FYI.

We just came back from a breakfast meeting with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield's new MediBlue people. I presently have Oxford Balance Medicare plan and Alan is already on the Mediblue plan.

I wanted to see what the difference was for the 2007 benefits between my plan and Alan's.

Well, did I get my eyes opened!!! Oxford, if you go to the hospital for a colonoscopy or a stress test, you pay a $1500 co-pay. If you have to go to the hospital for anything, you have a $1675.00 deductible.
And you pay $10.00 co-pay for doctor visitits and $15.00 for specialists. And they don't cover orthopedic shoes for diabetics. I know this because I tried to get it, lost, appealed in court and lost again.

So we are at the breakfast meeting and I ask all my questions and here is what Mediblue has to offer; $0 copay for doctors, $15.00 for specialists. No referrals needed. (of course they have the silver sneaker programs so gym memberships are free, thank goodness for that). All tests, stress tests, colonscopies (not that I'm rushing to get one), are completely free. No $1500 co pay for these.

And if you have to go to the hospital, UNLIMITED HOSPITAL STAYS, NO CO-PAY AND NO DEDUCTIBLES. The prescription coverage is just fine for me because I get all my meds from Cornell and if I do need something, I can get either samples or use generic for $8.00. So that's good too. And they cover orthopedic shoes for diabetics. I know this because my podiatrist once told me the only insurance plan he knew that covered diabetic shoes was Empire Blue Shield.

Remember, I live in Brooklyn,NY so this only applies to me where I live, in my county of Kings.

My primary care presently does not take the Mediblue Medicare Plan. (something about capitation, but he's looking into it).

But Dr. Fred (Alan's doc) DOES TAKE IT. So as of January 2007, my new primary care physician will be the hunky Dr. Fred. I know him, he knows me, he knows Alan, we are not strangers, so I'm not going to a strange new office and the guy gives out samples of everything so that's good.

So Melody, officially as of 2007, has better coverage than I did at Oxford (simply because of the better hospitalization benefits, the zero copay to Dr. Fred and I get a really good nice doc in Dr. Fred who Alan swears by. I'm the one who Dr. Fred talks to about Alan's care and Dr. Fred once told him "thank God, you're married to her". We all laughed.

So at least for 2007, all is secure.

So thanks everybody for the nice words and flowers.
I deleted the main message. Felt I rambled on too much.

bye for now.