Medicare Information
Need a roadmap to your Medicare choices? We understand this can be confusing. Contact me and I'll guide you through your Medicare options.
From reviewing Original Medicare (Parts A and B) to understanding Medicare Supplement Insurance plans, Medicare Advantage (Part C) and stand-alone prescription drug plans (Part D), we can help. We work with many different insurance companies and can help you decide which plan is the best for your individual situation and it does not cost you anything.
Turning 65? What You Need to Know about Signing up for Medicare
If you are among those about to turn 65, then it is time to think about Medicare. You become eligible for Medicare as soon as you turn 65, and delaying your enrollment can result in penalties, so it is important to act right away.
There are a number of different options to consider when signing up for Medicare. Medicare consists of four major programs: Part A covers hospital stays, Part B covers physician fees, Part C permits Medicare beneficiaries to receive their medical care from among a number of delivery options, and Part D covers prescription medications. In addition, Medigap policies offer additional coverage to individuals enrolled in Parts A and B.
Medicare enrollment begins three months before your 65th birthday and continues for 7 months. If you are currently receiving Social Security benefits, you don't need to do anything. You will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B effective the month you turn 65. If you do not receive Social Security benefits, then you will need to sign up for Medicare by calling the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly/. It is best to do it as early as possible so your coverage begins as soon as you turn 65.
If you are still working and have an employer or union group health insurance plan or if you are retired and still covered under your employer's health plan, it is possible you do not need to sign up for Medicare Part B right away. You will need to find out from your employer whether the employer's plan is the primary insurer. If Medicare, rather than the employer's plan, is the primary insurer, then you will still need to sign up for Part B. Even if you aren't going to sign up for Part B, you should still enroll in Medicare Part A, which may help pay some of the costs not covered by your group health plan. If you don't have an employer or union group health insurance plan, or that plan is secondary to Medicare, it is extremely important to sign up for Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period. If you do not sign up for Part B right away, then you will be subject to a penalty. Your Medicare Part B premium may go up 10 percent for each 12-month period that you could have had Medicare Part B, but did not take it. In addition, you will have to wait for the general enrollment period to enroll. The general enrollment period usually runs between January 1 and March 31 of each year.
With all the deductibles, copayments and coverage exclusions, Medicare pays for only about half of your medical costs. Much of the balance not covered by Medicare can be covered by purchasing a so-called "Medigap" insurance policy from a private insurer. We can help you find a Medigap plan that works the best for your individual situation.
Medicare also offers Medicare Part C (also called Medicare Advantage). You must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B to join a Medicare Advantage plan, the name for private health plans that operate under the Medicare program. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, the plan will provide all of your Part A and Part B coverage, and it may offer extra coverage, such as vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Most such plans include Medicare prescription drug coverage. There are many different companies offering these plans, so let us help you find the one that works best for you.
Finally, Medicare offers prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D. If you are not going to sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage, then you will want to enroll in a prescription drug plan at the same time you sign up for Parts A and B. For every month you delay enrollment past the initial enrollment period, your Medicare Part D premium will increase at least 1 percent. You are exempt from these penalties if you did not enroll because you had drug coverage from a private insurer, such as through a retirement plan, at least as good as Medicare's. This is called "creditable coverage." Your insurer should let you know if their coverage will be considered creditable.
After you've signed up for Medicare Part B, you can schedule a free "Welcome to Medicare" exam with your doctor.
This website is a private website and is not associated, endorsed or authorized by the Social Security Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or the Department of Health and Human Services nor do we claim to be. Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information. This site contains basic information about Medicare, services related to Medicare and services for people with Medicare and is not connected with any Government. If you would like to find more information about the US Government Medicare program please visit the Official US Government Site for People with Medicare located at www.medicare.gov.