What are you up to?

[Grandma Helen]

Weekend is here.  Weather here is absolutely gorgeous today.  I went for a walk with the baby and soaked up the sunshine.  What are you doing this weekend? 

[Karin M Fichtner]

Would u believe Christmas shopping? I have so many little ones to buy for, I have to start early. Besides, I leave for home in three weeks. I want half my shopping done before I leave. I am taking Rocky with me, as it is cool enough for him to wait in the truck. Then we will hit the park on the way home and see what all the other dogs have been up to.

[Grandma Helen]

Karin, that's cool that you're starting early.  Guess you're going home for Thanksgiving?  That's quite a drive.  I do very little shopping.  I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do this year.  Last year I was doing a little work on the side and had made a few extra dollars.  Not this year. Now Medicare is hitting me for $104,95 a month.  May only do the grandkids and maybe token gifts for my sons and their girlfriends.

[Karin M Fichtner]

Yeah, I can't do this year what I did last year. Mostly the little ones. I just get a little token gift for the grown grandkids and my daughters. My Anthem BCBS is $145/mo, and I fully expect it to go up in the new year. And, of course, there's Medicare. I belong to Wounded Warriors, so I send them something once a month. I am not driving home; a gentleman friend from Illinois is coming down to pick me up. I will take the train back. He came down last year, too. He has a new car he's anxious to get on the road with. I pay the gas home; it's still cheaper than the train.....and I can carry my gifts home in his car.

[Eaglewoman]

I shop all year long and only have my two sons and their wives to buy for. Try to have the ones that mail ready so why everyone is out shopping on black Fri I go to the post office with no lines. I know what you mean with medicare going up and my supplement plan is not going to insure people over 65 anymore, they switched us to a crappy plan with very little coverage and no good dr. takes it.Been shopping around found one that will take me, but its about $60 more per month plus I will have to buy a stand alone policy for drugs. Don't believe the part that they can't turn you down for preexisting conditions-that doesn't include medicare!) Car insurance went up $13 a month (thats with my safe driver discount?)Went to the local heath fair today, you can get full range of blood test for $5 and many other free and low cost test. They do this 2 times a year. No others plans for the week-end,

[Grandma Helen]

I signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan.  I love it.  I pay $20 to see primary care doctor and $45 for specialists.  I am currently paying for the Part B part which is killing me at $105 a month.  I'm supposed to be getting help from the state.  I pay an additional $7.50 a month to Aetna.  Original Medicare would have been costing me all that money and I wouldn't have been able to see the doctor.  I love the Aetna Advantage plan.  I only pay $2.65 for prescriptions unless it's a named brand and then it's around $6.  I was told about this plan by the office on Aging, because everything I was reading was making me nuts trying to figure it all out. 

[Johnnieboy]

I turn 65 next May and will have to decide if I want to enroll in medicare. I'm retired federal employee and am a part of FEHB. They have a number of plans to choose from and you can switch during the open season, (Mid-November-mid December). I've carried a Blue Shield HMO for years now and I like it. The premiums go up a bit every year but usually not more than a few bucks. This year it is going from $145 to $184 for a self only policy. THANK YOU SO MUCH Mr. President. The majority of Americans are getting screwed over with this ObamaCare crap.

[Karin M Fichtner]

Your policy better cover maternity benefits, or it won't meet the standards. Stupid! My son says he is hearing at work that ....they are going to start charging more for Tri-Care. So if he gets $3000/mo retirement, he could have to pay $1500 of it for Tri-Care. He has government insurance offered at work, but he has never signed up for it. Don't know now.