Category: Senior Health Direct

If you’re unhappy with your current Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C), you have options! Every year, there’s a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period between January 1 through March 31. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan and would like to change it, you can either:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage
• Revert to Original Medicare and join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan if needed

If you choose either of the above options, your new coverage will begin the first day of the month after your new plan gets your request for coverage. Keep in mind, if you revert to Original Medicare, you might not be able to purchase a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy.

Those who already have Original Medicare do not qualify for the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.

To understand and be confident in your Medicare coverage choices, contact the experts at Senior Health Medicare today. We can help you select the right Medicare Advantage Plan and explore options.

Senior Health Medicare is a superior resource for Medicare guidance, information, and ongoing client support. Selecting a Medicare plan is not a flippant decision. It requires annual revisiting and re-evaluating in order for the member to retain the most cost-effective plan. Senior Health Medicare is here to serve as your resource through all the years to come. Contact us today at 888-404-5049 or visit us on the web at www.seniorhealthmedicare.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

If you have Medicare and a group health plan (retiree coverage from a former employer), Medicare will generally pay your healthcare bills first, and your group health plan coverage pays second. Below are some questions you can ask yourself to help navigate your retiree insurance coverage versus Medicare coverage.

1. Following your retirement, will your employer coverage continue? When you have retiree coverage from an employer or union, they generally control it. Employers are not required to provide retiree coverage; they can modify benefits, premiums, or cancel coverage.
2. Do you know the cost and specific coverage? Employers or unions might offer retiree coverage for you and/or your spouse but under certain limits and restrictions. It might only provide “stop loss” coverage, which begins paying your out-of-pocket costs once they reach a certain amount.
3. When you are eligible for Medicare, what happens to your retiree coverage? If you were eligible for Medicare but didn’t sign up for it during any period of time, retiree coverage might not pay your medical costs. When you become eligible for Medicare, it is imperative that you enroll in both Part A and Part B to get full benefits from your retiree coverage.
4. How does your retiree coverage work with Medicare? Obtain a copy of your plan’s benefit booklet and check out the summary plan description. Your employer or union usually provides this. You can also call your employer’s benefits administrator if unable to locate this information in the booklet.

If your former employer goes bankrupt or closes the business, Federal COBRA rules might protect you if any other company within the same corporate organization continues to offer a group health plan to its employees. That specific plan is required to provide you with COBRA continuation coverage. If COBRA continuation coverage is unavailable to you, purchasing a Medigap policy is possible, even if you are no longer in your Medigap open enrollment period. 

Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can advise whether to purchase a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy. Your retiree coverage is probably similar to coverage under Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) since Medicare pays first after you retire. Retiree coverage isn’t the same thing as a Medigap policy, however, they both usually offer benefits that fill in some of Medicare’s gaps in coverage (coinsurance and deductibles.)  Sometimes retiree coverage provides extra benefits such as coverage for additional hospitalizations.

For more information regarding Medicare or retiree coverage, contact the experts at Senior Health Medicare today. We strive to provide answers with quality customer service, satisfaction, and care.

Senior Health Medicare is a superior resource for Medicare guidance, information, and ongoing client support. Selecting a Medicare plan is not a decision to take carelessly. It requires annual revisiting and re-evaluating in order for the client to stay in the most cost-effective coverage. Senior Health Medicare is here to serve as your resource through all the years to come. Contact us today at 888-404-5049 or visit us on the web at www.seniorhealthmedicare.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Before you sign on the dotted line and choose a Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan it is important that you become informed about what is best for you and your health situation.  It is important to know how each Medicare Supplemental Plan works in conjunction with Medicare Part A and B.

The first thing most participants are confused about is that you still belong to Medicare Part A and B even after you choose a supplemental plan. All the same benefits apply that come with Medicare Part A and B with the supplemental insurance plus the benefits that are acquired through the plan.

It is also important for you to know that all Medicare Supplemental Plans are standardized.  What this means is that your coverage is the same no matter what you pay or where you purchase the plan from.  The only difference will be the company, the level of service from their personnel and the price.

One issue that is near and dear to our hearts when considering health insurance is prescription drug coverage.  It is notable to understand that any Medicare Supplemental Policy you currently purchase will not come with prescription drug coverage.  This is something that needs to be purchased through separately and is referred to as Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

Later we will go in to more depth on when it is the best time to purchase Medicare Supplemental Insurance, requirements for eligibility and options within each plan.

