As you grow old, there is every tendency that your health deteriorates. This can be due to many factors including the situation and things you have been exposed to earlier in your lifetime. Bones become weak, organs weary and muscles may have reached their elastic limits, thus they refuse further stress and stretches. At this time, your body needs more treatment and medical care like never before. This is a time many diseases begin to show up among the aged. The body is now so robbed of its immunity that it couldn’t conveniently fight or resist health concerns like in the past anymore without support from medical treatments. From blindness to high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic body strains, the list is an endless one. This is why Medicare has been structured to take special care of your health concerns at this stage of your life.

What is Medicare?

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for Americans aged 65 and above. It is also meant for certain younger citizens with disabilities. Other categories of individuals that could well enjoy Medicare services are those diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (a permanent kidney failure where dialysis or transplant is required for correction). Medicare is structured to come in parts, each of which covers specific services and health situations.

Getting Started with Medicare

It is absolutely nothing difficult to get started with Medicare. Whether you are new to it, getting ready to turn 65 or preparing to retire from service, it is one of those important decisions you have to make to cover for your health in case of crucial needs. If it takes you longer than necessary to enroll, you may have to pay a penalty, and you may have some gap in its eventual coverage. Whichever way, finding your eligibility or enrolling is not a difficult one if the following steps could be duly followed.

Step 1: Learn about the specific Medicare parts

Medicare Part A: Also known as the hospital insurance, it covers for impatient hospital stays, some health care and care in a skilled nursing facility.

Learn more about Medicare Part A here!

Medicare Part B: This is alternatively called the Medical insurance and it covers certain doctors’ services, medical supplies, preventive services and outpatient cares.

Learn more about Medicare Part B here!

Medicare Part C: This part is alternatively called the Medicare advantage plan. It is the type of Medicare health plan offered by private investments that agrees with Medicare. This plan provides all part A and part B Medicare benefits. The part include Health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, special needs plan, Medicare medical saving account plans and some others. If you are enrolled in this plan, even most of the Medicare services not paid for by original Medicare are covered through it.

Learn more about Medicare Part C here!

Medicare Part D: It is alternatively called the prescription drug coverage, and what it basically does is add prescriptive drug coverage to original Medicare, some Medicare private-fee-for service plans and Medicare medical savings account plans. All these plans are offered by insurance companies and other private investments that are duly approved under the Medicare services.

Learn more about Medicare Part D here!

Step 2: Know when you can get Medicare

You cannot just enroll for Medicare at any stage of your life. There are certain time to do this depending on the situation you find yourself. Some people may access Medicare automatically and others may need to apply for it. Your first enrollment is referred to as the Initial enrollment period (7 months). This usually begins at exactly three months before the month you will turn 65 years of age, runs through the time and ends exactly three months after it. Enrolling later than expected may attract penalty and gap in Medicare coverage.

Step 3: Decide what part you want and enroll

Having familiarized yourself with the specific parts of Medicare plans, decide on which of them exactly you want to enroll in and choose your coverage. Ordinarily, most people should enroll in Medicare Part A at 65 even when they hold a health insurance from an employer. Most people paid taxes when they worked and therefore need no premium to enroll in Medicare Part A. Choosing your coverage means that you have to decide whether you want Original Medicare package or a Medicare Advantage Plan. You might not need to subscribe for an additional coverage if you are still working.

Step 4: Sign up for Medicare

Unless you are automatically enrolled for Medicare, you would need to sign up for a plan on your own. Most people are automatically signed up for Part A and B. When this is the case, your red, white and blue Medicare cards would be mailed to you in 3 months before you are 65, or on the 25th month of your disability. If you don’t get any plans automatically, it means you are not enrolled and you have to sign up for Medicare online.

Medicare Eligibility Requirements

The most important eligibility requirement for Medicare is that you are 65 or you have certain disability or illness (End-Stage Renal Disease) that qualify you for the plan automatically. However, to be qualified for the premium free Part A, you must be entitled to it based on your earning or that of your spouse, child or parent. To be eligible, a worker must have a specified number of quarters of coverage (QCs) and at the same time file an application for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits. A person earn QCs through payment of payroll taxes under the watch of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) during his working years. When the full FICA taxes are paid, an individual earns QCs that are enough to earn him eligibility for Social Security Benefits as well as premium free Part A Medicare.
Your eligibility for Medicare Part B is dependent on your eligibility for premium free Part A.

