Whether it’s for yourself or a loved one, Medicare is extremely complex. But, with the right Medicare Agent and guidance, you can choose the Medicare plan that will benefit you the most.

WHAT IS MEDICARE?

Medicare is health insurance provided by the federal government for qualifying individuals.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

To be eligible for Medicare, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Age 65 or older and eligible for Social Security

• Permanently disabled and have received disability benefits for at least two years

• Been diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease)

To qualify, you must be a United States citizen or legal permanent resident for at least five consecutive years. 

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF MEDICARE?

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)

Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans): 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.

Part D (Drug coverage): Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs (including many recommended shots or vaccines). You join a Medicare drug plan in addition to Original Medicare, or you get it by joining a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage. Plans that offer Medicare drug coverage are run by private insurance companies that follow rules set by Medicare.

Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medigap): 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.

Source: medicare.gov

FEELING OVERWHELMED?

A Licensed Insurance Agent can assist you and make this process much easier. To get started, please text or call me at 440-897-0101!