Because the deadline for signing up for healthcare is approaching, I wanted to clarify two points about healthcare choices, one minor and one more substantial.
The more substantial issue concerns choosing Medigap Plan F versus Medigap Plan N. One of our members, Frank Gordon, did an analysis of the costs of the two plans and concluded that Medigap Plan N was likely cheaper for most members than a Medigap Plan F. His analysis has been added to the end of the
Member Experiences document. I asked Sid Stein to look at the analysis and Sid concluded that the analysis was correct, but there are two important assumptions: the member uses relatively few doctor visits per year and the healthcare providers take Medicare assignment (see the document for an explanation). Emory Healthcare takes assignment, but not all providers do.
This issue is related to the general insurance issue of what size deductible you want for your home and auto insurance--you pay less for higher deductibles, but are then potentially liable for higher expenses in the event of an accident. One difference is that it is difficult to switch Medigap plans later--if you choose Plan N now, you might not be able to switch to a Plan F later; however if you invested the savings made by choosing Plan N now, those savings might pay (or more than pay) for greater expenses later.
A minor clarification is that vision plans, whether obtained through Emory (the Emory vision plan is not available for retirees) or through One Exchange, only cover routine eye exams and equipment (lenses, frames, contacts, etc.). More extensive eye exams, cataract treatment, etc. is covered by one's health insurance and not by the vision plan. The Emory Eye Center does not accept any vision plan obtained through One Exchange (but does accept Medicare and Medigap Plans for all eye care except routine eye exams and equipment).
