[hcoles]

Be advised that there are two general ways to go with medicare .....

Regular Medicare - you select your doctor(s) and go the appointments/etc. If the doctor takes Medicare you are generally good to go - just go to the appointment and walk out when finished. In addition most people also buy a supplemental plan that "covers" what Medicare doesn't cover. For example we have AARP Plan F which is via United Health Care. Usually these sup. plans don't cover dental - but there could be exceptions. Typically you also get a supplemental prescription plan. We have Silverscript. So you end up with three bills per month so to speak: Medicare, medicare supplement and prescription supplement. In addition you pay for co-payments and deductibles.

A Medicare Advantage Plan - These sorts of plans have become more popular recently. They are "all-in-one" type plans. The prescriptions (drug) cost and medical appointments/etc. are all covered under one plan and you select from a specific set of doctors that are likely paid a salary. Many advantage plans include e.g. dental. These are sort of like a Kaiser type of plan - in fact I think Kaiser offers advantage plans for those over 65.

With the advantage plans the government gives the plan the money they allocated for you as if you were on regular Medicare. The government pays this money out weather you are sick or not. This is why some of the original advantage plans were free or very close to it. In a sense the government signs you over to a private company to cover all your medical costs.

The business incentive is completely different comparing the two approaches:

1 - Regular Medicare - your doctor or hospital increases profits by doing stuff (procedures/etc.) to you (like your doctor does now, before you are on Medicare) E.g. the hospital charges $47 for a box of Kleenex and Medicare pays $7 which is the agreed price they pay for a $1 box of Kleenex served in your hospital. I think most of you know the drill on how this goes.

2 - Advantage Plan Medicare - they increase their profits by not doing stuff to you.

I've read that if you select an advantage plan and want to switch back to regular Medicare the process can be difficult. Going the other way is not. The government doesn't want to be responsible for you. I don't know what happens if your advantage plan goes broke.

I hope what I've said is correct - maybe others can post to correct me and/or educate us more.