I applied for SSD in '99, finally got approved in '01 with retro payment to back when I applied. So since I got retro I was automatiaccly approved for Medicare because it had been the required months wait. My husbands insurance was always primary and Medicare secondary. I loved it because the Medicare always picked up almost all of any copayment for anything. Now of course I am on just Medicare but many of the insurance compaunies provide the Medicare advantage plans. Yes you have the Medicare D prescrption coverage on those plans but without it I would have no coverage except what prescrption coverage I can get with AAA. Yes, I said AAA. It can save a lot of money! These two months will be tough with paying 100% until I pay $4500. But you just have to prepare for it. Hopefully it won't be difficult to do this. Also I can fall back on my AAA. But I'm not going to do that because I want to get out the gap quickly and get in to the catostrophic part of Medicare D of which most of my meds will be dirt cheap.