Just a few more days and I can apply for Medicare! Who would have thought I’d ever be so happy to turn 65? By the time Medicare starts, I will have paid 12 months of about $1,000 per month for health care, with really not so great coverage so that makes Medicare look pretty good. With both our Medicare and the supplements, together we will be paying less than the $1,000 per month I was paying. Vince has had Medicare for 8 months and he’s been really happy with it. At least I’ll be able to carry health care coverage with me when I visit family in Missouri and Louisiana. I’ve not been worried, but a bit concerned when visiting MO, knowing I didn’t have health care coverage once I left Texas. I figured if I got sick or hurt in Louisiana, I could drive the 30 or so miles back to Texas for treatment.
Once I get 65, that will be old enough . . healthcare has been a huge concern for me since Vince retired. I guess I need to get a couple of years older so I can start getting Social Security then . . I think it’s age 66.5 when I’ll start getting Social Security .. then I can stop getting older! 🙂
I don’t feel old. Speaking of old, my knee is much better. I don’t know if it’s being off sugar, or the 18 pound weight loss, probably a combination of both. It isn’t perfect yet but I can walk without limping horribly.
Mary says
I am trying to stay off of sugar, dairy and wheat. When I do all of the aches and pains I have seem to go away. Sometimes it’s hard to stay away from all of these things, but it is worth it!
Sara Fridley says
I just received my Medicare card on Friday. Still working on choosing good supplemental insurance to kick in by March 1 when I come off the group insurance. We’ve had excellent coverage for many years, but the cost had become outrageous of course. And we had a $5,000 deductible. So I’m looking forward to seeing how this impacts our budget. We don’t plan to actually retire yet but it’s getting closer.
vivoaks says
Glad to hear your knee isn’t hurting as much! That’s great!! My hubby is 5 years older than me and has been on Medicare for several years now. I’m not eligible until April of 2020. My health insurance fiasco has been just that – a fiasco! Our wonderful government decided how much I should pay for it the year before last, then when it came time to do taxes, they said, “Oh, by the way, you owe us $3,000!!!” Don’t ask me why – they don’t bother to give an explanation except, “Because that’s what it says”…. I paid every month, and they had our income tax returns for the previous year, so I have no idea what happened, but there is no recourse….just shut up and pay it. Disgusting. My hubby, too, is happy with Medicare. Because he signed up for plan F, he has coverage for dental, prescriptions, eye exams and glasses. Sure can’t complain about that – the only thing I have is plain old health care to see my doctor, prescription coverage and hospitalization. And I still owe more than $3500 on a hospital bill from the first year of Obamacare!!! Thank goodness the hospital takes payments….
Kathleen says
I turn 65 this year too. Silly me, I thought when you got to Medicare age, you paid very little. People were always saying how they had such low premiums. Maybe I they were talking about the deduction from social security (which I naively did not know about). But the supplemental! Yes it’s less than before, but still a healthy sum. We knew all this when I retired at 60 and planned for it, but after years of completely paid employer premiums, our first payment was a shock.
Carolyn Sullivan says
its been better for us to be on medicare. i think you can apply before you turn 65, and it takes affect after… i font know when your bd is
Lee says
I fretted and stewed and had all kinds of anxiety with choosing Medicare coverage…until I was referred (by my financial guy) to a liaison company which is actually in Texas. They had great information & videos on their website, and the gal that helped (though in TX, she has specific knowledge/training for insurances covering my state) was an absolute delight to deal with. I’m such a procrastinator that I got in just before my deadline. I still have to wait a year or so before getting SS (in order to get full amount), but I’m good with that. My husband is ~15 mos. younger than I, so he gets to go through the process this year, and will likely go through the same TX agency. Plan F is going away (another one in its place) but those already in it will retain it (grandfathered); I forget the deadline date for that. These decisions shouldn’t be so complicated for “seniors”…loved that word in high school, but today, not so much.
Judy Laquidara says
Our financial/insurance guy does it all for us. He explained the supplements, pros and cons of this one vs. that one, then found the best policy for us. We do have use Plan F. Getting Medicare coverage was a piece of cake. Dealing with Social Security about the added premiums . . not so much.
