Medicare Basics
Medicare Part A & B – Eligibility”
Government Medicare Part A & Part B are Health Insurance Plans offered by the Federal government. Typically, in order to be eligible to receive Social Security and Medicare Benefits, a person needs to have paid Payroll Taxes for Social Security and Medicare which were deducted from your Working Wages, for 10 years or 40 Quarters of a Year.
Then as you turn 65 years of Age, you will First Become Eligible to receive Medicare Part A and Part B from the Federal Government to cover part of your Medical Bills. Also, people under age 65 who have certain illnesses and disabilities will be eligible for Government Medicare Part A & B. Government Medicare is often referred to as Original Medicare or Primary Medicare.
Since Government Medicare was never intended to cover All of your Medical Expenses, Most people at 65 will also choose an additional plan to cover the bills that Original Medicare Doesn't cover. But before we discuss Medicare Supplements and Medicare Advantage Plans, you should have some Basic knowledge of what Government Medicare Part A and Part B provide.
Government Medicare or Original Medicare (Part A & B)
Original Medicare helps pay for a Person’s Medical Bills but it doesn’t cover All Medical Expenses. There are deductibles and co-payments for Part A & Part B. Generally, a Medicare Beneficiary is Expected to Choose a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage Plan to cover the Expenses that Government Medicare doesn’t cover. Those plans are discussed on the following pages of this website. Please use the Menu above when you want to navigate to read about the different plan types.
Medicare Part A (is sometimes referred to as Hospital Insurance, but I actually call it ‘Inpatient Insurance’).
Part A helps pay for Inpatient Hospital Care, Skilled Nursing Facility Care, and some types of Home Health Care as long as it is Medically Necessary and Prescribed by a Doctor.
Medicare Part B (is sometimes referred to as Medical Insurance, but I call it 'Outpatient Medical Insurance').
Part B helps cover Outpatient Care such as Doctors' Office Visits and Medical Services performed in Outpatient Facilities and Clinics. This Medical care is often associated with Preventive services to maintain your health, but Medicare Part B also helps cover expenses related to continuing care and treatment of a Medical Condition or Illness.
Prescription Medications are Not Covered by Original Government Medicare. Some Medicare Plans will include coverage for your Medications, and some will not. There are Many Plan options. So, you should speak with an Independent Medicare Agent, who offers Many plans from Many Insurance Carriers. This way, you will get a thorough understanding of the Different types of Medicare Coverage which are available to you.
Medicare Plan Options
Government Medicare Part A and Part B helps pay for a Person’s Medical Care, but it does not cover All Medical Expenses. There are deductibles and co-payments for Part A & Part B. This is why almost all Medicare Beneficiaries will choose a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap) and a Stand alone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) to cover the Extra expenses that Medicare doesn’t cover.
These plans differ in how much they cost each month in Premiums, there are differences in Copayments, and there are differences in your access to Doctors.
There are Many Medicare Plan options which will provide Differently for How you will receive your Medical Care, Which Doctors will be Allowed to treat you, and How Much of the Cost is covered by the plan.
There are Many Medicare Plans, but they fall into Two Major Categories. Most likely, You will Enroll into a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage Plan, to help cover the Expenses that Original Medicare Doesn’t Cover. We will also need to discuss Coverage for your Medications. Each plan type is discussed in detail on the following pages of this website. Please use the Menu above to find more information on different types of Medicare Coverage. And when you have Questions, or you are ready to discuss your Plan Options, Call an Independent Medicare Agent at MedicareFreeHelp.
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