Considering Medicare: Common Concerns

If you’re approaching or are over the age of 65, you’ve probably considered Medicare. Medicare has several different plans, which can be confusing if you’re new to the idea and thinking about enrolling. Many people are confused and have concerns when they first think about enrolling in Medicare. Below are some common questions that we have heard from customers and some information to help you work through your decision about whether or not Medicare is the right health insurance plan for you.

What percentage of my health care does Medicare Cover?

Overall, Medicare is meant to cover about 80 percent of your medical costs. This typically means that you will pay about 20 percent of the costs out of pocket.

How do I know if I am eligible for Medicare? Each plan that medicare offers has different eligibility requirements. You may be eligible for Medicare if:

• You are at least 65 years or older
• Have been on Social Security Disability for at least 24 months (regardless of age)

Generally, these are the two requirements for Medicare. However, each plan(A, B, D, MediGap) have specific requirements for eligibility. There are two other ways to determine if you are eligible for Medicare: call an agent or check on the eligibility calculator at www.medciare.gov.

What does Medicare Plan A cover?

As a general rule, Medicare Part A covers: Hospital, Hospice, Home Health Care, Skilled Nursing Care and Nursing Home Care.

What does Medicare Plan B cover?

Overall, Medicare Part B covers: Doctor and Specialist Visits, Lab Tests, Mental Health Care, Ambulance, Preventative Services, Wheelchairs, Walkers, Oxygen, and Outpatient Hospital.

What does Medicare Plan C (Medicare Advantage) cover?

Part C typically combines Medicare Part A & B. In addition to this, Medicare Advantage provides other benefits and services that typically come from a private insurance company. The idea of Medicare Advantage is to provide benefits in one plan that is cohesive. One aspect of Medicare Advantage that is good to note is that every plan provides coverage for emergency and urgent care, according to medicare.gov. The benefits provided by Medicare Plan C include:

• Flat Rate or $0 Copays for Services
• In bedded Part D Prescription coverage
• Dental and Vision coverage
• Hearing Aid coverage
• Gym Memberships

What is Medigap?

Typically, Medigap is a medicare supplement plan. Medigap is designed to fill some or all of the gaps that Medicare doesn’t cover. Once nice thing about Medigap is that there are no provider networks. This means that you can see any doctor in the nation that accepts Medicare. There are no provider networks, which means you can see any doctor in the nation that accepts Medicare. All Medigap plans have a monthly premium. They typically do not offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or prescription coverage.

How do I decide which plan is right for me?

Depending on your lifestyle, a certain Medicare plan may be better for you. Health insurance is not a “one size fits all” plan. The first step in determining which plan is right for you is to take some time to research and understand the different plans. Medicare plans can be confusing, so it is a lot easier if you talk to a professional who knows their way around these different plans. An Accurate Choice Insurance agent will ask you several questions to help understand your family’s needs and lifestyle. This will help to match a health insurance solution that specifically meets those needs. It can be difficult to find a plan that works for you, we can help you decide which one is best.

How do I enroll in Medicare?

There are several different ways that you can enroll in Medicare: by phone or in person with your local social security office, or you may be automatically enrolled in Medicare 3 months before your 65th birthday by the social security office if you are currently drawing your social security benefits. If you are about to be or are 65 or older, we can help you enroll in a Medicare plan.

We are available to discuss the various Medicare plans with you and provide this consultation without any obligation to enroll if you decide that medicare is not for you. The easiest way to enroll in a Medicare plan is to reach out to us at info@accuratechoice.com or call us at 702-425-4100.