Retirement: More than you want to know about Medicare

  • 26th Apr 2024
  • 3 min read

I know this subject is only of interest to a narrow subset of you. Most of us don't think about Medicare until:

  1. We retired before age 65, we've reached the age of 63 or 64, and now it's time to think about it.
  2. We're planning to retire after age 65, which means an immediate sign-up for Medicare.

I seem to have landed on retiring exactly at age 65, so this is a subject I've been thinking about.

I'm not going to wade into the "traditional Medicare vs Medicare Advantage" debate. I think I heard somewhere the country is about 50-50 on which way they've gone. There are many videos about making this choice. Where you live may make a difference. I've decided to follow the traditional Medicare path, with supplemental insurance.

A wise Corning retiree told me I wanted supplemental insurance "Plan G". I did some research, and it seems like the most comprehensive option. This next video sold me on "Plan G":

I'm ENDING The Plan G vs Plan N Debate! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M31fs8Ve-Qo

When you watch one video, other videos on the subject start to fill your YouTube feed. This next video is not very polished, but it's an interesting analysis and is very much what many Corning employees would do before making their own decision:

Medigap Plan G vs Plan N Two Years Later https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRLgcxTEKs4

This next video explains a possible "Plan G" issue - long term cost for that plan.

Plan G downsides - is it really the BEST Medigap plan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmgxre7ZAA

Am I committed to "Plan G" (vs "Plan N")? Maybe not.

When you think you've got your head wrapped around your Medicare choices, then you need to consider what you'll do about vision and dental coverage. This is a subject I've been thinking about because I've recently had an eye doctor appointment and will have a dental appointment soon.

I believe my parents decided to pay their dental and vision costs out of pocket after retirement. My father was fond of using Walmart.

Some vision costs are covered by Medicare. Not eyeglasses or contacts though. Someone at my eye doctor's office recommended "EyeMed" or "VSP", which are mentioned in the following video.

Dental will be more complicated, I think. I may need to talk to a broker about this choice. I believe I can continue my Corning dental coverage for a period of time after I retire. I'm also wondering what my younger spouse's dental and vision options will be given that she will continue on Corning employee insurance for a few years.

Medicare's BEST Dental And Vision Options In 2024! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyqaVD2Br2w