Medicare plans

I would like to point out to letter writer Arlene Hathaway and others that HMO plans are good until you get really ill.

My husband had a Medicare HMO for years, but when he became seriously ill these plans only covered 20 days in a skilled nursing home and then the patient is hit with high co-pays on a daily basis. The Medicare supplements, depending on the plan you choose, have no co-pays for 100 days.

The Medicare Advantage plans do not give much physical therapy at home, and it’s like pulling teeth to get these visits approved. Furthermore, if you enter a nursing home or assisted living, in many instances you have to change back to original Medicare. The Medicare Advantage plans are a gamble, because if you develop serious and lengthy problems they become almost worthless. Remember, you get what you pay for.

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Medicare plans."