Hello Everyone,

My dad is a building maintenance manager who up to last year worked full time. Then the company decided to cut his hours down to 30hrs per week and now he is facing a problem with company policy which no longer allows him to be covered under the company health insurance. He is over 65 so he might qualify for senor health insurance but he never served in the service so none of those benefits apply. I was wondering what type of help is out there for my dad? Is there a special affordable plan he can go on? I really would like to know my options since times are tough. Thank you! 

He needs to look into Medicare. There are several different programs.

Thank you! Do you know if they cover prescriptions besides generic? Is there any additional options besides Medicare that you know of?

Thank you! Do you know if they cover prescriptions besides generic? Is there any additional options besides Medicare that you know of?

There are several options on the Medicare website. I think if he in more than 90 days past his 65th birthday he needs to apply at a SS office.

Editorial comment first….  You could thank Obama Care for the 30 hr. work week, many companies are doing whatever they can to cut back Health Care cost so we could all thank Obama for that.  UPS just cut their Health Care for employees spouses so another big thanks out to Obama…

 

The way I understand it “IF” your father’s company didn’t reduce his hours to cut his Health Care he could have stayed on as long as he was working full time.  I knew some folks over 65 that were working Full time and weren’t on Medicare yet because they were still were on the Employer’s Health Care. One guy said that would be a way for the Employer to save money but apparently it don’t work that way.  So as I understand it just because some is 65 doesn’t make Medicare mandatory if they are working full time.  Anyway for more reliable answers (other than my reply) have him check out AARP or the Amac which is the “Conservative Alternative to AARP” for medicare insurance plans.

I will turn 65 next week and my health insurance made me sign up for Medicade and they become my secondary insurance?  As far as I know, this has been the policy for at least the past 20 years.

yeah, someone beat me to it, but say Thanks Obama! I know of at least 3  local gov't employees that have been cut to  30 hrs/week, because of the ACA.  They are/were union and voted for Obama, which is delicious irony.

Its horrible how this country is going and I agree that Obama Care is going to be awful for this nation since it will force so many companies to cut employees hours forcing them to no longer have benefits. We are now going to need a secondary insurance to cover RX. Anyone have any ideas? Thank you everyone for the replies!

Most private employers (at least corporate ones) make you sign up for Medicare as soon as you become eligible then offer you a supplemental plan (which may be primary coverage for your spouse , if  your spouse isn't eligible yet). That's how it works at the mega IT corp where I was. YMMV.  I think the premiums are deducted from your social security check.

So assuming he's over 65 and has paid medicare taxes (or maybe not..does it matter?) he should be able to get in through Open enrollement or a Special Enrollment period based on losing his private coverage.

You are eligible at age 65 or 2  years after starting SSDI.

Check out medicare.gov or google it.