Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose76
Get yourself a Medicare Advantage plan. Here's a link showing some plans in Florida":
https://health.usnews.com/medicare/f...medicare-plans
If you drop your Medicare Part D coverage, which is an option for you, you will hurt yourself financially down the road. That's why I say you can't afford to do that now, especially if you are struggling, due to a limited income. Here's a link and an excerpt:
https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare...estion_70.html
"Even a person with the healthiest lifestyle suddenly can be struck by an unforeseen disease or an accidental injury that requires expensive drugs to treat. Some drugs, especially for cancer, can cost thousands of dollars a month. You are not allowed to enroll or re-enroll in Part D, outside the annual open enrollment period, just because you suddenly develop an urgent medical need for prescription drugs and cannot afford to pay the full price out of pocket."
I urge you to read the article at this last link very closely, so you understand the longterm penalty you might bring on yourself, if you drop Part D. At least know the consequences.
I apologize for sounding like I'm uncaring of the difficulty you face in trying to do the best you can in a very tough situation. It's true that I don't know the particulars of your specific situation. What I do know is that the system has been purposely set up so that just about no one can blow off Medicare Part D, without regretting doing that down the road. I, myself, do not have to pay any Part D premium, which indicates that my income is even lower than yours. So I, too, struggle with trying to keep a roof over my head. Before I got SSDI, I was suicidal from fear of homelessness.
I also don't know much about Florida. I suspect that it may not be the easiest place to try to get by on a very limited income. Politics can have something to do with that. I live in a blue state where public policy about helping low income persons access healthcare is much better than it is in red states. Also cost of living is lower here than in most places. (Your air conditioning bill alone must be quite a burden.)
Since you've been on and off and on SSDI, you must be making a valiant effort to remain employed, despite a major health issue. Many who could don't bother. I commend you for that. You probably could have just thrown in the towel. (I did.)
I'm sorry you got laid off, after moving to take the job. How disheartening! You are considering a kind of complicated set of options, due to your wanting to work and earn what you can. It's less complicated for me because I'm not going to even try to work. I do qualify for just about every benefit out there, from Section 8 housing subsidy to a subsdized telephone line.
You should do whatever, in your own judgement, makes the most sense to you. It's not for me to say. I'm sorry for coming off that way. Let your judgement be informed by knowledge of and consideration of consequences, both short and long term. It's obvious that you're intelligent. Sometimes, when we compare our options, we find there isn't an option that doesn't have a serious downside. That is dismaying. It's tough to go through that when you are sincerely trying to do your best, as I believe you are.
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Thanks, Rose, for you kind words.
Unfortunately I can't go into more detail about my finances here.
I don't think I will be hit with a penalty on Part D because when I became eligible for Medicare I had insurance through work. Then I lost my job. This is the first period I've been able to enroll in Part D. And it is a priority within my budget to pay for the premiums. I'm just very sensitive to people telling me I shouldn't spend money here or there. The fact of the matter is that my SSDI (not SSI) is too much to allow me to qualify for most other welfare benefits. I just qualified for SNAP but I only qualify for $15 a month, so that should help me buy toilet paper.
People like to blame you when the expenses get more than what you bring in, but it's not always that person's fault. I liquidated over $35,000 in savings 5 years ago to pay for hospitalizations and medical treatment. I have to make the decisions that are the best for me and my situation. I recognize that, due to my hard work and ambition, when I had to go on SSDI, at least I had a high-paying enough job that I can still pay my rent each month with my SSDI. I know people who don't qualify for SSDI and only get SSI and get very little each month. At least I can still live on my own (for the time being). I'm just trying to keep things from getting worse and, hopefully, find a way to make them better. I don't think I deserve to be criticized for that.
I've been considering a Part C plan versus a Part D plan. I have actually already read that article you linked to...I've been doing a lot of medicare research lately. I have to say, that for government publications, the latest guide to medicare is actually quite easy to understand. I have to call Medicare tomorrow because I need to clarify a couple of questions before I make my decision, but at least I will then be covered starting January 1 again.
Again, thank you for taking the time to link to those resources and your kind words of support. I appreciate it.
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