Medicare FAQ
WHAT IS MEDICARE AND WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEDICARE?
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You’re first eligible to sign up for Medicare 3 months before you turn 65. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).
WHAT ARE PARTS A, B, D?
Part A (Hospital Insurance): Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care.
Part B (Medical Insurance): Helps cover:
WILL MEDICARE COVER ALL OF MY HEALTH CARE NEEDS?
HOW DOES MEDICARE WORK?
Generally, you only need to sign up for Part A and Part B once. Each year, you can choose which way you get your health coverage (and add or switch drug coverage). Medicare is different from private insurance — it doesn’t offer plans for couples or families. You don’t have to make the same choice as your spouse.
2 steps to set up your Medicare coverage:
WHAT IS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE (ALSO KNOW AS PART C)?
WHAT IS MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE (MEDICAP)?
Medicare Supplement plans are extra insurance you can buy from a private company that helps pay your share of costs in Original Medicare. Policies are standardized and in most states named by letters, like Plan G or Plan K. The benefits in each lettered plan are the same, no matter which insurance company sells it.
WHAT DO THESE MEDICARE HEALTH PLANS INCLUDE?
WHEN CAN I SIGN UP FOR MEDICARE?
You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Health Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) with or without drug coverage during these times:
for more details on eligibility and enrollment click HERE
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You’re first eligible to sign up for Medicare 3 months before you turn 65. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).
WHAT ARE PARTS A, B, D?
Part A (Hospital Insurance): Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care.
Part B (Medical Insurance): Helps cover:
- Services from doctors and other health care providers
- Outpatient care
- Home health care
- Durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, and other equipment)
- Many preventive services (like screenings, shots or vaccines, and yearly “Wellness” visits)
WILL MEDICARE COVER ALL OF MY HEALTH CARE NEEDS?
- Original Medicare includes Part A and Part B.
- You can join a separate Medicare drug plan to get Medicare drug coverage (Part D).
- You can use any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the U.S.
- To help pay your out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare (like your 20% coinsurance ), you can also buy supplemental coverage, like Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) or have coverage from a former employer or union, or Medicaid.
HOW DOES MEDICARE WORK?
Generally, you only need to sign up for Part A and Part B once. Each year, you can choose which way you get your health coverage (and add or switch drug coverage). Medicare is different from private insurance — it doesn’t offer plans for couples or families. You don’t have to make the same choice as your spouse.
2 steps to set up your Medicare coverage:
- Sign up for Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance)
You can sign up at certain times. Check when and how to sign up. - Choose which way you want to get your Medicare health coverage
You can choose either Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage (Part C) for your health coverage. If you choose Original Medicare, you’ll also decide if you want drug coverage (Part D) and supplemental coverage, like Medigap
WHAT IS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE (ALSO KNOW AS PART C)?
- Medicare Advantage is a Medicare-approved plan from a private company that offers an alternative to Original Medicare for your health and drug coverage. These “bundled” plans include Part A, Part B, and usually Part D.
- In most cases, you’ll need to use doctors who are in the plan’s network .Plans may have lower out-of-pocket costs than Original Medicare.
- Plans may offer some extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover — like vision, hearing, and dental services.
WHAT IS MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE (MEDICAP)?
Medicare Supplement plans are extra insurance you can buy from a private company that helps pay your share of costs in Original Medicare. Policies are standardized and in most states named by letters, like Plan G or Plan K. The benefits in each lettered plan are the same, no matter which insurance company sells it.
WHAT DO THESE MEDICARE HEALTH PLANS INCLUDE?
- Medicare Advantage Plans
- Medicare Advantage Plans are another way to get your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called “Part C” or “MA Plans,” are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare. Most Medicare Advantage Plans include drug coverage (Part D). In most cases, you’ll need to use health care providers who participate in the plan’s network. These plans set a limit on what you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket each year for covered services. Some plans offer non-emergency coverage out of network, but typically at a higher cost. Remember, you must use the card from your Medicare Advantage Plan to get your Medicare-covered services. Keep your red, white, and blue Medicare card in a safe place because you may need to use your Medicare card for some services. Also, you’ll need it if you ever switch back to Original Medicare. Below are the most common types of Medicare Advantage Plans.
- Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap)
- Medigap is Medicare Supplement Insurance that helps fill "gaps" in Original Medicare and is sold by private companies. Original Medicare pays for much, but not all, of the cost for covered health care services and supplies. A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy can help pay some of the remaining health care costs, like:
- Deductibles
- Coinsurance
- Copayments
- Medigap is Medicare Supplement Insurance that helps fill "gaps" in Original Medicare and is sold by private companies. Original Medicare pays for much, but not all, of the cost for covered health care services and supplies. A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy can help pay some of the remaining health care costs, like:
WHEN CAN I SIGN UP FOR MEDICARE?
You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Health Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) with or without drug coverage during these times:
- Initial Enrollment Period. When you first become eligible for Medicare, you can join a plan.
- Annual Enrollment Period. From October 15 – December 7 each year, you can join, switch or drop a plan. Your coverage will begin on January 1 (as long as the plan gets your request by December 7).
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. From January 1 – March 31 each year, if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch to Original Medicare (and join a separate Medicare drug plan) once during this time. Note: You can only switch plans once during this period.
for more details on eligibility and enrollment click HERE
Contact us for Assistance with Your Health Plan Needs
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