This means that if you are eligible for part A, you are most definitely eligible for part B. Enrolment in Medicare Part B is largely voluntary but yet you must be a US citizen, you must be 65 or older, you must be a US resident or you are an alien that have been legally admitted for permanent residence for at least five years before filing an application for a Medicare plan.

Now you can live healthily and happily ever even after 65. Choose a Medicare plan today!

Use your retirement income wisely, find out if you qualify for medicare discounts.

How can we serve you today?

It can be difficult to know whether or not you have proper coverage, but we can help! It’s our passion to provide peace of mind and ensure that you are well informed of your options and receive the best possible rates. Please feel free to call us at anytime, even if it’s just to chat.

Medicare Supplement Plan A

Medicare Supplement Plan A is also referred to as Medigap Plan A. This plan is sometimes overlooked because it has fewer benefits than other Medigap insurance plans.

What does Medicare Plan A cover though? It still covers the most important benefit, which is the 20% of outpatient medical care that Medicare doesn’t cover.

Make no mistake. Medicare Plan A pays this, so it is still a very good plan.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	❌
Medicare Part A deductible	❌
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	❌

Medicare Supplement Plan B

Medicare Supplement Plan B, also called Medigap Plan B, offers the same benefits as Plan A. In addition, it will also pay your Part A hospital deductible for you. This is a significant benefit as the deductible in 2017 is $1,316, and tends to go up slightly each year. Having Medigap Plan B means that you will never have to worry about that deductible going up.

Your hospital deductible is a per-incident deductible, not an annual one, so this is an important benefit. Medicare Plan B will pay the deductible even if you incur it more than once in the same year.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	❌
Medicare Part A deductible	✔
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	❌

Medicare Supplement Plan C

Medicare Supplement Plan C is a policy which covers nearly all of the Medicare gaps that you would usually be required to pay. The only exception is the Part B excess charges.

Excess charges are surcharges that your doctor can charge above and beyond what Medicare will reimburse. They are limited to 15% beyond what Medicare pays. Many doctors do not charge excess charges, but occasionally they do. If this concerns you, the Medigap Plan F or G might be a better choice for you than Medicare Plan C. Those two plans cover excess charges, so you won’t have to worry about asking.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	✔
Medicare Part A deductible	✔
Medicare Part B deductible	✔
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	✔

Medicare Supplement Plan D

Medicare Supplement Plan D is one of the ten Medigap options you can purchase to supplement your Original Medicare benefits. (It is not to be confused with PART D, which is for prescription drugs. You can read about Part D drug policies here.)

A Medigap Plan D policy covers most of the gaps in Medicare for you, with the exception of the Part B deductible and also any excess charges. An excess charge is an additional amount you will pay if a provider charges more than the Medicare allowed amount. You will pay out of pocket for these two minor items if you purchase a Medicare Plan D. However, the policy does cover all of the most important things, like the 20% of outpatient services that you would otherwise owe.

It’s important to compare pricing between Medigap Plan D and Plans F or G, which have richer benefits. This will help you determine if the savings is worth the additional financial exposure to you. Some people would rather pay more for their supplement if they know that all the gaps will be covered. Others don’t mind a little cost-sharing to get lower premiums.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	✔
Medicare Part A deductible	✔
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	✔

Medicare Supplement Plan F

Medicare Supplement Plan F has also been the #1 seller with The Benefit Link for many years. According to a report from America’s Health Insurance professionals, about 57% of all Medigap policies in force were a premium Medicare Plan F policy. (In recent years, Plan G has been the second most popular Medicare supplement plan, and you can read more on that below.)

A Medigap plan, or Medicare Supplement, pays after Medicare to help cover your deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that you would otherwise be responsible for. Medigap plans do not replace your Medicare Part B. You must be enrolled in both Part A and Part B first, then you are eligible to enroll in Medicare supplement Plan F.

