Got my "yellow envelope" - hope this helps someone here

[richzb]

Received yellow envelope! I will quit AL-LU SecureHorizons medical and Medco Rx plans on 12/31/2008.
I am a Illinois residence and my wife and I have Medicare part A and part B.

SecureHorizons is a Medicare part C policy and I will replace it with a Medigap Medicare part F (basic) policy.
The two Medicare Medigap Part F medical policies I like are (1) BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois Medigap Type F (basic) approx. $166 / person.and (2) Mutual of Omaha Medigap Type F policy (basic) approx. $120 / person.

The two Medicare Part D Rx policies I like are (1) AdvantraRx Value policy with $0 deductable and a $25.50 monthly premium / person. and (2) Medco Choice policy with $0 deductable and a $33.10 monthly premium / person. Both policies can be enrolled ON-LINE and do not require an insurance broker. Both policies will send our mail order drugs from the same source as our current AL-LU Medco drug plan.

NOT TO WORRY FOLKS! The Medigap medical plans and Medco Rx plans that are available are better than the AL-LU medical plan. Richard Downers Grove, IL

[adigig]

I can add some more info to what gbla had to say on this message board on Mon Oct 27, 2008. Since 2004 I have been with the Medicare HMO of BCBS of Massachusetts (#654) through Lucent. The cost history for 2 persons on Medicare (my wife and I) is quite interesting and I show it for the last 5 years in the following form: (Year, $ payment/month as requested by Lucent,$ payment/month as requested by BSBC for direct subscription).
(2005, 0, ?), (2006, 25.01, ?), (2007, 32.51, ?), (2008, 231.51, 214), (2009, 428.94, 238).
I do not have the BCBS of MA numbers for the first three years but they are in the order of about $100. The 2009 number of $238 is twice the individual price of $119 I found in the BCBS of MA brochure (Medicare HMO Blue PlusRx), which I received at the same time as the yellow envelope from Lucent.
Please note that in 2005 Lucent did not charge me anything for the HMO, and it must have paid the BCBS of MA charges in full. Charges to me were still small in 2006 and 2007 but jumped significantly in 2008 to $231.51, which is about $17 more than the price you would have to pay if you subscribed directly to BCBS of MA. For 2009 the situation becomes unbearable with Lucent asking $428.94 versus a direct pay to MA of $238. This means $2291 extra payment to Lucent per year that cannot be explained. (I was on the phone with Lucent for a full hour and couldn't get a satisfactory answer).
Why can't Lucent be honest with us, as they were years ago when they told us they would drop Dental insurance, and tell us that it is dropping all support for HMOs, or uses our money to finance who knows what
At this point I am ready to opt out of the Lucent medical plan and go directly with MA. I only hope I am not losing something I don't know about.

[criket]

Don't be fooled. Even though the premium is cheaper than last years Traditional Indemnity plan you are only getting what you are paying for. The SecureHorizons plan covers less than the Traditional Indemnity plan and you have to pay for physician visits ($15), emergency room use ($50), etc. There is still a deductible ($290) and a out-of-pocket ($1,500). The fees you pay only go toward your out-of-pocket for selected services not all services. So you will end up paying more out of your own pocket. For instances, for any surgery you have the plan pays only 80%. You must pay the remaining 20% and this fee does not go toward your out-of-pocket. The selected services that the out-of-pocket covers are listed in the SecureHorizons Retiree Benefits Summary Insert. Check it very carefully and you will see that not all services are included.

in my case only once has the 1500 + 300 been exceeded . we have been very "lucky and i hope it continues. i will stay with sec hoz unless some d+h type plan{s} shows up to be cheaper. so far all our providers but one accept the "plan". prime reason is the 1068 hosp ded if go to original medicare.balanced risk i think. sec hoz is to check the one unknown dr & feedback in 3 or 4 days . retired in 1985 so that seems to help in my case compared with what i hear on later retirees. ps the excess over 1800 was in 2005 was an inpatient operation & a small amount.

[poster]

I have not received my Y E yet, but I know what it says. '09 premiums for myself (on Medicare) and my wife age 60 $720./mo. The Secure Horizons plan for myself still has the same deductible and out of pocket as the Indemnity Plan has this year. $295 and $1500. If I choose to drop ALU insurance my wife is dropped automatically. Last year I shopped for insurance for her and she was turned down for petty reasons. This year insurance sales people indicate similar results. I spoke with the Fl state insurance commissioner and she said, verify with Hewitt, your wife is eligble for Cobra, she is and it is for 36 months. This will provide the same insurance and RX coverage as we have at 102% for her share. This will be approx $500/mo. I am shopping for Medigap plans now and plan to drop my coverage this year before the rate for my wife escalates via 2009 rates. Denny

[sbedford]

I am NON medicare eligible (surviving spouse) and have yet to receive
the yellow envelope. Does anyone know if I should? This is the second time this has happened.

[DaveW]

Does anyone have the cost for United Health Care Enhanced Medical for Two Person- 2 Medicare?
I have Individual at $279.69 (0 Medicare), Two Person at $944.86 (0 Medicare), Two person at $375.54 (1 Medicare).
These rates are with no dependent support because of the $65,000 preretierment income limit.

I will be able to have Medicare coverage in June and my wife will be able to have it in September.

Thanks
Dave W- Dickinson, Tx

[sbedford]

No yellow envelope yet but I enrolled online through Hewitt.
Rate for surviving spouse (non medicare) 705. Factor in the deductable and divide by 12, I am
looking at 800 a month.
Gee thanks ALU........

[richzb]

I received my yellow envelope and went shopping. I dis-enrolled (quit) the AL-LU 2009 medical plan.
(1) I enrolled myself and my wife (both Medicare age) into the 2009 AdvantraRx drug plan. The online drug plan enrollment was quick and simple and conducted on the U.S. goverment web site medicare.gov. The AdvantraRx drug plan is less expensive than the AL-LU drug plan BECAUSE AL-LU's $295 per person yearly deductable negates the AdvantraRx Value yearly per person premium cost of $306 and $0.00 deductable. Also drug co-pay prices are less.
(2) I will enroll in the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Value Medicare supplement PLAN F. I have to wait untill I receive my AL-LU "GUARANTEED ISSUE BASIS" certificate to process my PLAN F supplement enrollment form.
Richard, Downers Grove IL