Medicare Supplement HD or not?

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
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In states with community pricing, there is a significant price difference between G/F and G/F-HD. As in $150 more per month for the supplement.

Have any of you chosen the HD Medicare supplement? Any regrets?

Running the numbers, it seems like the $2490 HD deductible (which is reduced by the Medicare $233 and also could be reduced by the Medicare hospitalization deductible of $1556) acts like an OOP would in traditional employer insurance. Medicare pays the 80%, you pay the 20% until you meet the OOP of $2490. If premiums are $1500-1800 less per year for that HD plan and the additional OOP is effectively $2257, one’s at risk amount is $400-$700 if your health causes you to have many more expenses than assumed.

I am wondering if anyone here uses an HD supplement and has seen issues with expensive to maintain conditions? Obviously a car accident or heart attack is usually a one time thing and if it happened in December, you could hit two year’s OOP. Cancer? Diabetes? AFib? What are the conditions likely to cause one to hit that max OOP every year?

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How about joint replacements with PT following. Or eye issues. Or hearing? Broken bones? I can think of lots of expensive medical things.

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So far, we have just kept H’s family plan that his former employer (fed govt) still pays most of the premium on. We haven’t bought any other Medicare supplement and have had good coverage and H rarely has any copays. My brother feels we are silly to have Medicare since our max out of pocket/year under the insurance is $3000/person, $9000 per family. We like the added protection since medical expenses can definitely be one of the most costly categories, especially as we age.