My 67 yr.old aunt has medicare & secure horizon insurance, its lousy. Is there better insurace I can get her?

Answer 1

I strongly suggest that you contact one or more agents and tell them what you want.

Since the start of this year, the Medicare picture is very different and it is different in different states and in different counties. Your aunt now has many options. Unless YOU can dedicate lots of time to research all the different Meidcare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans, you and your aunt will be better off delegating to an insurance agent.

AARP has some good programs but they are not always the best for YOUR situation.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Yes much better. Secure Horizon is not an insurance. A true Medigap policy is Insurance. There are several companies out there that your Aunt will pay no co-pays, deductibles, and can go to any Doctor/Hospital that accepts Medicare. If she is still in reasonably good Health, she can switch from Secure Horizons to a Medicap policy. Look for the Plan F, or the Plan J in some states. When she applies for the new coverage, upon approval of the Medigap policy, have the Agent send a letter asking Secure Horizons to place your Aunt back on Medicare and release her from their coverage. Make sure she has the new policy first. Private Insurance is more expensive, but with Health Care you get what you pay for. Medigap policies are offered by several insurance companies. I work for one, but I'm not soliciting business here. They are Mutual of Omaha, AARP, Bankers Life. Those are the big ones with the best rates. These plans are regulated, and all cover the same. The only differences in companies is the cost, and customer service.

The one I work for believes in face to face relationships, and the Agents process all claims, and you have a live person to help with any problems in billing, or claim questions. Makes it very nice for the client and their families.

Let me know what State you are in, and I can get you a number to call for rates.

Answer 4

I'm not for sure if you are aware of Secure Horizon being whats called an "HMO".....A HMO overrides Medicare. In order words, your Aunts Medicare that she has probably worked all her life for is no good unless you call Secure Horizon and tell them you want to drop the HMO and try to get her Medicare back. I am a Billing Specialist and deal with this everyday. When a resident is being billed, and I bill Medicare, Medicare denies payment. Why? Because when someone signs up for an HMO, they let Medicare know of the change. There is a lawsuit right now in the State of Mississippi with over 300 HMO Companies. Every time a Agent for an HMO Company signs up an elderly person, they get from $1000 to $1500. HMO's does NOT pay what Medicare would pay. Most of the time, when someone has an HMO, they have to be PRE-CERTIFIED in order for the HMO to pay. Also they are telling the elderly that if they sign up for an HMO, the premiums are cheaper. Remember you get what you pay for! Alot of the elderly are being lied too and I'm sure your Aunt was one of them. Here is an example of how an HMO pays......

When a resident is on Medicare Part A in a Skilled Nursing Facility, Medicare will pay 100% for the first 20 days and then from day 21-100, Medicare will pay 80% and a private insurance (AAPR, Mutual of Omaha, etc...), Medicaid, or the resident pays private, that amount is $119.00 a day.

Now, if they have HMO, the HMO will only pay 3 days at 100% and days 21-100, only $90 a day.........big difference, huh? The Agents does NOT tell the elderly the downfalls......plus they don't tell them that their Medicare, that they have paid for all their lives is NO GOOD. An HMO can be cancelled, but your Aunt will have to talk to Secure Horizon. Some HMO's has a certain time for the HMO to be cancelled.

I hate to be the bearier of bad news, but in your question, you said your Aunt has "Medicare" and "Secure Horizon Insurance", but that is not true, all she has right now is "Secure Horizon", which is a HMO..........Medicare is not going to pay anything. And your so right, Secure Horizon is LOUSY!!! Do your Aunt a favor and cancel that HMO and get back on regular Medicare. Then you may want to check into a Medicare Supplemental. My dad had Mutual of Oahma and it was good, but there is others...like AARP......TriCare.......Blue Cross Blue Shield.....if you have any more questions, just let me know. I hope this has been some help and not confusing. I know it can be confusing and frustrating. Good luck to you and your Aunt. :o)

Answer 5

Oh. the insurance mess. Insurance (unless you are in illegal) is so expensive and that secure horizon is a farce and rip off. She does NOW have medicare I suppose and that helps(doesn't she??) the good insurance(but expensive) is Blue Cross/Blue Shield.. I have that but have had it a long time and it is great.. but starting out for her NOW at 67... I do not even know what the cost would be...

You know.... Does she belong to AARP? I think it costs about $25 for 3 years or something like that... They have some good insurance thru them.. I STRONGLY recommend that you contact them... find out what the insurance is.. and then JOIN AARP... I recommended that same thing to a friend who wanted car insurance ... she found out that by joining AARP, she could get her insurance thru them for $225. cheaper

Answer 6

There might be. I know of a free service that will look for insurers and get several competitive quotes. See Sources for the link. I hope this helps your aunt.

Answer 7

with the new laws, things have really gotten confusing. I spent weeks looking for stuff for my folks. I ended up at a Senior Center near my house. They were able to help me find something that worked. You might try to find one near you.

Answer 8

Blue Cross is the best!

Answer 9

try AARP they are designed for the seniors