U.S. Topic -- Clarification sought about starting Medicare Part B upon repatriation

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 9/10/2024 at 3:29 PM, GinBoy2 said:

What I did was I signed up for B in the three months ahead of my birthday., A happens automatically you don't have to do anything

 

Not sure that's correct about Part A enrollment being automatic.

 

I just finished doing my initial online enrollment via the SS website for Medicare Parts A & B. Medicare card supposedly in process of being mailed to my U.S. address.

 

When I first went online to the SS website logged in with my personal account, it had a link there giving me the option to register for Medicare... And  when I followed it, it gave me the process to enroll for Parts A and B, if I also wanted the optional latter.

 

But if I had done nothing and just sat around waiting after I turned 65, I don't think I ever would have been registered in the Medicare system nor would they have sent me my Medicare card.

 

Because of past U.S. employment, I was ELIGIBLE for free Part A Medicare once I turned 65. But actually enrolling/registering for it is a separate, required process, AFAIK.

 

Edited September 21 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[GinBoy2]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Not sure that's correct about Part A enrollment being automatic.

 

I just finished doing my initial online enrollment via the SS website for Medicare Parts A & B. Medicare card supposedly in process of being mailed to my U.S. address.

 

When I first went online to the SS website logged in with my personal account, it had a link there giving me the option to register for Medicare... And  when I followed it, it gave me the process to enroll for Parts A and B, if I also wanted the optional latter.

 

But if I had done nothing and just sat around waiting after I turned 65, I don't think I ever would have been registered in the Medicare system nor would they have sent me my Medicare card.

 

Because of past U.S. employment, I was ELIGIBLE for free Part A Medicare once I turned 65. But actually enrolling/registering for it is a separate, required process, AFAIK.

 

Yeah you might be right there.

 

Eligible and enrolled are two different things 

[GypsyT]

Just received this from Joe, the Prez. Don't know if it helps anyone:

 

"With Open Enrollment for Medicare around the corner, I want to make sure you're aware of historic changes to Medicare that are lowering health care costs and ensuring that every American has the peace of mind that comes with quality, affordable health care.

Because Medicare benefits are getting stronger, it is more important than ever to look at your drug coverage for 2025 during Medicare Open Enrollment and make sure you are enrolled in the Medicare Part D plan that is best for you. You can learn more about these benefits and review your options at Medicare.gov starting in early October. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15th through December 7th.

These historic reforms are a result of the Inflation Reduction Act that I signed into law and that Vice President Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to secure. This new law gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does on behalf of our nation's veterans and servicemembers.

Medicare has been able to cap the cost of insulin for seniors with diabetes at $35 a month for each covered insulin instead of as much as $400 a month. Recommended vaccines, like those to treat shingles, are free for people with Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Starting in January 2025, your total out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000 a year, no matter how expensive your prescription drugs are. That means you will not pay more than $2,000 per year on prescription drugs covered under Medicare prescription drug coverage, or Part D — that includes expensive prescription drugs to treat cancer, chronic illnesses, and more.

And if you have had high drug costs in 2024 and have reached what's called the catastrophic coverage phase, you won't have to pay any more out of pocket.

These reforms not only save seniors money, they also save money for American taxpayers. In fact, taxpayers are expected to save $160 billion over the next decade because Medicare is now able to negotiate drug prices alongside other reforms — and we're just getting started.

In addition to these cost-saving benefits that are in effect in 2025, Medicare recently announced that it has reached agreement with pharmaceutical companies for new, lower prices for ten of the most expensive and most frequently used prescription drugs in Medicare. These new, lower prices will go into effect in 2026, and Medicare will continue to negotiate prices for additional drugs each year for the foreseeable future.

These are just some of the ways my Administration has worked to help you save money on your health care costs and to provide a little more breathing room for you and your families.

Vice President Harris and I believe that health care should be a right, not a privilege. I encourage you to take advantage of these new, lower-cost benefits as part of stronger, better Medicare coverage that you deserve."

 

[GinBoy2]

Yeah I git the same email.

 

I don't take anything exotic but my Part t D costs are zero

[ricklev]

18 hours ago, GypsyT said:

Just received this from Joe, the Prez. Don't know if it helps anyone:

 

"With Open Enrollment for Medicare around the corner, I want to make sure you're aware of historic changes to Medicare that are lowering health care costs and ensuring that every American has the peace of mind that comes with quality, affordable health care.

Because Medicare benefits are getting stronger, it is more important than ever to look at your drug coverage for 2025 during Medicare Open Enrollment and make sure you are enrolled in the Medicare Part D plan that is best for you. You can learn more about these benefits and review your options at Medicare.gov starting in early October. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15th through December 7th.

These historic reforms are a result of the Inflation Reduction Act that I signed into law and that Vice President Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to secure. This new law gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does on behalf of our nation's veterans and servicemembers.

Medicare has been able to cap the cost of insulin for seniors with diabetes at $35 a month for each covered insulin instead of as much as $400 a month. Recommended vaccines, like those to treat shingles, are free for people with Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Starting in January 2025, your total out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000 a year, no matter how expensive your prescription drugs are. That means you will not pay more than $2,000 per year on prescription drugs covered under Medicare prescription drug coverage, or Part D — that includes expensive prescription drugs to treat cancer, chronic illnesses, and more.

And if you have had high drug costs in 2024 and have reached what's called the catastrophic coverage phase, you won't have to pay any more out of pocket.

These reforms not only save seniors money, they also save money for American taxpayers. In fact, taxpayers are expected to save $160 billion over the next decade because Medicare is now able to negotiate drug prices alongside other reforms — and we're just getting started.