When you add a Medicare Supplement Plan F or G to your Original Medicare benefits, your coverage will be quite comprehensive. By definition, Medigap Plan F is the Medicare supplement with the most benefits.

Medicare – Plan F

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	✔
Medicare Part A deductible	✔
Medicare Part B deductible	✔
Medicare Part B excess charges	✔
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	✔

Medicare Supplement Plan G

Did you know that Medicare Supplement Plan G is the second most popular Medicare supplement (next to Plan F) with our Baby Boomer clients? Today we’re going to tell you why. Everyone has heard of Plan F, but what is Medicare Supplement Plan G? What does Plan G cover?

Medicare Plan G coverage is very similar to Plan F. It offers great value for beneficiaries who are willing to pay a small annual deductible. After that, Plan G provides full coverage for all of the gaps in Medicare. It pays for your hospital deductible, copays and coinsurance. It also covers the 20% that Part B does’t cover.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	✔
Medicare Part A deductible	✔
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	✔
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	✔

Medicare Supplement Plan K

Medicare Supplement Plan K offers you the same basic benefits as other supplements, but with lower premiums. For example, this plan will still cover preventive care services and give you an extra year in the hospital. However, you split the cost-sharing with the insurance carrier on certain items like the Part A deductible. You also agree to pay the Part B deductible and any excess charges.

Medicare Plan K also includes a cap on your spending called an out-of-pocket maximum. For instance, let’s say you have a year with a lot of medical treatments. If your out-of-pocket spending reaches the maximum limit, then your Medigap K policy will kick in to pay all of the rest for that year.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	50%
Blood (first three pints)	50%
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	50%
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	50%
Medicare Part A deductible	50%
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	❌

Medicare Supplement Plan L

Medicare Supplement Plan L policy also includes a cap on your expenses. This is referred to as your out-of-pocket limit or maximum. Medicare sets this limit annually, and in 2018, the limit for Plan L is $2,620. This means that if in any one calendar year your spending reaches $2,480 in Medicare-approved covered expenses, then the Medigap insurance carrier pays the rest. The cap makes it much easier to agree to share in 25% of the costs on the items listed because you know that even if a year of bad health occurs, you won’t have more exposure than the maximum cap figure.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	75%
Blood (first three pints)	75%
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	75%
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	75%
Medicare Part A deductible	75%
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	❌

Medicare Supplement Plan M

Medicare Supplement Plan M is one of the new supplements created by the Medicare Modernization Act. It first hit the Medicare insurance market in the summer of 2010. (Sometimes we hear people call it Medicare Part M or Medigap Part M, but the correct term is Plan M.)

Medicare Plan M provides the same basic benefits as other supplements. However, it has a slightly reduced monthly premium in exchange for your willingness to pay half of your hospital deductible and all of your annual outpatient deductible. By sharing in these deductibles as well as excess charges, you get the benefit of reduced premiums.

Plan M could be a good fit for someone who doesn’t expect to visit the hospital often and feels he can afford the occasional cost-sharing. However, it’s important to have a licensed agent who specializes in Medicare supplements to help you. He or she will evaluate the differences in premiums and make sure that the savings are worth the risk of some expenses.

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	✔
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	✔
Medicare Part A deductible	50%
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	✔

Medicare Supplement Plan N

Medicare Supplement Plan N has been popular since it was first introduced in 2010. Also called Medigap Plan N, this option was created for consumers who like the idea of paying a lower premium in exchange for taking on a small annual deductible and some copays.

All Medicare supplement Plan N policies are the same, no matter which insurance company you choose. You can find Plan N available in many states from various well-know insurance companies.

In 2015, AHIP reported that Plan N enrollment grew by 33% between 2013 – 2014.

(You will find that sometimes people refer to Plan N as Part N, but the proper term is Plan N. Medicare itself has Parts, but when you are referring to supplemental insurance, use the word Plans.)

Medicare Part A coinsurance and coverage for hospital benefits	$20 copay for office visits; $50 copay for ER
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment	✔
Blood (first three pints)	✔
Hospice Care coinsurance or copayment	✔
Skilled Nursing Facility Care coinsurance	✔
Medicare Part A deductible	✔
Medicare Part B deductible	❌
Medicare Part B excess charges	❌
Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits)	✔