Retirement means many different things but one of the most important is transitioning to a new healthcare plan. For many people, Medicare becomes the best option but it can be difficult to sort through and understand. Who is eligible? What are my options? How much are premiums? We brought on Medicare guru Joanne Giardini-Russell to clear up a lot of questions for us. On this episode: 1:51 - Today we're talking about Medicare decisions for the retiring or retired CRNAs. 2:48 - Our guest today is a Medicare expert, Joanne Giardini-Russell 3:29 - Joanne gives us her background in the industry. 5:47 – Let’s start with the basics: what is Medicare? 7:09 – Who is eligible for Medicare and is it mandatory? 8:22 – If I’m still working at 65, does that effect anything? 9:44 – You don’t have to take Medicare at 65. It’s important to know that everyone’s situation is different. 11:14 – Understanding how the Health Savings Account plays into your decision. 11:54 – A lot of people don’t understand that premiums are income-related. 13:09 – When you start talking about retirement, planning needs to begin as soon as possible to work through options like these. 13:43 – Your HSA contributions get taxed and many people don’t know that. 14:40 – What does the acronym IRMA mean? 17:51 – Client story about a couple found out they were paying more than they needed to for premiums. 19:35 – Are there other costs for Medicare beyond the premium? 21:11 – You have two choices to handle the 20% beyond Medicare’s coverage. 23:02 – What are the pros and cons of the Medicare Advantage plan? 25:27 – What else does a CRNA need to know after they enroll? Let’s talk basics. 27:22 – If you’re over 65 and you’ve enrolled in Medicare, can you make changes or are you stuck? 28:44 – Pre-existing conditions do come back into play with Medicare. 29:33 – It’s very important to know that people with pre-existing conditions have one shot to get into Medicare. Here’s what you need to know. 30:23 – How much flexibility do you have in picking an insurance carrier? 32:29 – What are my annual requirements with Medicare coverage? 35:19 – Final thoughts from Joanne Show notes and additional resources: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2123

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