Before I retired, I had Blue Cross as my primary insurance, with Medicare secondary. My appointments with primary physician and cardiologist were a year apart. The appointments for vision were two years apart.

Since I retired in December, my health has actually improved. And now Medicare is my primary coverage. Oddly enough, at the same time, the frequency with which physicians want to have "follow up" exams has increased. It seems that every time I go in, they want to see me in 3 months, or 6 months.

Coincidence? Don't know. In the case of my vision, I am glad for the more frequent visits, since my opthalmologist keeps muttering about glaucoma and cataracts. Neither of which I have, but he keeps checking. Any mention of either condition scares me to death, though he reassures me that everything is still OK. When it comes to my vision, I'm a bit of a hypochondriac.

For the rest of it--high cholesterol and a narrowed aortic valve seem to be only problems, and they don't interfere with feeling well and being active. But the medical folks sure keep checking on them.

Medicare is certainly a blessing, worth every penny (as they say). And should anybody say it's a free insurance, feel free to remind them that I pay for it every month. It may be low cost, but it most assuredly is not free.