I am considering applying for SSDI as our medical bills are "eating us out of house and home" and we are the lucky ones with a good income and insurance. It is just that when CF gets more complicated it gets a LOT LOT more expensive. Anyways, I am learning that you qualify for Medicare after 24 months on SSDI. What is it like to be on Medicare? Do you get the same treatment or choice of facilities or care as an insured person? Do they cover prescription drugs? Can you opt to have Medicare as a secondary insurance so you keep good coverage and use it as back-up? Would I be better off staying on my husbands plan?
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Medicare
- Thread starter Skye
- Start date
I am considering applying for SSDI as our medical bills are "eating us out of house and home" and we are the lucky ones with a good income and insurance. It is just that when CF gets more complicated it gets a LOT LOT more expensive. Anyways, I am learning that you qualify for Medicare after 24 months on SSDI. What is it like to be on Medicare? Do you get the same treatment or choice of facilities or care as an insured person? Do they cover prescription drugs? Can you opt to have Medicare as a secondary insurance so you keep good coverage and use it as back-up? Would I be better off staying on my husbands plan?
I am considering applying for SSDI as our medical bills are "eating us out of house and home" and we are the lucky ones with a good income and insurance. It is just that when CF gets more complicated it gets a LOT LOT more expensive. Anyways, I am learning that you qualify for Medicare after 24 months on SSDI. What is it like to be on Medicare? Do you get the same treatment or choice of facilities or care as an insured person? Do they cover prescription drugs? Can you opt to have Medicare as a secondary insurance so you keep good coverage and use it as back-up? Would I be better off staying on my husbands plan?
I am considering applying for SSDI as our medical bills are "eating us out of house and home" and we are the lucky ones with a good income and insurance. It is just that when CF gets more complicated it gets a LOT LOT more expensive. Anyways, I am learning that you qualify for Medicare after 24 months on SSDI. What is it like to be on Medicare? Do you get the same treatment or choice of facilities or care as an insured person? Do they cover prescription drugs? Can you opt to have Medicare as a secondary insurance so you keep good coverage and use it as back-up? Would I be better off staying on my husbands plan?
I am considering applying for SSDI as our medical bills are "eating us out of house and home" and we are the lucky ones with a good income and insurance. It is just that when CF gets more complicated it gets a LOT LOT more expensive. Anyways, I am learning that you qualify for Medicare after 24 months on SSDI. What is it like to be on Medicare? Do you get the same treatment or choice of facilities or care as an insured person? Do they cover prescription drugs? Can you opt to have Medicare as a secondary insurance so you keep good coverage and use it as back-up? Would I be better off staying on my husbands plan?
We had medicare as a secondary insurance, Mark's primary was my Tricare insurance. Medicare picked up whatever Tricare didn't cover, including the copay's on medications. We really liked having it as a back up but dropped it when we moved from CA to WA because in WA they made us pay for it (about $80 a month I think) and in CA they were paying it for us.
We had medicare as a secondary insurance, Mark's primary was my Tricare insurance. Medicare picked up whatever Tricare didn't cover, including the copay's on medications. We really liked having it as a back up but dropped it when we moved from CA to WA because in WA they made us pay for it (about $80 a month I think) and in CA they were paying it for us.
We had medicare as a secondary insurance, Mark's primary was my Tricare insurance. Medicare picked up whatever Tricare didn't cover, including the copay's on medications. We really liked having it as a back up but dropped it when we moved from CA to WA because in WA they made us pay for it (about $80 a month I think) and in CA they were paying it for us.
We had medicare as a secondary insurance, Mark's primary was my Tricare insurance. Medicare picked up whatever Tricare didn't cover, including the copay's on medications. We really liked having it as a back up but dropped it when we moved from CA to WA because in WA they made us pay for it (about $80 a month I think) and in CA they were paying it for us.
We had medicare as a secondary insurance, Mark's primary was my Tricare insurance. Medicare picked up whatever Tricare didn't cover, including the copay's on medications. We really liked having it as a back up but dropped it when we moved from CA to WA because in WA they made us pay for it (about $80 a month I think) and in CA they were paying it for us.
D
domsmom
Guest
Skye,
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
D
domsmom
Guest
Skye,
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
D
domsmom
Guest
Skye,
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
D
domsmom
Guest
Skye,
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
D
domsmom
Guest
Skye,
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
In my life before being a mom, I was a Medicare specialist for Home Infusion. You need to check with your husbands insurance if they will let Medicare act as a secondary insurance. Some commercial insurances require that once Medicare is present, that they are primary and that the commercial is secondary. Also be aware that IV antibiotics are not covered in the home. They are only covered in the hospital.
Medicare does now offer prescription drug coverage. You can possibly check out there website for more info on that. If you do decide to go the Medicare route check into partC, which is a Medicare HMO, sometimes more coverage is offered this way, but does act like a traditional HMO where you must stay in network, for extreme emergencies at times an out of network is allowed.
My late husband was covered as spouse under my PPO plan as work (that was his primary insurance) and Medicare A & B (that was secondary) but not C (he was "excused" because we had a letter saying pharmaceuticals were covered by his primary). We paid for all 3. That basically meant he was overinsured. It also meant that medical expenses basically became a "fixed" expense for us since his medical bills were almost completely covered by insurance except for the $10 copays for his meds like TOBI and such.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
My late husband was covered as spouse under my PPO plan as work (that was his primary insurance) and Medicare A & B (that was secondary) but not C (he was "excused" because we had a letter saying pharmaceuticals were covered by his primary). We paid for all 3. That basically meant he was overinsured. It also meant that medical expenses basically became a "fixed" expense for us since his medical bills were almost completely covered by insurance except for the $10 copays for his meds like TOBI and such.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
My late husband was covered as spouse under my PPO plan as work (that was his primary insurance) and Medicare A & B (that was secondary) but not C (he was "excused" because we had a letter saying pharmaceuticals were covered by his primary). We paid for all 3. That basically meant he was overinsured. It also meant that medical expenses basically became a "fixed" expense for us since his medical bills were almost completely covered by insurance except for the $10 copays for his meds like TOBI and such.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
My late husband was covered as spouse under my PPO plan as work (that was his primary insurance) and Medicare A & B (that was secondary) but not C (he was "excused" because we had a letter saying pharmaceuticals were covered by his primary). We paid for all 3. That basically meant he was overinsured. It also meant that medical expenses basically became a "fixed" expense for us since his medical bills were almost completely covered by insurance except for the $10 copays for his meds like TOBI and such.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
My late husband was covered as spouse under my PPO plan as work (that was his primary insurance) and Medicare A & B (that was secondary) but not C (he was "excused" because we had a letter saying pharmaceuticals were covered by his primary). We paid for all 3. That basically meant he was overinsured. It also meant that medical expenses basically became a "fixed" expense for us since his medical bills were almost completely covered by insurance except for the $10 copays for his meds like TOBI and such.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.
Just Medicare will not be enough. Medicare only pays like 80% of a lot of things. If your spouse drops you off his work plan, you would need Medicare A,B, and C and you would need to to private pay for a Medigap policy.
As far as whether or not Medicare is primary or secondary. If your husband's work health insurance is one of his ERISA benefits and there are more than 50 employees in the company then Medicare is secondary.
We were able to have IV antibiotics covered at home because my work insurance found it to be cheaper than being in hospital and since I was at work when the IVs needed to be administered (12 hours away including commute) and because I "officially" refused to learn how to do or to administer the IVs and because he was not up to doing it himself, all insurance paid for an IV nurse to come in.