Medicare Advantage Plans

[Big Turk]

On 10/6/2025 at 8:09 PM, Mike in Horseheads said:

Hey Peeps on Medicare...  Anyone else get their Medicare Advantage Plan cancelled and you have to find a new one?  I've had a great one since April when I first got on and now the choices are slimmer and more expensive in co pays etc.  Current plan is Excellus Blue/Active (PPO).  Be interested in if others are getting the same notice.

 

Mike

 

PLEASE don't make this politics!

 

 

 

My Dad got a notice that Kaleida would no longer accept his UHC plan in 2026 for Medicare Advantage so I spent the weekend delving into things and got him set up on Univera today...only for him to receive a letter in the mail from Kaleida this morning that it reached an agreement with UHC and would continue accepting it next year. 

 

Went to medicare.gov and basically sorted thru all the options there.

 

This sh!t should be illegal.

Edited Monday at 08:59 PM by Big Turk

[nosejob]

On 10/6/2025 at 8:09 PM, Mike in Horseheads said:

Hey Peeps on Medicare...  Anyone else get their Medicare Advantage Plan cancelled and you have to find a new one?  I've had a great one since April when I first got on and now the choices are slimmer and more expensive in co pays etc.  Current plan is Excellus Blue/Active (PPO).  Be interested in if others are getting the same notice.

 

Mike

 

PLEASE don't make this politics!

 

 

I recently found out that my UHC advantage plan is going away. It's seems that now medicare C plans are the new advantage plan? I've been researching medicare.gov trying to compare plans. Most have all but stripped dental and even the riders barely cover what a year's worth of rider premiums add up to.

I think the Gov't. should require x amount of dental coverage. I believe dental/periodontal issues lead to more major health complications and expenses.

I'm trying to navigate dentures now.

 

It looks like UHC is only gonna do dual eligible meaning one has to qualify/have Medicaid and Medicare. It sounds ass backward policy wise to me.

I guess the best I can see so far is Excellus also. Any opines on this would be great.

[Mike in Horseheads]

9 minutes ago, nosejob said:

I recently found out that my UHC advantage plan is going away. It's seems that now medicare C plans are the new advantage plan? I've been researching medicare.gov trying to compare plans. Most have all but stripped dental and even the riders barely cover what a year's worth of rider premiums add up to.

I think the Gov't. should require x amount of dental coverage. I believe dental/periodontal issues lead to more major health complications and expenses.

I'm trying to navigate dentures now.

 

It looks like UHC is only gonna do dual eligible meaning one has to qualify/have Medicaid and Medicare. It sounds ass backward policy wise to me.

I guess the best I can see so far is Excellus also. Any opines on this would be great.

I'm down to Excellus and Humana as my two finalists. I'll pry stay with excellus.

[nosejob]

2 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

I'm down to Excellus and Humana as my two finalists. I'll pry stay with excellus.

That' what I was thinking, Between Bluechoice and Humana choice. Thanks for the reply!

[Mr Info]

On 10/6/2025 at 8:25 PM, Another Fan said:

IMO having Medicare as primary and then picking up a secondary insurance is the way to go.

This is not necessary if you have good Medicare Advantage insurance. 

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan you're at the mercy for things like authorizations.

 

But it depends on one's age as well.  If you're not like that sick I can see the appeal.  
 

Would you clarify this reply? Medicare is only available when you reach 65 years old. 

 

[BillsFan4]

5 hours ago, nosejob said:

That' what I was thinking, Between Bluechoice and Humana choice. Thanks for the reply!

Just make sure that they are widely accepted locally. My mom had fidelis for a while and we kept having trouble finding doctors in the area. Especially in certain fields, where it was almost impossible. 

 

She switched to Independent health and we really haven’t had any problems since. Now her plan is going away so she has to switch again.

 

I was hoping to find her something else from Independent but that doesn’t look likely at the moment. I know Highmark blue cross/blue shield is pretty widely accepted in WNY.

 

We have a few calls into different places that are supposed to help you sort through plans but none have even called back yet. I’m guessing these places are just overwhelmed. It seems like medicare made some pretty widespread changes for this coming year. Everyone we talk to is looking for a new plan.

[nosejob]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Just make sure that they are widely accepted locally. My mom had fidelis for a while and we kept having trouble finding doctors in the area. Especially in certain fields, where it was almost impossible. 

 

She switched to Independent health and we really haven’t had any problems since. Now her plan is going away so she has to switch again.

 

I was hoping to find her something else from Independent but that doesn’t look likely at the moment. I know Highmark blue cross/blue shield is pretty widely accepted in WNY.

 

We have a few calls into different places that are supposed to help you sort through plans but none have even called back yet. I’m guessing these places are just overwhelmed. It seems like medicare made some pretty widespread changes for this coming year. Everyone we talk to is looking for a new plan.

I'm gonna stick to a PPO. I like to be able to make appointments with my ortho specialists...and cardiologist etc. on my own. primaries don't do much of anything.

[Another Fan]

4 hours ago, Mr Info said:

 

Well first, some people younger than 65 qualify for Medicare benefits if they have a disability.  

 

If your health is more compromised and you have a Medicare Advantage plan....  you are largely at their mercy for medical authorizations for something like say skilled nursing vs traditional Medicare.  If per se the nursing home would even be in network with the Medicare Advantage plan.  

 

It's insurance.....they are in it to make money before anything else including patient care.