Choosing a Medicare Supplemental Insurance plan is one of the many decisions that need to be made upon turning sixty-five or qualifying for Medicare.  The problem is that without ever having Medicare coverage before you probably are having a difficult time determining where the gap will be for your needs.  Medicare Part A and Part B cover only basic physician and hospital coverage.  The rest is up to you to obtain at a premium from individual insurance companies. The best option is to shop around and research the options available to you within Medicare Supplement Insurance plans.

The one thing to remember when purchasing Medicare Supplemental Insurance is that no matter what company you choose to purchase the insurance from the coverage will remain the same.  The coverage is the same the premium however may not be the same. This is the part that you really need to be careful about.  The government regulates the policies so every plan x from every insurance company is the same the difference is in the premium.

There are several ways to gain information on Medicare Supplement Insurance.  One of the best methods is to view and compare plans, rates and insurance companies online.  This gives you the chance to see the options within the plan and consider how each plan affects you and your lifestyle.  From there you have the opportunity to see several insurance companies’ premiums and you can decide from there what option is the best for you.

Medicare can be an extremely complicated system and it is difficult for a lot of seniors to understand. Fortunately, there are online websites that provide you with information on Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Medicare supplemental insurance is essentially a portion to Medicare that you can sign up to, which provides coverage for medical expenses that are not usually covered in the initial Medicare program. This way, some of your prescriptions and medical expenses can be completely covered by your health insurance, without you ever having to worry about anything.

Medicare supplemental insurance is essential for prescriptions
Do you want to pay for prescription costs out of your pocket? Often times, prescriptions that we pay for on a monthly basis can range up into the hundreds of dollars. Affording this type of payment would be extremely difficult as a senior, when you are likely retired and struggling to pay bills. Fortunately, Medicare supplemental insurance provides coverage for prescription costs. There are some prescriptions that are not covered in the initial Medicare program, this is why you need to sign up to a service like Medicare supplemental insurance.

A lot of seniors forget about signing up to Medicare supplemental insurance
The problem with the current Medicare program is that most seniors forget to sign up for Medicare supplemental insurance. What does this mean? It means that they entirely do not receive coverage for some of their medical expenses. These are their prescriptions, visits to the doctor, visits the hospital or all types of other medical related occurrences. Many seniors are paying for things directly out of their pocket that should be covered by their health insurance program, but they have simply dropped the ball to get informed and sign up to the right types of services. When it comes to Medicare, the government makes this program extremely complicated and there are a lot of aspects to it that you have to get involved with in order to completely understand. It’s like taxes, most people pay a tax professional to handle their taxes when they have complicated aspects of their taxes. Medicare is the same way, you want to get in touch with a professional that can train you on the system and do things for you, so that you don’t leave anything unattended.

Medicare supplemental insurance is essential for people over 65
If you are over the age of 65, Medicare supplemental insurance is going to be essential for you. You are very likely on Medicare already, but you may or may not know about Medicare Supplement Insurnace. As a member of society over the age of 65, you are probably into your retirement and you are thinking about settling down and retiring safely. Retiring safely often revolves around having your medical expenses paid for. As you get older, your medical expenses are going to increase. You will be put on medications and you’ll need to make visits to the doctor to ensure that you are healthy. These types of things should be covered by your health insurance program and if they are not currently covered by your Medicare program, you need to sign up for Medicare supplemental insurance.

Seniors turning sixty five are faced with a myriad of decisions to make in regards to their future.  Health care, social security, retirement packages and the list could continue on.  The fact is that truing sixty five is a year full of changes for most seniors.  It is the year you go from being middle aged and classified as a senior citizen.  It is the year the Medicare takes effect for many qualified individuals. Medicare brings on a completely different set of decisions.

When you are sixty five and drawing Medicare benefits it is important to consider adding Medicare supplemental insurance on to your existing Medicare Part A and Part B commitment. Medicare supplement insurance kicks in where Medicare coverage does not.  This coverage is purchased at a premium from private insurance companies to cover the incidentals not covered by Part A and B.

Some of these could include care when visiting another country, private nursing care, blood transfusions or prescription drug coverage to name a few.  It is important that you meet with a Medicare supplement provider to go over exactly what your needs are and what policy would best fit them.  This will ensure you don’t end up with coverage you do not need or will not use.

When a participant becomes eligible for Medicare and is enrolled in Medicare Part A and B there is usually a gap left between what expenses are covered and those that are not.  This is where the purchase of Medicare Supplemental Insurance, often know as Medigap, becomes important. Medicare Supplemental Plans are sanctioned by the federal government.  This means that the coverage for one Supplemental Plan G and another Supplemental G purchased from two different insurance companies is the same.

