Praise then darkness, and creation unfinished

Following up on my post from Monday: adrian_turtle talked to a different advisor (also with SHINE, like the person we talked to Monday).



He told her that "CommonHealth" is a Medigap plan, which you can only enroll in if you are under 65 and on Medicare because you're disabled. They don't require you to have less than X amount of money or income, but the premiums are based on a percentage of your income, and for us would be significantly less than a standard Medigap plan. He urged her to apply by printing the form and sending it in with a cover letter saying that this is a CommonHealth application, because otherwise they might treat it as a MassHealth application, which is not what we'd be looking for.

Edited to add: the only part of this information that's relevant for me right now is the "special election period"--because I inherited money this year, while I could enroll in CommonHealth, it wouldn't save money and might cost more than a standard Medigap policy. I have made a calendar entry to check in one year, and in two years, to see if it makes sense then.

Standard Medicare Open Enrollment ends on Dec. 7th, making this seem urgent--especially if we want to trust it to the post office--but I remembered that the letter saying my current Medicare Advantage plan won't be offered next year said I therefore have more time to choose a new plan.

So, I opened a chat window at Medicare.gov, and ran into a weird bit of terminology. Open enrollment ends on Dec. 7th, but I have a "special election period" from Dec. 8 to the end of February. The agent wanted to make clear that if I don't choose a plan by Dec. 31st, I wouldn't have Part D drug coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.

I then asked if the special election period also applied to Medigap, and they told me that Medigap doesn't have annual open enrollment, if you don't buy it within six months after starting on Medicare the private insurance companies don't have to sell it to you. At that point, I thanked him and said that Massachusetts has different rules, and I think I need to talk to someone from the state.

I have now received from Aetna, in order, a SilverScripts card (prescription drug coverage only), followed by a letter saying that they couldn't process my request for enrollment in a Medicare Advantage plan for 2025, and now a Medicare Advantage card that was printed on Nov. 1, 2024.

I called Aetna two days ago, after receiving the letter saying there was a problem with the enrollment. I think the 2025 plan application is now sorted out, but I should call Medicare and ask what they know about my 2024 and 2025 coverage.

I spent some time yesterday figuring out things about Medicare. I called Medicare and asked some questions, then declined the agent's offer to sign me up for a Medicare drug plan on the spot. I first need to decide whether I want Medicare Advantage, and then pick either one of those plans, or a drug-only part D plan.

I didn't pursue any of that today. Instead, I went with Cattitude and Adrian to have a picnic lunch, at a park near the Charles River, taking advantage of good weather. My hip was bothering me a little, so after we had lunch I went home via the nearest bus stop, and Adrian kindly went to JP Licks and bought a pint of caramel apple ice cream.

The dentist's office called me this afternoon, to say that I can't get my teeth cleaned on the same visit as my follow-up with the dental surgeon. I asked whether the plan for this visit involved anesthesia, because if it did, I'd want to reschedule; it doesn't, so I will be going to Watertown Square next week, to the same office I was seeing my dentist at until July.

Tomorrow I plan to stay home and rest. It might be a good day to make some phone calls, including asking my doctor's office what Medicare Advantage plans they accept.