Switching back to traditional Medicare. Any advice?

I think you could also call Medicare and ask how to do it. There's a cut-off period for switching; I believe it's sometime in December.

I've never had an HMO but my sister had one with very little good to say about it. One of the doctors who continued to diagnose "flu" completely missed that she had ulcerative colitis, causing her a great deal of discomfort, pain and stress. She was a nurse and knew it wasn't flu.

I'd get rid of the HMO.

We have traditional Medicare with a Blue Cross Medigap Plan C; it's worked for us, although I'm finding that there's more of a potential for nonreimbursed items that aren't traditional....according to the Medicare notes, these are a result of the "sequestration." Still, it's better than an HMO.

There might also be someone at the local Area Agency on Aging who's a Medicare specialist.

I think now is the season when one CAN change that. I think an easy way to find out would be to call Blue Cross and ask them if they would sell mom one of their regular supplements now. Or call the HMO and ask them...they may have an alternate plan she can move to. Good luck.

Yeah, those HMOs are cheaper. But often the cheap turns out expensive. I personally wouldn't touch an HMO program. I've seen the problems you elude to first hand.