Scan Medical Insurance

Why do Insurance companies make you take Medicare?

I have tried unsuccessfully to get a quote for individual health insurance from Aetna, Humana and Cigna. I want a quote for my aunt who is 66 and needs health insurance. They will only give me quotes for supplemental to Medicare. Why does she HAVE to take Medicare? Why won't they let her pay for insurance?

Public Comments

1. Because insurance companies only want to insure healthy people and unload old, more likely to be sick onto Medicare. maximizing their profit and screwing the policy holders and tax payers.
2. It is much cheaper for an insurance company to be secondary coverage to Medicare. Again, profit is their bottom line, not health care.
3. Insurance companies are blood sucking vampires! They think that your aunt will be too old and a liability. Well duh! That is why she needs insurance, right? Why get it if you don't need it. They just want you to pay and not get any services! Ugh! They make me so mad! My husband and I are trying to get fire insurance for a house that we are going to buy. Many insurances are saying that they will not insure us because we are too close to the hills! Well that is why we need the insurance! WTF? Why would I buy it if I didn't need it! Blood suckers!
4. Because the government requires that all retired people on social security be on Medicare. Then the government can take out their premium payment from their social security check.
5. you started in the wrong office; Social Security takes the monthly fee for Medicare Health Insurance directly out of your aunt's monthly Social Security Retirement check, about $100 for most folks. Unless you terminated the Medicare coverage, every insurance company is only going to quote you the price for supplemental coverage. Medicare is the Primary Insurer, they pay first, other insurance would be 'supplemental'. You really don't want to terminate the Medicare coverage, there are heavy penalties to re-enroll. The premium for Medicare Insurance from Soc Sec is very reasonable ( $100 vs $500 or more ) compared to those who have not yet become eligible for Medicare; that's why you hear so many Seniors saying 'Leave My Medicare alone', it is very reasonable. It does not however, pay the full amount for care and that 'deductible' amount can run into thousands of dollars out of pocket, if you don't have the Supplemental Policy. So, If you really want your aunt to not have Medicare, cancel it and prove to the insurance companies that she is canceled, then they will quote you the full price for a health care policy. Good Luck and Bring Money!
6. You, too, would take "free money" if you were allowed to do so. Look what Medicare has done for the moble chair industry --- in every ad, Medicare will give you a chair free. If Congress passed "Autocare" where everyone over 65 would be automatically enrolled in "free" care insurance for all drivers over 65 --- do you think anyone would buy more?
7. Insurance companies only look to make money. They don't care about people getting the medical care they need. They are thugs. plain and simple.
8. Your aunt has already paid during her working years for Medicare Part A. The monthly premium is for Medicare Part B which covers things like doctors' visits. I don't know what the Part B premium is now. Neither Medicare Part A or Part B is complete coverage, There are deductibles and exclusions which are substantial. so, that is why there are private "supplemental" insurance policies. Unfortunately the insurance companies are limited by federal law to what coverages they can offer under the supplemental insurance plans. There are about six different coverage combinations you can choose from, but you cannot tailor your own coverage. Get a copies of booklets that are printed yearly by HHS on Medicare and supplementary insurance. You can find them at the Social Security office or the Senior Services office.