Lynne Jones
Upon retiring after a 35-year teaching career with the State of Arizona, my mother-in-law joined the state’s Senior Supplement Plan, but everything changed this year, and, at the same time, I learned a great deal while helping manage her health care.
For the past 20 years, my mother-in-law had Medicare Supplement Plan F. However, the state retirement board recently changed all Senior Supplement beneficiaries to an Advantage plan. It has been interesting observing the differences in the two types of plans.
First, I found she is able to save quite a bit of money on her monthly premiums. Her Advantage plan premium is about $150 less a month than what she had been paying. At age 85, she is enjoying the savings. She does, however, have to pay co-pays when she has medical services.
Second, I found that because she started with a Medicare Supplement plan when she first joined Medicare, she is eligible for a free look at an Advantage plan. Meaning that throughout this entire year, she can go back to the Medicare Supplement plan any time this year if she is unhappy with the Advantage plan. This allows her to have up to a year to decide which plan is best for her.
Right now, we still are testing the waters. There have been some wonderful savings, but we also have run into a few things that have her considering a return to the Medicare Supplement plan she has had for the past 20 years. The good news is there are choices in Medicare.
If you would like to look into your choices, please give me a call. I can sit with you and help outline what is available to you.
Call Lynne Jones, a licensed salesperson, at (480) 212-2246.