet though. Wonder if I can remain healthy enough to work FT till 66?</p>
<p>Great article silverlady! This is such a steep learning curve that people should really start looking into it a couple years before they need it. But, I guess if we did that, they would change all the rules by the time we hit 65. </p>
<p>We have several factors playing here that we need to consider when making upcoming Medicare/private insurance decisions - </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Even though husband is going to be 65 in January, he is healthy and at this time, has no desire to retire in the foreseeable future. His practice has one part-time doctor, so he will probably even consider this option in the years to come.</p></li>
<li><p>I am 56 and have not worked outside the home in 27 years.</p></li>
<li><p>Husband is basically self employed, but in a group medical practice where they share the expenses (each doctor earns what he earns, but they split the expenses via a complicated RVU system).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I still want to check out the idea of becoming an employee of the practice and buying my insurance that way.</p>
<p>No rules are changed for people older than 55.
It would affect me but since I will be covered under husband’s plan. I should be ok. I do have my own health plan when I retire but I must be at least 60. I think the ideal age to retire is 55, young enough to travel and old enough to appreciate it.</p>
<p>I think the ideal age to retire is when you have enough assets & resources so that you won’t panic down the road about running out in your lifetime. If you’ve reached that goal by 55, more power to you, but otherwise, it’s good when both H & W are comfortable with whatever they’ve chosen (or the individual involved if they are single).</p>
<p>One thing that also factors in are other obligations that may accrue once one is “retired,” especially if other sibs are working “full time” and may expect the “retired” sib to do the bulk of assisting aging parents. </p>
<p>Another aspect is family medical history and likely longevity–one of my friends retired after she had her pension vest and had already outlived the age at which both of her parents died–she just had a TIA & is glad she is retired so she can devote herself to her health.</p>
<p>Another aspect is medical insurance coverage. Medicare doesn’t begin until people turn 65, or 24 months after they are declared medically disabled by SS/Medicare. This can leave folks who would otherwise retire at 55 with a gap in coverage, which would make me very uncomfortable.</p>
<p>midwest, I work in insurance… if you would like to talk it out with someone who has done it for 7 years please send me a PM and I’d be happy to review things with you.</p>
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<p>Stupid as it sounds, I think one gets a full-time job. This is absurd if there is no other reason why you would want a full-time job, but it’s the best way to get insurance.</p>
<p>This whole thread is scary. How does one find out if they have worked enough to get credits for medicare? Is it per individual or does one get credit also through their spouse?</p>