In addition to these cost-saving benefits that are in effect in 2025, Medicare recently announced that it has reached agreement with pharmaceutical companies for new, lower prices for ten of the most expensive and most frequently used prescription drugs in Medicare. These new, lower prices will go into effect in 2026, and Medicare will continue to negotiate prices for additional drugs each year for the foreseeable future.

These are just some of the ways my Administration has worked to help you save money on your health care costs and to provide a little more breathing room for you and your families.

Vice President Harris and I believe that health care should be a right, not a privilege. I encourage you to take advantage of these new, lower-cost benefits as part of stronger, better Medicare coverage that you deserve."

 

It's an oddity of life that many who received that letter will still vote against their own interests to elect the very people who have no intention to expand their benefits or genuinely work to make Medicare better.  

Edited September 27 by ricklev

[KhunLA]

On 9/9/2024 at 6:25 AM, KhunLA said:

Holy crap ... I just figured out how much Medicare A, B, D would cost me per month, plus late registrations.   And the yearly deductible, before they even kick in.

 

What a joke ...  Base monthly + 60 month penalty

Base rate for B & D ($174.70 & $34.70)

$317.22 monthly Plan A (free) B D

$3806.64 yearly  Plan A (free) B D

$1632 plan A yearly deductible + $408 per day, for 60+ per day in hospital

$240 plan B yearly deductible + 20% deductible when using

$7550 plan D yearly deductible ... meds not covered under plan B

 

Annual deductible of $13,228.24 / ฿445,451 before coverage kicks in, then deductibles for actually using, for specialist & drugs needed, if have an oops or ongoing issue.

 

I don't think I can get that sick in Thailand.  And meds cost about the same price in TH as the monthly deductible per script.  

 

Gave up getting info for Plan C monthly cost ... Dental & Eye coverage  

Aside from the ฿8081 annual deduction paid before coverage even starts.

 

edit ... if I returned to USA to live.  Obviously, never going to happen.  Too expensive to get sick 

Wanted a good chuckle this morning.   Forgot about and rethinking the thread.

 

So IF (never going to happen) I returned to USA, had a semi serious oops in Nov/Dec, then had another semi serious oops in Jan / Feb, It may actually cost me close to ฿1M baht before any coverage kicks in, since 2 different (annual deductible) years ...  

 

I seriously can't get that sick here, even once for half a mill ... 

That alone is reason enough never to return to USA.

 

From quoted text of previous post:

"Annual deductible of $13,228.24 / ฿445,451 before coverage kicks in, then deductibles for actually using, for specialist & drugs needed, if have an oops or ongoing issue."

[GinBoy2]

8 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Wanted a good chuckle this morning.   Forgot about and rethinking the thread.

 

So IF (never going to happen) I returned to USA, had a semi serious oops in Nov/Dec, then had another semi serious oops in Jan / Feb, It may actually cost me close to ฿1M baht before any coverage kicks in, since 2 different (annual deductible) years ...  

 

I seriously can't get that sick here, even once for half a mill ... 

That alone is reason enough never to return to USA.

 

From quoted text of previous post:

"Annual deductible of $13,228.24 / ฿445,451 before coverage kicks in, then deductibles for actually using, for specialist & drugs needed, if have an oops or ongoing issue."

I think you're creating a justification for why you won't go home.

 

Nobody in their right mind thinks that you can drop into any insurance scheme right when they need it. 

 

Oops had a car crash, better sign up for insurance. Not how it works.

 

As for the deductible stuff, did you actually read what I posted about my plan? I have no deductible.

 

If I get sick they pay from the first $.

 

Medicare may not be perfect but add Advantage and it's a hell of a lot better than you'll get in Thailand, especially as you age.

 

Medical insurance in Thailand is a real insurance market. It rackets up based on your age to a point where you can't afford it or they just won't insure you

 

A lot of folks talk about the low cost of medical care in Thailand. Well that depends. If you want something similar to what you would expect in the West, it's gonna cost

[KhunLA]

13 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I think you're creating a justification for why you won't go home.

 

Nobody in their right mind thinks that you can drop into any insurance scheme right when they need it. 

 

Oops had a car crash, better sign up for insurance. Not how it works.

 

As for the deductible stuff, did you actually read what I posted about my plan? I have no deductible.

 

If I get sick they pay from the first $.

 

Medicare may not be perfect but add Advantage and it's a hell of a lot better than you'll get in Thailand, especially as you age.

 

Medical insurance in Thailand is a real insurance market. It rackets up based on your age to a point where you can't afford it or they just won't insure you

 

A lot of folks talk about the low cost of medical care in Thailand. Well that depends. If you want something similar to what you would expect in the West, it's gonna cost

Don't need a justification.  Knew when I left 24 yrs ago, I wouldn't be returning.  Any doubt and I wouldn't have liquidated all my RE.  Would have kept at least 1, JIC.

 

Almost half my adult life was there, that was enough for me.  Missed peeking at a few Nat. Parks, but that's about it.  Did or seen anything else that would interest me.

[GinBoy2]

So  on the Thai medical insurance thing

 

Going back to the fact it's a real insurance thing.

 

Probably 15-20 years ago my wife had a ruptured fallopian tube which ended up with sepsis. had to go through emergency surgery to save her life. The outcome was Cigna added a rider to our policy excluding any gyno issues.

 

So don't have any heart, prostate, or anything else, because soon as you do thats going to be excluded

[GypsyT]

Looks like there's help, like waiving penalties;

 

"You also won't have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty while you get Extra Help"

 

https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/drug-costs?utm_campaign=20241008_oep_mpf_ira_gsm_bb&utm_content=english&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

 

I don't plan to join but maybe somody will?

 

Edited October 10 by GypsyT