opt out of medicare

 the best health insurance

I just realised i had not written a note about my gall bladder operation. i wrote about it in my timeline so am gathering it here.

the most important thing i learned was how the healthcare insurance works now.

Just wanted to share this with you.

My gall bladder operation was in a new hospital. Attended by crack staff. I felt like I was being attended to by nascar pit crew. First rate all the way. It was 12 hours from the time I called ambulance until I arrived back home.

Total BILL, including ambulance, prescriptions and follow up visits was $29,617.32
My total out of pocket was $331.85 which included EVERYTHING from ambulance to drugs and follow up visits. i paid for the drugs out of pocket because i don't have part D.
if i had medicare it would have paid approx $12K leaving me on the hook for $17K.

You don't have to use healthcare exchange. It's a ripoff. USE PRIVATE INSURANCE ! 

I have humana. It costs $104.90 mo. automatic withdrawn from my SS check just like medicare.

 its NOT A SUPPLEMENT!  HUMANA is the primary payor. we have no contact with medicare at all. FULL COVERAGE no supplements needed.

By using IN PROGRAM facilities and personel  HUMANA DISCOUNTED the amount unpaid by government.  I never even got a bill from the anesthesiologist.

Another major advantage to private health insurance is you only pay for what you need. with government insurance you have to pay for the whole enchalada. EVERYTHING such as birth control etc. even though you don't need it. with private insurance you only get charged for what you need.

You can get private insurance and change companies once a year.

you can only opt out once. if you ever go back to medicare you cannot opt out again.

many doctors don't take medicare but do take HUMANA 

also note the DEDUCTABLE is not calculated like conventional insurance. it does not come off the top. for instance conventional insurance you pay the first charges incurred up to the deductable.

with health insurance the amounts you pay OUT OF POCKET come off the deductable. for instance my $331.85 i paid out of pocket comes off the deductable.

UPDATE: Dec. 23, 2016

my premiums will go DOWN... yes you read that right... my premiums will go DOWN from $109 to $73 a month after Jan. 1 2017..... whodathunkit ? plus we get vision and dental and other benefits medicare doesnt even offer.

UPDATE: july 2017; i recently had to use the ER. my bill came to  $7,371.40 with medicare i would have had to pay $6385.51. with HUMANA my total out of pocket was $75.

update: i just finished cataract procedure. both eyes cost $8002.43. if i had medicare it would have cost me $6993.14 out of pocket. but with Humana it cost me $1200 of which HALF was eye drops. since i dont have part D i had to pay for the drops out of pocket. if i had part D it would have been approx. $600 total out of pocket vs. almost $7000 if i had medicare.

update mar.1 2021

due to covid humana has suspended all patient co-pays until further notice. same premium.

update nov. 2022

i had 4 bypass open heart surgery. 17 days recovery. final bill was $1,283,000. my total out of pocket was $2730. only because i dont have part D.