I need a Health net contract. Who should i go with?

[Guest]

The more I look at the senior market the more of a mess I see it. Everyone is to blame... the carriers, CMS, agents, and Congress.

Choice is good... but it is confusing as hell to seniors (and I'm close to one!)

1. OM (original medicare) and nothing
2. OM + PD (part D)
3. OM + PD + MS (med sup)
4. MA (med advantage) + PD
5. MAPD

Then in the MA mess you have:

1. Stand alone MA
2. MAPD combined.

a. PFFS
b. HMO
c. PPO.
d. POS (in some states)
​

Then there are HSAs and HRAs etc.

My bias is OM + MS + PD. I think that pound per buck this is the best coverage the senior can have. Given the choice of an $80 MAPD vs. a $140 sup and a $30 PD, I still think the MS is a better deal even though the price is more than double... well worth it. Next to that is a zero prem MAPD. I just don't see all that much value in the
middle market" high-priced MAPDs... but I'm sure we can argue this until the moon turns blue!

I wish that CMS would let Med Sups embed part D. That would help a bit.


YMMV.

Al

 

[J.R.]

The more I look at the senior market the more of a mess I see it. Everyone is to blame... the carriers, CMS, agents, and Congress.

Choice is good... but it is confusing as hell to seniors (and I'm close to one!)

1. OM (original medicare) and nothing
2. OM + PD (part D)
3. OM + PD + MS (med sup)
4. MA (med advantage) + PD
5. MAPD

Then in the MA mess you have:

1. Stand alone MA
2. MAPD combined.

a. PFFS
b. HMO
c. PPO.
d. POS (in some states)
​

Then there are HSAs and HRAs etc.

My bias is OM + MS + PD. I think that pound per buck this is the best coverage the senior can have. Given the choice of an $80 MAPD vs. a $140 sup and a $30 PD, I still think the MS is a better deal even though the price is more than double... well worth it. Next to that is a zero prem MAPD. I just don't see all that much value in the
middle market" high-priced MAPDs... but I'm sure we can argue this until the moon turns blue!

I wish that CMS would let Med Sups embed part D. That would help a bit.


YMMV.

Al

I agree with that Medicare options are confusing at first. The good thing is that with enough study time put in it starts to sink in. Remember what it was like when you first started learning about individual health insurance?