Question on Social Security Part B

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

My husband qualified for SS Disability benefits last year, and will be enrolled in Medicare in November. Today he got a packet in the mail saying that he will get Medicare Part A (hospitalization) at no cost, but that Part B he must pay for. But nowhere in the literature did it say how much the cost would be. He can opt out of Part B, but he wants to know how much the cost for it will be before he makes up his mind. Does anyone here know what the cost is? I'm assuming it is a percentage of the monthly benefit.

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Part B runs about 184/mo

I am on Medicare both Parts A and B.

Hawkeye-X

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Thanks for this

that is a quarter of what he gets every month. Since we use a holistic physician whose techniques aren't covered by Medicare, I think he'll probably opt out.

[DesertFlower]

3. here's a link.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10161.html#premium

it will run about $96.50.

they do make things hard to find.

[El Supremo]

4. That is correct

Part B premiums have doubled in the last 6 years. Blame that on Medicare Advantage programs (the privatization of Medicare) and the rising cost of health care.

Part B covers doctors visits.

And screw the holistic BS. He may need a real doctor sometime.

[DesertFlower]

5. yep. privatization really screwed things up.

i wonder whose bright idea that was.

part B does not cover prescriptions and i think the yearly deductible for docs is $110. my mom has it. i'm eligible, but have a better plan through hubby's employer.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. I take extreme offense at that remark

for several reasons.

1. Our doctor is a board certified MD. You imply that holistic physicians are not. This is NOT the case in this situaction

2. This "holistic BS" cured him of Hepatitus C. That is a provable FACT.

You are entitled to your opinion about holistic medicine, and I would encourage you never to use it. But don't imply that it is quackery when I know personally it is NOT.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. My MD's protcol

My MD starts with an hour and a half one on one interview with the patient. No interruptions, no talking about someone else. She often orders tests to ascertain if the patient has problems (such as hypothyroidsim) or allergies. She orders tests to confirm her diagnosis. Then she will often suggest a diet and supplements to take. Her idea is to use the least invasive and disruptive protocols to see if they will help with the person's condition. If they don't, or if she feels the condition needs stronger intervention, she will prescribe medications. Her goal is to heal people and to teach them healthful habits so that their immune systems become and stay strong, and she uses a variety of methods to achieve this goal.

So I don't see why you consider holistic medicine "BS". To me it is being practical. If you are a diabetic, and could control your blood sugar through diet alone, and are continuously monitored as to your glycemic level to make sure the diet IS working, why should you have to take insulin?

[DesertFlower]

11. if s/he is an MD i think it

would be covered under medicare. some of the treatments may not be. most blood tests would be covered. my primary care doc is a DO who also tries natural remedies before prescribing meds.

i certainly agree with you about the insulin. i know several people who control their diabetes with diet. they check their blood levels every day -- probably a few times a day.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

14. Some of the practices are covered while others are not

She often does cutting edge research and Medicare does not cover many of her procedures.

[DesertFlower]

15. sounds like you have a great doctor.

i guess you've done the math with how much it will cost for part b as to how much you would have to spend out of pocket.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

18. Yep

Doc's a member of the AMA, and has shown us some recent articles in JAMA supporting the use of vitamins in helping maintain health.

[DesertFlower]

19. i'm really big on vitamins.

my doctor is too. he's 75 and in great shape. he also offers chelation therapy, IV vitamins and minerals, IV hydrogen peroxide -- all of which i've tried. he also has a naturapath, a chiropractor and an acupuncturist in his office.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

20. Chelation therapy

is one of the protocols that SS will not cover, as they say it is still "experimental" in nature.

[DesertFlower]

24. i know they won't.

a great number of my doctor's patients are seniors. they pay for chelation out of their pockets. i think it's about $110 a treatment.

my insurance company paid for mine (80%). i think it was the way the billing person worded it. i'm pretty sure they will pay if you have lead in your system.

i assume that you know it's good for diabetics. supposed to help lower the blood sugar. but, there are not a lot of people who can shell out $2,000-$4,000 dollars for it.

they say it's experimental yet i'm know people who have avoided open heart surgery. the government and insurance companies rather pay out $75,000 for open heart surgery. doesn't make sense, does it? then again, we have doctors and hospitals who don't want to give up those big profits that are made. and it doesn't always work either. i met one woman who had open heart surgery 2x. she was doing chelation therapy.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

25. I agree

I think that it is sad that certain therapies are not recognized by SS. I'm wondering how much of what is allowed and not allowed by SS and the FDA is in direct relation to the drug manufacturing companies. I know that they are taking an estrogen cream off the market trying to push women into using a progesterone cream that many feel is much harsher and possibly more dangerous--but the latter is backed by Big Pharma while the former is manufactured by a small firm.

