I will have medicare on February 1.

[maxthecat9196]

I was sooo looking forward to getting the medicare benefit.  My husband provides insurance through his work, but it is pretty expensive.  We have been very fortunate that his employer (a very small business- only seven employees, and the owner) pays for all of my husband's coverage.  We have only had to pay for mine.  Still, it has been costing us about $600 per month.  

I hoped that I would be able to get off the employer/insurance plan- and just go with medicare.  But I guess that won't work, because of the huge gap in prescription drug coverage.  It would basically mean that I can never have prescriptions filled, because we just won't have a couple of thousand dollars to pay out, until the "donut hole" is covered.  So, it looks like I will stay on the employer plan, and it will be my secondary insurance.  Our plan administrator says that it will pay for the costs that medicare doesn't.  It just has to be submitted to medicare first.  I am electing not to get part D, so Regence will continue to cover my prescriptions.  Whew!  I really thought we were in serious trouble...

I realize that I am very fortunate.  For any of you that rely exclusively on medicare- how do you manage?  My disability disbursement would never cover enough to be able to live- or even to manage the medical expenses that would be left.  It is astonishing to me, that people in need (ie: those who are relying exclusively on SSDI/medicare) should be left in this situation!  Is it better than nothing?  To be sure, but only just a little better...

That's enough from me.  What do you think?  How do you manage?

Tammy

[twopack]

Count me in on not knowing how anyone manages.  I'm too scared to even think about disability.  It keeps me determined to work the minimum hours in each pay period.  I've given up lots of other activities so I can conserve enough energy for work days.

I work for health care and Rx coverage more than the actual paycheck.  When I retire, be it disability or age related, my time on a DMD will end.

Mary

[Lulu54]

Tammy,
What I think is I am fortunate to not live on these meager subsidies.  Like you, I don't understand how anyone can survive with a chronic illness, get the care that is necessary and still afford rent and food.  It is a shame that we don't do better for our infirm and our elderly.

I'm with you - what do others who are on medicare have to share on ways to make ends meet?