Mom has dementia. She currently has Private insurance through Federal pension. She lives at my home, but I don't know for how much longer. She may need a nursing home. Any recommendations if she should stay with private insurance(KAISER), OR ADD Medicare and have both?
If your Mom's Federal retirement plan paid into Social Security -- which is true for most employees after 1990 or so -- she may be eligible for Kaiser Medicare Advantage (Medicare supplement).
Best place to look for answers is Member Services at her local Kaiser medical offices or hospital. They're the folks who can provide details about her specific plan.
Try your Office of Aging and see if they have someone who can help with this. Come back and tell us what you find because this question has been asked before. Actually there was a government employee that replied.
My sister worked for NSA. She has been gone 22 yrs. Before her death she was given the option of continuing to contribute to her pension or contributing to SS when the switch was made. She chose the pension.
The benefits should be compared with where she is at physically.
Can anyone tell us if there is a penalty for not signing up with Medicare when you become eligible?