When my dad turned 67 last year, he decided to take a closer look at his health insurance. He was still working and realized he had a choice many people are familiar with but put off until retirement: Should he stick with his employer’s health plan or make the switch to Medicare? After a deep dive into Medicare planning, he made what felt like a small but critical decision to enroll in Original Medicare with a Plan G Medigap policy and Part D drug plan, letting go of his employer’s plan. At the time, we didn’t realize just how significant this choice would be. It ultimately saved my parents thousands of dollars—money they would’ve been hard-pressed to manage otherwise.
In February, our world shifted. My dad, always active and healthy, went to the emergency room with what he thought was just a case of stubborn constipation. What began as a routine visit escalated quickly. A CT scan revealed a tumor obstructing his sigmoid colon, and an enema led to a gut-wrenching chain of events. Within hours, my dad’s abdomen swelled alarmingly, and he was rushed into emergency surgery. The surgeon discovered that following the enema his bowels had twisted, cutting off blood supply. Eight feet of his small intestine and his entire colon had died. He barely survived.
The following five months became the most painful journey our family has ever walked. My dad was left dependent on a TPN nutrition bag, attached to an IV in his chest to sustain him. Imagine carrying a heavy backpack of liquid nutrition with you for 20 hours a day, every day. His daily life was filled with pain, bringing him to tears while going in and out of hospitals as the complications multiplied. Medical bills were stacking up, and his worry about leaving my mom with a financial burden became almost as difficult as his physical battle.
Despite the mounting costs of treatments, surgeries, emergency room visits, and transfers to specialized cancer centers, all they paid was a $240 deductible. Reflecting on it now, I see how blessed we were that he took Medicare planning seriously. His concern about the weight of medical bills on my mom was one less thing she had to carry through his illness and passing. On his employer’s plan, this would have cost thousands. With a Medicare Advantage plan, he would still have faced thousands in out-of-pocket expenses, but more critically, it’s uncertain whether he could have accessed the doctors he preferred.
While I would give anything to have him back, this experience taught me a valuable truth I feel compelled to share: proper Medicare planning matters, especially as you near retirement. Health challenges are inevitable, and for many retirees, healthcare becomes a surprisingly expensive part of life. Choosing the right Medicare plan can be difficult, and the simplest option is often not the right option for you and your family.
Making the right healthcare decisions can be overwhelming, but this experience taught me that consulting with a knowledgeable professional can provide a lifeline of security and peace. Knowing that you’re financially prepared for whatever health crises may arise allows you and your family to focus on what matters most when it’s needed the most. I urge everyone to take Medicare planning seriously, to ensure that in those darkest times, finances aren’t another burden to bear.