Medicare: Understanding the Basics Medicare is a federal health insurance program for individuals age 65 or older and for individuals under age 65 with kidney failure, ALS or certain other disabilities. The program was established in the 1960s and is funded by the taxes that workers pay to Social Security and Medicare, by the premiums that Medicare beneficiaries pay for their coverage and by the federal budget. Understanding the basics of the Medicare program is important because it can help you determine whether or not you are eligible, what plan you can sign up for and what benefits you should expect to receive. Medicare has four parts: A, B, C and D. Part A and Part B are considered Original Medicare as they are provided directly through the federal government and Part C and Part D are not considered Original Medicare as they are not provided directly by the federal government. (For related reading, see: Managing Healthcare Costs in Retirement.) Part A Part A covers hospital insurance. This includes inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing, hospice care and home health services. This does not include long-term care. You don’t have to pay a premium for Part A coverage as long as you, your spouse, or your ex-spouse worked full time for at least 40 calendar quarters (10 years) and paid Social Security taxes or if you, your spouse, or your ex-spouse are eligible for Railroad Retirement or civil service benefits. You do have to pay a premium if you worked and paid Social Security taxes for less time. If you qualify through your spouse or ex-spouse, you need to have been married for at least 10 years. Most Medicare beneficiaries qualify for this premium-free coverage. Part B Part B covers medical insurance. This includes outpatient medical care such as doctor visits, tests, preventative care, mental health care, medical equipment like wheelchairs and walkers, and some ambulance and home health services. You have to pay a premium for Part B coverage to the Social Security Administration. If you’re already receiving Social Security, the premiums are deducted from your Social Security benefit, otherwise Social Security bills you directly. The premium starts at a standard amount and increases for people with higher incomes. Each year the premium increases but current Medicare beneficiaries whose premiums are deducted from their Social Security benefit generally avoid the increase due to a hold harmless provision. Part C Part C is something of a misnomer as it doesn’t refer to a subsection of medical care like the other parts. Instead, Part C refers to Medicare Advantage Plans, which are plans offered by private companies that have contracted with Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans are required to provide all Part A and Part B benefits, but can do so with different rules, costs and restrictions. (For more, see: Medicare 101: Do You Need All 4 Parts?) For example, with Medicare you can go to almost any hospital or doctor’s office whereas with Medicare Advantage Plans you can be limited to network providers. Many Medicare Advantage Plans replace Part A, Part B, Part D and Medigap coverages (more on Part D and Medigap below), as well as offering coverage for vision, dental and hearing services. You pay an additional premium for these plans on top of your Part B premium (and your Part A premium if you have one). Part D Part D covers prescription drugs and is offered by private companies. You can get Part D as a stand-alone private drug plan (known as a PDP) or as a part of a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage (known as a MAPD). However, neither Medicare nor Medicare Advantage Plans cover prescription drug copayments or deductibles. As with Part B, the premium increases for people with higher incomes. Medigap Medigap is supplemental insurance coverage offered by private companies that is designed to fill the gaps in expenses not covered by Medicare. Medigap covers Part A and Part B copayments, coinsurances and deductibles. Enrolling Depending on if you are employed or retired, there are different timelines for enrolling in Part A and Part B. However, once you are enrolled in Part A and Part B, there are several paths to getting enough coverage to address your long-term medical needs. If you just enroll in Part A and Part B, you would likely incur substantial out-of-pocket costs. To avoid this, you can enroll in Part A and Part B and supplement these benefits with Part D and/or Medigap coverages. Or if you have employer, retiree, or Veterans’ Administration (VA) medical benefits available to you, these programs can help defray costs. Another option is to get your benefits through a Medicare Advantage Plan. Understanding the basics of the Medicare program can help you determine whether or not you are eligible for one of the four plans. If you become eligible for Medicare, knowing what plan you can sign up for can help you account for the benefits you should expect to receive. (For more, see: Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage: Which Is Better?) Read more: Medicare: Understanding the Basics | Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/advisor-network/articles/medicare-program-basics-0/#ixzz5AaN10Umd Follow us: Investopedia on Facebook
