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Off To A Flying Start


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Well actually I'm off to a bad start with my Medicare supplemental plan. I got a big packet from AARP last week. I tossed it aside thinking it was more 'stuff' from AARP that I've been getting for the past 15 years. Last night I was going through some junk mail, that I had set aside to go through because I thought I should make sure it was junk so I could toss it, and I saw the packet. I tossed it in my bin then thought there MIGHT be some info in there about my health care plan. I got it out of the bin to make sure.

 

Long story short...on the FOURTH page back IN the booklet was a 3.5 X 6 area you had to cut out (not perforated) and send in with your payment to activate your insurance. Holy crap. Not even a separate sheet of paper. It has to be there by June first. I don't think I'm going to make it on time. I got the check in the mail today, Sunday, but tomorrow is a holiday so no mail will run then either. I tried to call them but of course they are closed today and will be tomorrow too.

 

I'll call Tuesday and see if they want to take a charge card payment and apply the check to next month’s bill. I doubt that they will because to set up an auto payment plan (I don't want to) they want your bank account number. Ain't no one getting my bank account numbers. I suppose I'll have to when I go on Social Security next year though. I'll cross that bridge next year. I'll probably set up another new account like I did for Pay Pal and for the auto Mortgage Account. My bank loves me...not.

 

Anyway, I'm a little stressed about that but mostly angry. Can't they just send a bill like any other business does?! Why hide it in an info packet that looks like more junk mail from AARP and not even from the actual insurance company. We will have a little talk on Tuesday.

 

I'm serious. That bill was hidden in that info pack. An info pack that contained no new information and was redundant. Hidden. And I had to cut it off of the page that I happened to see. It was not a glaring "Pay Me Now!" statement. Also on the "AARP" envelope it did not say bill enclosed or any thing indicating  there was to give a person a heads up warning. 

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Whew, I finally got ahold of the insurance company. They were all apologetic but I could tell they were placating me and were sticking to their policy.

 

Anyway, I explained my problem of not finding the payment and the issue with the mail not running during the holiday weekend. He told me I was fine because I have a 30 day grace period every month and they won't cancel until I'm 60 days overdue. That was good to know for future reference, but since this was to be my very first payment I wasn't officially enrolled. He said I'd be fine. But I didn't want to be flagged as a 'dead beat' right off the bat. Yanno.

 

I still wasn't at ease. Insurance is important to me at my age. So I asked if I could make a one time charge card payment and the check could be applied to July's due date. He said I didn't have to do that but I could. I did. Sorry, but I'm having trust issues I guess. They don't do auto payment with credit cards...only bank accounts.

 

Next year I'm going to set up an account for my Soc. Sec. deposit and then let the insurance company be auto deducted from that. I will save $2.00 a month if I do the checking account auto deduction.

 

I asked him if I was going to have to play hide and seek with my bill every month. Not nice. I know. He said they send out a yearly payment booklet. I don't really like those because I have to remember to make a payment. My short term memory is 65 years old. One more sticky note to add to the computer.

 

Next year will be better. I might go ahead and start that Soc. Sec. account if I see I'm having trouble remembering to pay.  I hate to go into the bank for anything these days because they always want to 'sell' me something new and approved. Guess I can add grumpy to my list of old age complaints now.  :cheeky-smiley-067:

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  I asked him if I was going to have to play hide and seek with my bill every month.  

 

:coffeescreen:   You get 'em, girlfriend!  

 

SERIOUSLY....does not the term SENIOR CITIZEN mean anything.  While we're not necessarily idiots  :cheeky-smiley-067: ...there are normal issues as we age.  WHY MAKE IT HARDER.  Here's a thot:  WHY NOT MAKE IT EASIER

 

MtRider ....just gettin' by.....and using the "oops, backspace" key more and more!  :rolleyes:

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Yeah..."SOMEONE" can be mouthy. Brain to mouth filter goes on the blink sometimes.  :0327:

 

I feel the same way about seniors. We ARE smart but at this particular time, a lot is being thrown at us all at once and we have to make educated decisions that will effect us for a long time. And all of it new. They need to realize that we aren't quite as fast on the 'pick up' as we used to be. There are so many scammers out there that it's hard to put your 100% trust in what a voice tells you over the phone. Some of us in our 60's have memory issues and brain fog from medical issues or medication. And some of us are making these decisions on our own. Some seniors are having some issues with early onset dementia or Alzheimer's. Fortunately I'm not there yet but a lot of seniors are.

