We are getting very close to the deadline of switching Medicare plans.

It is my understanding that there are some strict rules now that say plans and brokers cannot knock on your door or send you sales materials without your request.

It is also stated that they can not give free meals. As I write this I am looking at five mailers sent to me without me requesting them. More than one offers a free seminar at various restaurants. I decided to check this out. What they had was rolls, muffins, desserts and the like; of course one could say that was

not a meal.  One plan was no co-payments to your personal doctor, however if you want to see a specialist there would be a charge . I ask what that amount would be and I was told it would depend on what the reason would be! The plan had 0 monthly premiums.  However, there was a $200.00 a month charge for Part D.

I found all of the information very misleading. It seemed like the more questions I ask the less time they had for me.  So, I will stay with what I have, it works for me.

I read a letter to the editor from a women who said her physician dumped her (her words)

because she turned 65 and was now on Medicare.

Unless this doctor’s ‘patients are celebrities, politicians or better yet, Auto industry CEO’s he may want to reconsider .

With more and more companies, industries, and the like folding not only are people out of work they also have no health insurance. The way I see it with the aging of America this Doc’s livelihood may depend on us old folk.

I read an advertisement for a Medicare plan the other day.

There are alot of these ads right now because  this is an open enrollment period.

Between now and Dec. 31st 2008 you can stay with your plan or switch.

I really had to work at getting a clear picture of all this.

Part A helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, as well as skilled nursing facility,

hospice and home health care.

Part B helps cover doctor’s service and outpatient care and some preventive services.

An example of this would be colorectal cancer screenings, bone density test, Lab services and the like.

Part D offers prescription drug coverage to everyone with Medicare.

There are two ways to get Part D .

1. Medicare prescription  Drug  plans.

2. Medicare Advantage plans.

Sounds pretty simple, well its not, also the pharase “helps pay” is used often.That’s exactly what it does - it helps.

I found that being with an HMO, namely Kaiser, and joining their Senior Advantage

program worked the best for me.

I was already with Kaiser before I turned 65 so alot of the work was already taken care of. They send me a update once a year and it is easy to understand.

I’ll have another example of this mess in a future post.