No matter where you purchase the supplemental plan the coverage is the same.  The price you pay might not be as that is set by individual private insurance companies. That agreement is set up between you and the insurance company. Payment for you premium goes directly to the insurance company and not to the government. This is why it is important not only to shop for the plan that best suits your lifestyle but also an insurance company that you trust and feel comfortable with.

A question that is often asked is who should consider adding on supplemental insurance along with Medicare Part A and B.  People automatically assume the coverage in from Medicare Part A and B will suffice.  The problem comes into play with the limitations that surround the initial coverage. Medigap is exactly what you would think; insurance that fills in the voids left by Medicare. Some of these voids include; acupuncture, chiropractic services, deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, dental care, eye exams, hearing aids, preventative health care, travel and prescription drugs.

The tricky part is knowing which Medigap Insurance policy will work best for your situation.  This is where it help to work with an insurance professional.  Most Medicare Supplemental Insurance agents will start by asking their clients a few basic questions.  Coverage cannot be denied if purchased within the grace period allotted so that is not something that you should be concerned with when enrolling in Medicare and Medigap soon after you turn sixty-five.

Another thing people are often concerned with is the cost of Medicare Supplemental Plans.  Many factors play into the rate you will pay for the premium you choose. Of course the more coverage that comes with the plan the more you will spend on the plan however that is not all that goes into the fees associated with coverage.  Factors such as; the plan chosen, age, gender and where you live play a role in setting the premium.  Also different insurance companies have different cost associated with their plans so even though the insurance is guaranteed to be the same no matter where you purchase it, the price is not.

The best time to enroll in Medigap insurance is within the six months after you have become eligible for Medicare. I say this because this is the period in time in which insurance companies cannot deny you coverage under any circumstance.  It is prohibited by law for them to do so.  If you choose to wait the insurance company has the right to ask questions related to your medical health and make a decision to grant you coverage on this or to grant you coverage at an increased rate.   This could be substantial when living within a retiree budget.

Supplemental Medicare Insurance plans are available for seniors to purchase when they are eligible for Medicare.  Everyone knows insurance is needed on top of Medicare to ensure that you’re covered beyond the basics.  The incidentals that are not covered by Medicare Plan A or Plan B are the items that can end up wreaking havoc on a senior’s limited budget.  It is important to understand what options are available and what plans are best set up to meet your exact need.

Let’s begin our research by exploring Plan F Supplemental Medicare Insurance.  Plan F is the most widely purchased supplemental plan by far.  This plan pays expenses occurring with Medicare Part A and Part B such as deductibles, the twenty percent co-insurance cost associated with Medicare Part B and covers excess charges occurred when using a non-participating doctor.  The nice part about Plan F is you basically pay the premium and never see another bill.  Sounds like a good plan right?

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F offers a few drawbacks as well.  It comes down to math and the cost of insurance verse the costs that arise with plan increases and actual deductible paid.  Other plans cost much less when paying the monthly premium.  Consider if you are paying $45 more a month for Plan F than another supplemental plan that does not cover the deductible of Plan B which is about $170 bucks.  You are paying upwards of $500 so that you don’t have bills coming in for you to pay for the deductible.

Since Plan F is the most widely written plan it also inevitably has the most claims each year.  Generally people whom are the sickest choose Plan F for their Medicare coverage.  This means that participants of Plan F often are subjected to increase premiums more often that other plans.

Plan G and Plan F within the Medicare Supplemental Plans are virtually alike with the difference being in the premium paid monthly and that Plan G requires participants pay out of pocket for the Plan B deductible.  One thing to consider when choosing Plan G over Plan F is that your health might dictate moving between supplemental plans so it might end up that later you are not able to qualify for Plan F so choose wisely when first applying for a Medicare Supplemental plan.

Another option in supplemental insurance that is rather new is Plan N.  Plan N is along the same route as many insurance carriers of our modern era which requires office co-payments for each visit to the doctor.  You are also required to pay out of pocket for the Medicare Part B annual deductible.  The advantage is that the monthly premiums are much less that they are with Medicare Supplemental Plan F.

When choosing a Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan the best option is to use the numbers to help you figure out the best option for you.  Consider how many trips to the doctor you usually take to the doctor time the co-pay for Part B and subtract the difference in monthly premiums and see where you come out on top.