The Medicare enrollment system would prevent you from having Parts A, B & D when you enroll in a Part C (MAP) since they combine all 3 of those. I’m inclined to stay w/Orig Medicare, medigap & a drug plan this first yr to see how this transition goes for everyone since it appears we can change to the IBM MAP in future yrs & get our $3k funding but if we transition now, we only have 1 chance to revert back within the first 12 mos.

My biggest concern is UHC can remove providers from their network whenever they want & do so AFTER Medicare enrollment ends so your Drs might be in network when you enroll, Jan 1 they’re not & then you’re stuck looking for new Drs willing to accept new Medicare patients. In 2014 UHC dropped 30,000 providers from their MAP network for no reason & many people found themselves in this very position.?

I would be most interested in the answer to the slightly altered question,? "so could you then drop the MAP after 60 months and as you never quit the supplement policy are you now covered again?"? My wife and I are both IBM 2nd chancers and we have a total of $80K in 2 HRA accounts.? Since those funds would go poof if we stay with original medicare,? we would not care if the funds are used to pay a medi-gap premiums without coverage.? ?Who can we contact to get an authoritative answer to this question?? If we could do that we would keep the "redundant" medi-gap policy and quit the MAP coverage when our HRA funds are about to run out.? ?

Will these changes give IBM access to any surplus funds in the existing pension or will all funds be transferred to the new annuity.
? I personally have an annuity which includes a rider that provides a "Guaranteed Withdrawal Balance" this is intended to provide protection against a market crash. Does IBM's annuity selection include such protection???

Regarding not going thru underwriting.? Here's a link for the guaranteed issue conditions?

Suggest you call your State’s Dept. of Insurance & refer to their website to see terms & conditions for Medigap plans that apply to your state. The only 2 ways you don’t need to go thru medical ?underwriting (where they can deny cov or charge higher rate) is at age 65 when you 1st become eligible for Medicare OR within 45 days of losing non Medicare cov, whichever is later. My understanding is that for those of us currently on Medicare, if we switch to IBM’s new UHC MAP & want to change back to a Medigap plan in the future, we’ll need to go thru medical underwriting unless our state offers plans that allow you to do that. In my state (CT), I can but there’s a waiting period & some plans have pre-existing conditions clauses.?

I’m on LTD so finding anyone that understands how this change effects us is next to impossible. The change to Via Benefits in 2014 was a nightmare because they specialize in plans for age 65+. I’ve had to shop & buy my own Medigap plan since then & submit a reimbursement form to access my HRA funding.?

Does anyone have info on how this effects IBMers on LTD? If so, can you post it in new a thread?

I called "The IBM Retiree Call Center" at 1-877-852-0641. The letter I received from IBM on Sept 17 also pointed to a UHC website: retiree.uhc.com/ibm

"I received no further information other than the letter from IBM."

I haven't either. If I haven't received anything by this Thursday, I'll call them again on Friday.

"I thought any doctor that accepts Medicare is valid for UHC doesn't that also apply to hospitals?"

No. My doctor, who accepts Medicare, was not on UHC's list of acceptable doctors, when I checked it on Sept 17.

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Suggestion: Visit the Medicare site at:



Click on the Medicare Advantage Plan button on the right, and you will see that Medicare Advantage plans do not support:

"Use of any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, across the U.S."

开云体育

"I will certainly consider this United Advantage offering (I'm currently Aetna). But my wife has strict instructions that, should I become seriously ill, to switch me to a medigap as soon as possible."

Unfortunately, your wife is unlikely to be able to execute your instructions. Medigap insurers, are free to decline requests to join their plan(s), because you would not be profitable.

UHC has a large network, but it's much smaller than all of those that accept Medigap policies. In my case, UHC, does not accept my Doctor.

The definitions of Medigap plan types (e.g. Plan F, G, N ...) are all set by Medicare and are very stable. It's easy to shop because every supplier is offering the same thing. Medicare Advantage plans change frequently, and it's very difficult to compare suppliers.

I agree that not being able to post an article like this 'just seems wrong' in the extreme. HOWEVER, there is most definitely a political aspect (WRT the president) to this event and it is not unreasonable to speculate that your post could 'go political'. This is kind of reason #12 why my Facebook ID is Gargen Gurgel.?

dave

This is not a bot rejection.? Roy just posted that they are reviewing the many pending posts (all posts are moderated) and specifically said no posts with any mention of a president's name. So that is how he answers my concern. Even a great business article from IBM's website about their major expansion in use of the Poughkeepsie plant.? Surely, there should be an exception for a quality article, they can turn off comments if that is wanted as they are not moderated.

"Except for the initial letter about changes to the medical plans I haven’t received any more information. "

I have not received any additional info either. I just called and was told that we should receive the 2nd mailing by Oct 10.

More calls yesterday...

One to UHC contact line and was told all they do is look at the Database and use what is in there? I am listed as no Survivor and my wife is 'entitled' to get the MA. Was told to call who ever supplied the Database to them... and they suggested the Employee Benefits Center.

Called Fidelity, and they had no idea about United, and told me to call Via. The did confirm I was a retiree and that my wife is listed as with Survivor rights.... So the pushed me off and didn't even understand what United MA was about so transferred me to another Agency for MA's...some name I didn't know? Hung up and went to call Via.

No direct number, have to set up an appointment... so I think I'll just wait to see what happens when I actually sign-up. Person at I did speak to at UHC was willing to sign me up now.

I may just let it rude... I'm getting for Enhanced $0/mo. and wife $131.50 and $1,200. Maybe at some point someone might realize there was a mistake and want some money back?

Still, can not get a definition on what those 2 lines are and who they apply to?

Possible 'with' applies to someone who's on Medicare buy Spouse is not yet? 'Without' means no one not on Medicare already? Maybe when more web sites open up or US Mail comes in it might clear it up?

It was probably just the uninformed bot that blindly found keywords/phrases, and as my coffee cup says "to mess up is human to really muck things up takes a computer".? Me, I totally ignore Facebook.

This is just my uninformed interpretation - "survivor" in this context would not be regarding Joint and Survivor pension option but rather after retirement when you opted for the reduction in annual HRA contribution to allow the spouse to continue to get an annual HRA contribution toward medical after you die.? I haven't dug into your specifics as I'm on a totally different line as I debate whether to "donate" my FHA balance to IBM or move from traditional Medicare to the enhanced plan C at 131.50/month (for who knows how it will stay at that rate).