Thanks. That's what I'll do I think. My wife is a year younger and is on my bcbs Basic , which I like.
So, Medicare has 0 copay for Dr visits?
Medicare Part B covers doctor visits, home health visits, DME. Thereis a copay for visits but if you keep your Fed BCBS standard option (not sure what BCBS basic covers), your BCBS Standard option will act like gap insurance and so it will pay the Medicare coinsurances plus BCBS pays for drugs with your paying the drug copay. medicare doesnt pay for drugs unless you pay for Medicare Part D. Right now BCBS copay is about $10 for 3 months mail order on generics or older drugs, $85 on Brand name 3 months mail order, and some in between...I think....best to check with BCBS to find out what tgey cover when Medicare is primary payor.
My mom was CSRS retiree and we analyzed and decided to have her keep paying for BCBS Standard into retirement and Medicare Part A hospitalization (no charge) plus Medicare Part B (charged against monthly annuity). No need for Medicare Part D, which I thought was expensive. So BCBS gap covered almost everything that Medicare A&B didnt, and she had lots of medical issues.
Only thing we found (3 years ago) is that you must manage the rehab that sometimes occurs after a hospitalization. medicare days are paid at 100% at a skilled nursing facility or rehab nursing facilty for about 22 days (if memory serves me), and then 75% from day 23 to 90. BCBS covers that 25% but only out to day 30, and then if you must stay longer, you have to pick up that 25% out of pocket iand it is about $150 per day...ouch!
There are also limits on what is considered am episode. If you go to hospital, you get 30 days in facility, but if you go home, get sick again a month later for something different, go back to hospital and after care infacility again, the 30 days does not Refresh if it happens within 90 days of your last hospitalization.
The reason I mention " manage" the days is because we found some facilities try to keep you as long as possible, eats up your days and leaves you vulnerable if something else occurs in those 90 days.