 

Even a younger person could have flubbed this one up. I'm still having a hard time getting past this one. It was a stupid thing to do. Especially to a new customer.

 

Another reason I'm railing about it is to give anyone here reading this a heads up and be vigilant until you get that first payment sent in.

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Second verse...same as the first.

 

The insurance company called me early this morning to see how everything was going and to welcome me. Pffft, I'm past being welcomed. I told her about my payment issues and she was sorry... :blah:.  She said she would check to make sure I got my payment booklet etc. She checked. Come to find out they haven't even sent it yet. She said I should have received it before now. Ya think? Can't get what they don't send. I suppose they thought the pretty rainbow colored unicorn flew over to my house and hoof delivered it. I didn't say that out loud. The brain/mouth filter was engaged this time. 

 

ANYWAY, I got to thinking about my Plan D prescription plan from a different company. Hummm, I don't recall making a payment to them either. I shot out of bed and made a call to them. Well, come to find out they haven't sent a payment booklet either. She said not to worry about it because they often don't send it for a month or two. HUH? She said I might not get it until July. Then I'd owe for 2 months the first time. She said she would flag my account to indicate that I did call concerning my non payment. Also that I am covered as of tomorrow. How am I supposed to know all of this?  Sigh. By the way, both companies are affiliated with AARP. Just saying.

 

Ya know these supplemental plans are offered to senior citizens who are most likely on a tight fixed income and who budget their monthly income very closely. I paid my first plan for two months and now Plan D will be for two months. I'm fortunate I know where my next meal is coming from but a lot of people may not. I hope this is the end of my insurance rants. Until next year when I go on Social Security.

 

Old age ain't for sissies.  

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Ahhhh, Jeepers.  After typing out my Life Ins Paperwork WOES over in 'Whatch Doin' thread.....I'm dying while reading your Medicare WOES.......  I'm laughing so hard, DH wants to know what I'm reading.  This is, however, one of those situations where if you don't laugh.......who knows what we might do.  :baseballbat:   What you are describing is absolute incompetence!  And you're right....it could affect many new seniors a lot worse if their budget is so tight.  That's criminal!

 

But I do love your sideline comments and reactions.  Similar to my way of thinking, sister!!

 

MtRider  ....hang in there.  :hug3:

 

 

 

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I think after tomorrow (June 1st.) I'm going to fake a heart attack and go to the emergency room and demand all the tests they have just to get back at them. Run that bill up! Oh wait, the walk-in clinic will cost them more and I'll get an ambulance ride too. I shall arrive with all of the bells, whistles, sirens and flashing lights they have. Hey AARP...can you hear me now. Teach them to ignore me.

 

Well, of course I won't but...

 

 

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Third verse is a little different. I don't check my mail every day. My mail box is pretty big so it's no problem. Some times 3-4 days will go by before I get the mail in.

 

So...I got the mail today and there were 2 letters from Cigna insurance company welcoming me to their company. Sigh. I have never in my life had Cigna. I don't want them. I even got the info packet. They might be a mighty fine company. I have no idea. But I already have my plans set up (I HOPE).

 

I tried to call them but just like last week with a different company, it's the weekend and they are closed.

 

Why me.

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......I was pondering.......d'ya suppose they were TRYING to make some unsuspecting senior [us aged and feeble folk] to ACCIDENTALLY sign up for their program?

