Has anyone used the Windsor Medicare Extra plan (for age 65 and over)? It is a Medicare Advantage plan that uses your part D for drugs, part A and part B (you still pay for part B)and it takes the place of a medigap supplement. I want to know about hidden expenses that the plan won't pay for. The Diamond plan available in my county and state has no co-pays on doctors, tests, hospital stays. No deductible and a low monthly premium. Too good to be true we say. My doctor's accounting dept. says Windsor won't pay totally for some procedures and tests (they have many unhappy clients who drop Windsor go back to their Part B and medigap supplement) but Windsor doesn't tell you that in their literature.
Can anyone enlighten me on their experiences with Windsor? The Diamond plan is just now available in our area and it sounds wonderful and also, too good to be true. We don't want to make a switch from our Part B and medigap supplement and make a big mistake.
Thanks
Gail

Hi Gail.

Just wanted to let you know before you buy into a Medicare replacement plan..... Check with your doctors and hospitals first. Most of these plans will tell you that as long as your doctor accepts Medicare, their plan will be accepted. THIS MAY NOT BE TRUE!

The problem is that some of the companies who sell these plans are refusing to provide a written contract with the hospitals and other health care providers, so some providers are refusing to accept this type of insurance.

Because the company does not provide a specific contract with a provider of care, there is no guarentee that the doctor will be paid at Medicare's rate or at all.

Some of these policies are terrific plans; however, some are not. So please, check with your doctors before buying into this plan.

The Windsor plan in our area has contracted with the three top hospitals and is the only Medicare Advantage type plan that has been accepted with these hospitals.
I will check with several of my doctor's to see how Windsor works with their systems.
This is a very scary decision!
:)

If your doctors and hospitals accept this plan, that is a good sign.

Don't be too scared..... I am pretty sure that Medicare allows you to come back to them as long as you do it by a specific date; or during their open enrollment next year.

Plus, you sound like you have researched this very well. An informed decision is always best. :)

We have decided to wait until open enrollment at the end of this year to try Windsor. This will give the doctors and hospitals who have contracted with Windsor time to know if they are pleased with the payment rate and the time it takes Windsor to pay. Heard some good and some bad reports from some clinics who took Windsor. Some cancelled their contracts. It is too new for us to accept their plans right now.