Health Costs After 65: Ouch, Even With Medicare

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I just retired and was shocked at what Health Ins will cost me.
I think the best bet is to own nothing, have zero savings and let
the government care for you. How do the poor and undocumented aliens pay for their coverage? If you own a modest home and have a small retirement savings you are at high risk of losing it all if you develop any health problems .

Will of PA 7:26PM July 19, 2010

You are so penalized when you are able to retire, yet I work in a OB/GYN clinic and ALMOST every person that somes into the clinc, pregnant has fake fingernails, tattoes all over their body, rings in their eyebrows, upperlips and in the tongue, some on the nipples, naval and it is so disusting, they almost all smoke, or use drugs and get so awed if they have to buy a $4.00 bottle of medicine, they are outraged, yet I have worked all of my life and they are nothing but liers, live with a man and are married and lie to the DHS offices and I do not beleive they even check any of this out, almost all get food stamps, now is there something wrong with the system or what, and they all could work at something if they wanted, when is this crap going to stop.........

helen hrbacek of OK 10:18AM February 28, 2010

I just turned 65 and finding an honest answer to supplemental insurance and its cost is near to impossible. I am still working and have asked over and over why, if a person wants to pay for their own medical coverage--NOT MEDICARE---why is this not possible? I am being told everywhere I must take Medicare and then can make my choice on supplemental coverages. I have read everything about them all. I do not want MEDICARE--what options do I have???

CC of FL 1:19PM July 08, 2009

I am beginning to believe that the best thing to do as I near 65 is hope for a shorter life!!! This is so depressing. We are in the level that would make more and hoped to leave more to our children. Instead it seems it will be depleted. A carefree retirement? Forget it in America. As more seniors have to hold onto their jobs, it means less opportunities for the young. I feel sorry for everyone, at every age. The greed - and I mean greed - of the super rich has killed the American dream.

Joyce Burns of MI 3:21PM March 02, 2009

I am 67 am i have medicare with a humana advantage plan its ok. but you have to stay in network with doctors, and don't let them fool you and tell you different. I pay rhe out of pocket expenses for a doctor i have been with since before medicare and humana. I am looking for a supplemental insurance that will cover me after medicare everyone i talk to tells me it is impossible. Ant suggestion will be helpful.

pauline friend of FL 10:45AM February 18, 2009

I have been in the position before there was any mental health coverage and we paid about $400,000 for my care. This came totally out of our pocket. I have not been able to work full time sense and my medications are about $3000 every quarter. Yes we have put away money, but the current market has cut that amount in half. My husband works for a company with 20 or fewer workers so again we will be paying while people in larger businesses get better coverage. We are about seven years away from retirement and are saving as much as we can. My family and my husbands family have longevity so we are going to run out of money for my health care cost. So all of you people who think it is easy for people just remember my story. We had a senior citizen in her 80's who was sold one of the plans that replaced medicare A and B and her supplement, and it was a total disaster because she could not go where she wanted and have her same doctor. When she bought the plan she thought she was just buying coverage for perscriptions so the person who sold her the plan lied to her. This happen to another senior who needed surgery and the plan did not want to pay the specialist who was the only one in the area who could do the surgery it took a month to get it approved. All the time the cancer was growing in him so please be careful.

Jean of WI 8:12PM February 16, 2009

I work in the healthcare industry, and I understand business well enough to say that any system that does not force users to pay services will eventually be bankrupt. My heart goes out to the elderly who have worked all their lives, and have contributed to the tax base. Unfortunately, with people living longer after retirement, medical costs for MDC recipients will continue to escalate. People receiving Medicaid benefits must pay more than their $2 co-pays. Here in Illinois we get all sorts of public aid recipients with their $75 sports jerseys and cell phones expressing disbelief that we actually want our $2 co-pay from them. They get free meds, free surgery, free office visits. If you do not pay anything for your care, there is no incentive to save, or even think twice about whether you are making positive life choices that may keep your healthcare costs down. I know my solutions may be unpopular, but as long as there are consumers with no "skin in the game" so to speak, we will have a broken system, and a system that is broke. And no Mr. Obama, having a paperless recordkeeping system will not fund the healthcare industry.

Ken Kopps of WI 4:26PM August 04, 2008

Let us see what is going to happen to all the people working for the airline industry as one company falls after another!!! Worry about heath insurance for the 25 to 55 year olds and their families.

Cla of TX 6:32PM July 02, 2008

For the past few years, I've found the best way to save on my prescription drugs is by ordering from licensed foreign pharmacies. And my doctor agrees. I'm saving 60 to 80 percent off U.S. costs at foreign pharmacies including International Drug Mart and Isrameds. I doubt I'll ever buy prescription meds from a U.S. pharmacy again.

Michael Joseph of IL 12:31PM June 09, 2008

This article does not account for two developments designed to limit medical costs for Seniors. Those changes are Part D of Medicare and the Medicare Advantage Plans offered by private insurance companies. Part D provides a cap to drug costs so when the cap's theshold is reached, the consumer pays a small fraction of the cost of their medications. The cost of enrolling in Part D is minimal usually in the area of $20 to $30 per month and the plan is available throughout all the states. Medicare Advantage is a tremendous boon to the senior population in that it too limits the expenditures for medical services on a yearly basis. Depending on the plan, the out-of-pocket costs per year can vary from $1k to $5k. This is significant in the event a person has a serious illness as it saves them from runaway medical costs. Enrollment in these plans maybe desirous as many offer a ZERO premium (yes a ZERO premium) so as not to stress those on limited budgets. I would advise those aging into Medicare to visit their website www.medicare.gov and research the benefits of these two plans. When structured in place these programs give peace of mind to older citizens since the process of aging is one of ever increasing fraility.

Richard Croog of CO 8:23AM June 06, 2008