[DesertFlower]

26. hubby and i were just talking

about "special interests".

i read that the drug companies spend way more on advertising then they do research.

it's time for some big changes. i pray that obama is elected, but he's only one person and he won't be able to make all the changes we need. at least it will be a start.

[spartan61]

6. Part B goes up every year and this year I am paying

$96.40per month. Since I don't qualify for SS because I am a retired teacher from Connecticut (BTW there are 15 states where teachers cannot buy into the SS system and if you did pay your quarters into the system from another job and then entered the teaching field, your SS checks are reduced by 60%) I had to qualify for Medicare through my husband. I also pay for supplemental insurance of $138 per month through the CT Teachers Retirement Board . This covers whatever Medicare doesn't pay and it also includes Rx. I know the exact figure for Part B because I have to send in a check every month since they cannot take it out of a non existent SS check.

I really can't complain about the costs of these premiums because I feel I have great coverage. When my husband had a knee replacement last year (he has the same insurance coverage, not through me but through himself), between Medicare and his Supplemental insurance, we had no out of pocket expenses. BTW, he went into education when he was in his 40s and left the corporate world. Because of this, he lost 60% of his SS. Had he stayed in industry, he would have been able to collect his full SS as well as his pension from the corporation.

[DesertFlower]

7. i worked for the City of New York for

a short period of time (1-1/2 years). i remember that they did not take social security out of my pay.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Thanks for the information

I have 18 years credit in the Illinois Teacher Retirement System, and was planning to cash it in when I turn 60. Interesting to know that the SS credits I've accumulated since leaving the field will mean reduced benefits.

[Cleita]

12. They deduct my part B from my SS check. I think it was $70 a month

this year. I don't remember but anyway it's less than $100. It's well worth it because it covers all non-hospitalization medical like doctor's visits and such. I also get a medi-gap policy for the $100 deductible and 20% Medicare doesn't pay. It costs me three and a half times that Medicare part B costs. So go figure. Don't let them talk you into a Medicare HMO like Secure Horizons. It sounds good up front but it turns out to be typical insurance company bait and switch and you give up your Medicare benefits as well. My husband had a bad run with them and I almost lost him because of their lack of coverage for an emergency.

[DesertFlower]

17. wow. that much for a medi-gap policy.

my friend just became eligible about 6 months ago. he said it costs him a total of $138 a month for full coverage.

i wouldn't go with an HMO either.

BTW. this friend was paying almost $1,000 a month for health insurance for he and his wife before he reached 65. his wife will reach 65 in a few months. so if she takes the same coverage as he did that's a total of $276 -- hell of a lot better than $1,000.

my sister pays $325 a month for health insurance. it has a $10,000 deductible which of course she never reaches. she sees the doc once or twice a year. she was going to take the chance and go without it and then a friend of hers was in an accident and broke both arms at the shoulder.

[Cleita]

21. It goes up as you get older.

I think I started with $125 a month. However, the combination of both pays for everything even some drug coverage. I do think that I have to look into part D though because the same drugs I always have taken are tripling in cost. I really wish Medicare would do full coverage so I could eliminate the Medi-gap. I would rather do full coverage through Medicare and pay more than give it to the insurance companies.

[DesertFlower]

22. geez. bottom line.

we need single payer universal health care. it bothers me that HR 676 has only 91 signers.

the insurance companies have to go. they can sell life insurance, car insurance, etc., but they have no business making money from health care.

[dajoki]

13. Be careful...

If you decline it now and eventually decide to enroll the cost will be about double if you do not enroll as soon as you are eligible. Mine is $96 a month which I think is about average.

[DesertFlower]

16. yes. if you don't enroll,

i think when you decide to they charge 10% more for every year that you didn't take it. it can really add up. i believe there might be something about pre-existing conditions too if you put off enrolling.

[Cleita]

23. btw I forgot to mention.

I had a couple of small strokes last year and in order for the doctors to find out what was causing my symptoms I had to do an MRI and an MRA. Since it was an outpatient procedure and I was not hospitalized, I would have had to pay out of pocket for these if I hadn't had part B. Really, you should take it because you never know where the next big medical expense is going to come out of the blue to hit you and these are big huge expenses.

[DesertFlower]

27. very true.

you never know what's going to happen. i've had several MRIs over the years and recently a CTscan -- both outpatient procedures which are expensive.

last year my husband's friend and co-worker who was in great health had a severe stroke. he was in the hospital for weeks and then in rehab. can you imagine what that must have cost?