 

MtRider  :tapfoot:

Edited by Mt_Rider
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Nothing would surprise me any more. I thought about the old  'bait and switch' trick too.  :motz_6:

 

It's hard to tell what some people sign up for these days. And it isn't just the seniors and non savvy people either. About a decade back I got a refund or customer appreciation (I can't remember which) check in the mail. It was for $5.00. I do remember that. I deposited it along with some other banking I was doing at the time and didn't think any more about it. Come to find out, if you cashed the check, you were automatically enrolled in some sort of program! I got an introductory call and believe me, I stopped that one fast. But not without a hassle and I told them to put a hold on their $5.00 check if they wanted to. I didn't care.

 

Two issues were; the check came from a company I had done business with so it was under a name I recognized. However, it was for a subsidiary of theirs. In other words, the 'bonus' check said it was from "ABC Hair Care" but the enrollment was actually for their company "XYZ Resort City". I just made those names up. So by cashing that check for only $5.00 from the hair care company, I had actually signed into the resort time share. Or something like that. The second issue was the print was probably on it somewhere but finding it with a magnifying glass would probably have taken a miracle.

 

So, yes, it was my own fault. I own that. But it taught me an inexpensive lesson that could have spelled disaster and cost me a lot more than $5.00 to get out of their plan. And this did not happen over the internet. A simple $5.00 check in the mail. I don't like to share that story because it makes me look stupid and gullible. But I'll tell it now to save my prepper family here from aggravation or worse.

 

I consider myself aware of the creeps out there trying to scam me but let me tell you...this is why they continue to do it. Every once in awhile it works for them and it only takes one.  :sEm_blush:  

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I guess if every one of us gets caught out once or twice in a lifetime :busted:  .....and the more gullible folks get caught rather too many times.... It makes someone throw a party.  :band:  :band2:   

 

MtRider    ....God knows, even if cheaters are prospering for a season... :amen:

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ready for verse four?  :gaah:

 

I got my packet for Plan D Friday. That's the prescription plan. I got to thinking. Did I pay that? I don't think so. So I called. Nope. They haven't sent out an invoice thingy yet. She said it would take about two months before I get a notice. "But don't worry about it, you're covered. Or you could make a payment now if you want to."  It took me about two seconds to decide if I trust them enough to cover an unpaid person. I paid. Got a conformation number.

 

What is it with these people! I had to call Medicare to pay, AARP to pay and now my Plan D company to pay. Crimony. If it was any other service I would have ignored them. But I know what health care can cost to an uninsured person. A voice on the phone may say don't worry about it but....I worry about it. Especially since I'm going to be traveling out of state this week. I want to KNOW I'm covered anywhere and anytime.

 

Any other business would have been sending me overdue notices and threatening to turn me over to a debt collection agency.

 

Ain't nobody got time for this.

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Awww, Jeepers, that's nuts.

 

We elected to have them automatically withdraw the premiums from our monthly benefits - SSD & retirement.  I'd have problems remembering to pay them. On the plus side, the salary that gets deposited, is what I expect.  No more, no less.  Thankfully, this yea,r we found a relatively cheaper provider, with similar benefits, compared to what we used to get for over $1,000. per month.  (Thank you Lord!)

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I was going to do that too but I'm not taking SS until next year. Then I'll have them do that. They will take out plan A,B,D then I'll just have to pay for the supplemental plan which finally sent me a payment book. So glad you found a cheaper plan. It's insane!

 

Eleven and a half more months baby! Then the big bucks will be rollin' in.  :24:

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Way back in the day, my grandparents didn't apply for any of this.  Perhaps they didn't know about it...weren't listening when told about it, more likely?  Well once he finally did file...he got some actual 'big bucks'.  And he lived into his mid-90's. 

 

I have a college friend who's a professor.  Has been so long that she can teach in her sleep....well, not really cuz she gets very involved with her students each year.  But...no big changes.  So she's shooting for 70 yrs old before she retires.  She is her only income so...

 

MtRider  :shrug:

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D-ex is waiting until he is 70 which is this year. He will get 5% more per each year he works over 66. In other words he will get 20% more a month. That only works if you are collecting on your own SS. Plus there will be no limit on how much income he can earn at retirement age. I'll be collecting off of his so my cut off is when I turn 66 regardless of what he does.

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