LymeNet Flash: Private insurance or Medicare???

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»	LymeNet Flash » Questions and Discussion » Medical Questions » Private insurance or Medicare???

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Topic: Private insurance or Medicare???

foggyfroggy
Member
Member # 14707

posted

I have the option of going on Medicare, but have heard that it's the 'insurance of last resort' because it's such a pain to deal with. I've been on my husbands insurance through work, but they are switching insurance companies and I'm not sure what to do.

I have such a hard time understanding all the details in the plans that I'm just getting more and more confused!
Any ideas?

Posts: 22 | From Oregon | Registered: Feb 2008 | IP: Logged |

butterfli
Member
Member # 17186

posted

I'm not sure if I'm the best person to ask, but I'm on my husbands insurance and medicare. Medicare is my secondary....they paid for 100% of my Igenex testing when my insurance company didnt pay the lab. So its good to have as a back up. But for my doctors visits I use the insurance under my husband. What I havent done yet is see if I can submit the difference of what my insurance company didnt pay for my office visits to medicare...not sure if you can do that or not but something i gotta check out. hope this helps.

Posts: 58 | From Silicon Valley | Registered: Sep 2008 | IP: Logged |

TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183

posted

If you go on Medicare, it will be very difficult to find a lyme doctor willing to treat you--very difficult.

If you have private insurance, you can see any lyme doc. Most of them just won't accept your insurance and you will have to deal with that.

But, if you have Medicare, you will not be able to get an appointment with most lyme doctors. They will not accept you as a patient. They will ask if you have Medicare and if you say you do, you are out.

Some in my area have found this out the hard way. Now, they wish they had never gone on Medicare. I'd say delay going on Medicare for as long as you can if you have lyme disease.

Theoretically, the doctor can opt out of Medicare by signing a contract with you, but in reality the lymies I have talked to say that they cannot find a lyme doc willing to do this.

Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007 | IP: Logged |

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