Health insurance sucks. Which leaves lots of us counting down the days until we turn 65 and can get on Medicare – the federal government’s health insurance program for seniors. 

But Medicare is more complicated, and expensive, than lots of us realize. And the decisions you make right when you turn 65 can have huge consequences down the road. 

The biggest, and most consequential: Choosing between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage – the privatized version sold by health insurance companies that’s advertised everywhere seniors look. 

Some folks who pick Medicare Advantage later regret it, big-time — but find there are no do-overs. 

We get the scoop from reporter Sarah Jane Tribble, who’s been covering the story for KFF Health News and the Washington Post. 

And we get a preview: What do we all need to know before we hit 65 about the choices we’ll face? There are a lot of options, and a lot of price tags. 

Sarah Murdoch from the Medicare Right Center  gives us an outline of those choices and their consequences — and supplies both tips and resources. 

The biggest: When it’s time for you — or anyone you care about — to make choices around Medicare, every state has a free source of unbiased advice and information:  Here’s a link to find your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (or SHIP). 

Here’s a transcript of this episode. 

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