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Ms. Toad

(38,396 posts)
7. A first step is just education - you are choosing a supplement plan for life.
Mon Dec 29, 2025, 07:00 PM
Dec 29

Do the research. All supplement plans, in essence, pay what the government tells them to pay. A very educated colleague of mine didn't like the (non-Medicare) reputation of the insurance company - so he chose to enroll in a plan that was clearly before more expensive.

Before I enrolled, I tracked the historical COLA, and the annual age-related increased and plotted out the lifetime costs for each plan. The AARP plan was the cheapest by about 50% from the next closest plan. Most were double or triple - for the exact same benefits. The COLA isn't fixed at the time you enroll - but history is a decent predictor - and by that time I had My parents' 25-year history with the same plan (still the cheapest).

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Can't help you with United HC, but fwiw ariadne0614 Dec 29 #1
I'm still at $160 through USAA NameAlreadyTaken Dec 30 #12
My Mutual of Omaha Plan G went from $251 to $305. GoodRaisin Dec 30 #15
It's partially determined by the state you reside in. ariadne0614 Dec 30 #16
Seems the fees are still in progress for various companies. NewHendoLib Dec 29 #2
About a 25% increase in a BCBS traditional, non-medicare advantage, non-supplemental plan. LuckyCharms Dec 29 #3
It is time for Medicare to offer a Supplemental tier at actual cost Bluetus Dec 29 #4
A first step is just education - you are choosing a supplement plan for life. Ms. Toad Dec 29 #7
It is not always "for life" Bluetus Dec 29 #8
The states in which you can switch (outside of the first 6 months) are very few. Ms. Toad Dec 29 #9
I get what you are saying, but I don't trust any HC corporation to not screw me at every opportunity Bluetus Dec 29 #11
You can't determine everything, since the COLA is tied to unpredictable increases in prices - BUT Ms. Toad Dec 30 #14
I appreciate your information, but here is where we disagree: Bluetus Dec 30 #17
We also should not need an MBA and law degree redstatebluegirl Jan 5 #19
Agree completely NameAlreadyTaken Dec 30 #13
Thanks everyone. redstatebluegirl Dec 29 #5
It will depend on the plan you purchased, and on where you are in losing your purchase discount. Ms. Toad Dec 29 #6
I just found out mine just went up 46%. redstatebluegirl Jan 5 #20
Do you know how much was age-related, Ms. Toad Jan 5 #21
I do not know. redstatebluegirl Jan 5 #22
That's my experience - Ms. Toad Jan 5 #23
If we live that long... redstatebluegirl Jan 5 #24
we have the UHC/AARP supplemental RussBLib Dec 29 #10
I just got notice that my supplemental plan is going up redstatebluegirl Jan 5 #18
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