Judy Laquidara says
You can apply three months before your birthday and then it will take effect on the first day of your birthday month. My birthday is in June so I will apply March 1.
Tami Von Zalez says
I am about 5 years behind you.
That weight loss probably helped with the knee issue.
Joyce says
Your knee knows you are about to get better health coverage…the same as how your car never makes the funny noise when you take it to a mechanic…Actually you are right, the weight loss is probably helping the knee. I’ve read about how much pressure is removed from your joints for every pound you lose. (I don’t remember the numbers, but it is significant.)
Teri says
Happy for you that you will have hopefully better coverage for less $$$. And not have to worry when you travel out of state. That will be a relief for you.
w jordan says
Ladies this message is for all of you about to turn 62 or older who haven’t put in for your social security. You need to APPLY ON YOURS. Yes on yours at 62 ,then collect till you can then draw on your hubbies. You paid your money in you might as well get some back. You can also draw on your ex husbands if you were married at least ten years to him. No matter if he is remarried or not and he can’t say a word. Ladies if you don’t draw on yours first it is like throwing baby out with the bath water as the old saying goes.It is your money and you can get it for those years till you draw on his. Then when it gets time you get 1/2 of what he gets. Think about all that yarn, material, or goodies you could buy. No one will tell you this at the social security office you have to ask. They want to keep your money and give it to people who have never paid in a dime ever.( sorry had to add that)
Judy Laquidara says
I am not a financial expert but this is not always a good idea. Everyone must do the calculations and guess how long you think you will live and then make an educated guess as to whether you’re better off to start taking any benefits at 62 rather than full retirement age.
1. If you are still working and begin drawing social security, there are a lot of taxes to be paid.
2. If a wife’s benefit is more than the husband’s or even more than half the husband’s benefits, you’re shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t need the money to start taking it at 62.
3. Social Security goes up 8% per year that you do not start taking it.
Never make a decision based on what someone else has said. Always do your own research and talk to a financial advisor.
In our case for instance . . Vince is waiting til he’s 67 to start drawing his because (1) If he started drawing it at 66, it would throw us into a higher tax bracket that year and cost us quite a bit and (2) By leaving it another year, it goes up 8% and that’s the death benefit I will get if he passes away before I do.
I will not start drawing mine until I am 66-1/2, even though I get full benefits at 66. I still earn income and even though there are provisions for income earned after I turn 66, our accountant has advised that I wait til January, six months after I’m due to start getting it, before I actually start getting benefits.
Pat Anderson says
Judy, I’m certainly no financial expert either, but I believe my husband told me that once you turn 66 (or full retirement age for you which goes up every year), there is no limit to how much you can earn without impacting your Social Security. Not sure if I said that plainly, but I hope so. I don’t even want to think about how Medicare will work if “Medicare for All” passes…
Judy Laquidara says
Yes, once you turn 66 but since I turn 66 in June, I’d have to go to the people from whom I get 1099 forms, have them divide the money according to what was earned before my birthday and what was earned after so for me, so my CPA advised just waiting til January 1, when I’ll be 66-1/2, and then start social security. That will give me 4% more in my checks by waiting 6 months so it’s all good.
Carolyn Sands says
Judy, I have a bad knee. I was told by my doctor that for every 10 lbs. of extra weight you are overweight, it causes 30 lbs of pressure on your knee joints. With your weight loss, its just that much less pressure on your joints. Way to go!
Judy Laquidara says
I figured there was some ratio and I believe it. I hope another 10 pounds or so and my knee is totally good. When I had the MRI, the doctor said I didn’t need a replacement so I’m hopeful.
Liz says
I think there is also an inflammation part to everything. I am taking some anti-inflammatory stuff and it seems to help – turmeric, tart cherry, and so on….
Nelle Coursey says
Most likely both. But the dr always tells me if I will lose weight I will have a lot less problems! LOL Yeah right!! I am not as good as you when it comes to sticking with a diet.
Jean says
I have been pleasantly surprised at how good Medicare plus my supplement has been. Seems to cover most everything and pretty effortless too. You will love it!
dezertsuz says
Yay for the knee! Yes, if only the aging stopped when we reached a certain age. I would be happy to be one age and then just keel over some day and be done. LOL