Aetna Buys Humana

[LostDollar]

I tend to agree with the judge, they are two separate markets.
What say you?

No, they are not. It is all a government designed system of health insurance for American citizens over the age of 65. For a moment, use the word complete to deal with finances, not medical services.

The government designed a system to which there are two financial parts, an 80% part and a 20% part. Then to get that last 20% coverage, the government provided 2 options.

It's all one market, people on Medicare medical insurance coverage, striving to make a "best" choice within Government defined parameters to get the 100% financial payment for things the Government says can be paid for with Medicare.

 

[VolAgent]

No, they are not. It is all a government designed system of health insurance for American citizens over the age of 65. For a moment, use the word complete to deal with finances, not medical services.

The government designed a system to which there are two financial parts, an 80% part and a 20% part. Then to get that last 20% coverage, the government provided 2 options.

It's all one market, people on Medicare medical insurance coverage, striving to make a "best" choice within Government defined parameters to get the 100% financial payment for things the Government says can be paid for with Medicare.

No. It may all serve the same purpose, but it is two separate markets.

Restaurants and grocery stores both serve the same purpose, food to eat. However they are completely different businesses.

 

[FLM2]

No, they are not. It is all a government designed system of health insurance for American citizens over the age of 65. For a moment, use the word complete to deal with finances, not medical services.

The government designed a system to which there are two financial parts, an 80% part and a 20% part. Then to get that last 20% coverage, the government provided 2 options.

It's all one market, people on Medicare medical insurance coverage, striving to make a "best" choice within Government defined parameters to get the 100% financial payment for things the Government says can be paid for with Medicare.

Your statement is factually inaccurate-Medicare Advantage replaces both Medicare A and B as well as providing, in most cases, Part D benefits. The 2016 Medicare and You guide lays it out very clearly on page 17.

One of these days you will realize that those of us who are actually agents and have years of experience with clients and insurance companies know far more than any lay person about Medicare. I don't normally read anything you post but this is an agent forum, maybe you should reconsider your participation until you actually get a license.

 

[LostDollar]

One of these days you will realize that those of us who are actually agents and have years of experience with clients and insurance companies know far more than any lay person about Medicare.

I may put myself in a position this fall where Medicare and You, Medicare.gov and the KS Insurance Commissioner are telling folks to come see me about Medicare.

Yagents asked, What say you, and I said.

We still have the same basic problems of resources and need for health care that existed in the time of the Shaman. Some people are well, some people are sick. Some people have 1 chicken, some people have 10 chickens. The village chief created a very complicated system by which some of the sick people could get some of his chickens to pay the shaman for health care.

 

[sman]

I may put myself in a position this fall where Medicare and You, Medicare.gov and the KS Insurance Commissioner are telling folks to come see me about Medicare.

Oh please do tell how you are going to have people knocking down your door and have the government sending them your way.

 

[goillini52]

Oh please do tell how you are going to have people knocking down your door and have the government sending them your way.

I think LD's talking about volunteering at SHIP...he's mentioned it in the past.

 

[FLM2]

I may put myself in a position this fall where Medicare and You, Medicare.gov and the KS Insurance Commissioner are telling folks to come see me about Medicare.

Yagents asked, What say you, and I said.

We still have the same basic problems of resources and need for health care that existed in the time of the Shaman. Some people are well, some people are sick. Some people have 1 chicken, some people have 10 chickens. The village chief created a very complicated system by which some of the sick people could get some of his chickens to pay the shaman for health care.

You don't have the slightest clue about how Medicare works.

I would feel truly sorry for anyone who came to you for advice about anything regarding health insurance or Medicare, your ignorance shines through in every post.

 

[LostDollar]

I guess I would ask for a definition of rarely.

My understanding from brokers that market MA plans is they switch plans about every 3 - 4 years. Network changes, Rx formulary and plans that terminate trigger most of those changes.

Most MA enrollees that would like to go to original Medicare and a supplement are not able to do so because they can't pass underwriting. I get several calls during the year from people who "can't afford" their MA plan.

They can't afford it because they are going to the doctor too much. That almost always means they won't qualify for a Medigap plan.

This post and posts in the Medicare Client Retention thread tell me that the markets are the same.

The basic characteristics of the population are health and wealth. The government has overlaid that with a number of classifications. The first was to pick a number --65--. So we immediately went from 2 categories to 9. 6 of those are the Medicare market. The Medicare market is stratified by assorted combinations of Age and Health and Wealth. The people in those strata/layers pick out the combination of Original Medicare+Medigap+PDP or Original Medicare+MA+PDP or Original Medicare+MAPD that best works with their combination of Age and Health Care Needs and Financial Resources. One market with individuals analyzing and selecting from government defined and mandated choice selections.

 

[LostDollar]

Your statement is factually inaccurate-Medicare Advantage replaces both Medicare A and B as well as providing, in most cases, Part D benefits.

However one has no need to think about MA until one considers how to pay for the 20% of Medicare approved health treatment that original Medicare will not pay for. Then you get down to weighing dollar and coverage costs of Medicare Health Insurance via Medicare (rules) plus Original Medicare (insurance) plus Medigap or Medicare Health Insurance via Medicare (rules) plus MA.

 

[GreenSky]

However one has no need to think about MA until one considers how to pay for the 20% of Medicare approved health treatment that original Medicare will not pay for. Then you get down to weighing dollar and coverage costs of Medicare via Original Medicare plus Medigap or Medicare via Medicare plus MA.

Incorrect. There is no Medicare plus MA.

Rick