IBM Medicare Advantage 2023

I know too much about the dastardly things Medicare Advantage plans do to people.  At this stage of our lives, the most important thing is having access to the best health care we can get.  The stress of dealing with an MA plan that denies or delays treatment can be really bad. 

I want to know that I can just call up and make an appointment at Sloan Kettering, should I need to do so, and my insurance is not going to be denied. I want to know that I can go see any Medicare doctor without needing a referral. I want to know my insurance won't second guess what my doctor recommends as treatment or that I cannot get the medications I need because I cannot pick a stand alone Rx plan that best fits my medication coverage at least cost. I just looked at Sloan, Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson, Cleveland Clinic and City of Hope.  They all accept original Medicare.  They accept "some" MA plans and then say "check with your insurance".  That's not good enough. 

Like fire insurance, I hope I never, ever need any of those places, but I want fast access when something serious happens. I also don't want to anguish about not being able to use a particular doctor because they "no longer take" the UHC insurance. The thought of needing to change providers or be denied the tests doctors want to do to continue monitoring chronic conditions isn't worth hanging onto $1,300.  It will be a financial impact, but I am lucky to be able to ditch it.

The clincher for me was when a friend told me yesterday that they are in a rehabilitation facility. I instantly thought about how UHC would dictate what rehab facilities I could use instead of me being able to use what my doctor thinks is the "best" facility for my condition.  It's just another example of why I am walking away.

I don't want to influence anyone else's decision, especially those who have financial constraints but I don't want to hide what I will do as my choice.