[Eric in the Ozarks]

If you have private insurance and want to keep it, sign the back of the SS card you’ll get in the mail and send it back. There are two parts; A and B.
A is for hospitalization which you should sign up for. Don’t sign up for B and you won’t get the $100/month for doctors.
If you want both, follow the instructions on the card and SS will take $100 from your monthly SS payment. Check with your doctor to see if he/she is accepting new Medicare patients.

[heylady]

The private insurance I have now is going up to $525 a month with a $3500 deductable so I doubt if I would want to keep it.

[knarf]

I don't have private right now ... I started about 4 months ago when I was working and I found a fair (considering) major medical plan with a 1250 deductible (and some costs .. total OOP 2500 p/yr) for almost $400.

Then I started thinking about medicare and etc.

That's the reason for this post ... just trying to figure out which way to go.

I DO have a stand alone AFLAAK-type plan that's only 20 a month.