Medicare is a federal health insurance program for adults 65 and older and younger individuals with certain illnesses or impairments. Its coverage is essential in managing your medical expenses as you age.
Essentially, Medicare was established in 1965 and expanded in 1972 to include individuals under 65 with long-term conditions. It plays a crucial role in ensuring the financial and health security of sixty million elderly and disabled younger individuals.
The program helps pay for hospitalizations, doctor visits, prescription medicines, preventive treatments, skilled nursing facilities, home-based health care, and hospice care.
Medicare Eligibility
Medicare eligibility requirements are age 65 and U.S. citizenship or five years of legal permanent residency. Medicare covers certain disabled individuals under 65 years old.
After a two-year waiting period, people receiving Social Security disability benefits typically become eligible for Medicare https://clearmatchmedicare.com/blog/medicare/medicare-eligibility Those with end-stage kidney impairment (permanent kidney failure) are immediately enrolled upon registration. At the same time, those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, popularly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) are eligible for the month incapacity commences.
What Medicare Pays For
Medicare covers various health services, including inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, and prescription medications. Medicare benefits are structured and funded in diverse ways:
Part A – Hospital Protection
When you enroll for Medicare, you’ll automatically register in Part A. It covers hospitalization, hospice care, and particular skilled care that you may require after being admitted for a stroke, a fractured pelvis, or other conditions that necessitate rehabilitation in a care home or other institution to regain your footing.
Most consumers do not have to pay a Part A premium; you have already contributed to the Medicare system through payroll tax deductions.
Nevertheless, Part A is not entirely gratis: Medicare imposes a large deductible whenever a patient is hospitalized. It changes annually. You can get Medigap coverage to cover the deductible and a portion of your out-of-pocket expenses for the other portions of Medicare.
Medicare covers nearly all hospital services during the first 60 days of hospitalization. There are a few exclusions; a private suite, for instance, is not covered.
If you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and haven’t worked long enough to be eligible for Medicare, you can pay a Part A premium.
Part B – Doctor And Outpatient Services
This section of Medicare covers physician visits, laboratory tests, diagnostic screenings, medical devices, ambulance transportation, and other outpatient services.
Part B costs more than Part A, so you may want to delay enrolling if you’re still working and covered by your employer or spouse’s plan. However, suppose you do not have other coverage and do not enroll in Part B at your first Medicare enrollment. In that case, you will likely pay a higher monthly payment for the duration of your Medicare enrollment.
Part C – Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage is a private alternative to the nationally administered original Medicare. Consider Advantage a one-stop-shop option that integrates several Medicare components into a single plan.
However, choosing a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan does not exempt you from enrolling in Parts A and B and paying the Part B payment. Additionally, you must select a Medicare Advantage plan and enroll with a private insurer.
The federal government mandates these plans to cover everything traditional Medicare covers, particularly dental and vision care. In recent years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which establishes Medicare regulations, has permitted Medicare Advantage plans to fund accessories such as handicap ramps and shower supports for the home, meal delivery, and transportation to and from physicians’ offices.
The majority of Medicare Advantage plans provide prescription medication coverage. Ensure to thoroughly read the plan descriptions, as not all of these plans offer the same supplemental benefits.
The majority of Medicare Advantage plans are health maintenance organizations (HMOs) or preferred provider organizations (PPOs) (PPOs). In HMOs, you usually select a primary care physician who directs your care and requires a referral to visit a specialist. PPOs provide access to networks of doctors and facilities, usually without the requirement for a referral. If you visit a practitioner not part of the plan’s network, you will likely incur higher costs.
Part D – Prescription Pharmaceuticals
This portion of Medicare pays for a portion of your prescription medicines. You purchase a Medicare Part D plan from a private insurer.
Each typically includes premiums and additional out-of-pocket expenses, like copays or a fraction of the prescription prices. There may also be an annual deductible.
In 2022, if your total medication expenditures – the amount you and your Part D insurance plan have paid – surpass $4,430, you will be responsible for 25 percent of the cost of the remaining prescription pharmaceuticals you purchase.
If your prescription drug expenses continue to rise, you may qualify for catastrophic coverage. After you have paid $7,050 for prescriptions in 2022 – this does not include what your Part D insurance plan has paid – you will be responsible for 5% of the cost of each of your medications.
Be careful to check medicare.gov to see if the plan’s formulary includes the medications you take. These lists vary from year to year, so it is essential to review your plan annually during open enrollment.
What Medicare Will Not Pay For
Common items that Medicare does not cover and that are specifically prohibited by law include:
- Hearing aids and hearing aid fitting examinations
- Eye checkups and glasses
- Dentures
- Most dental care
- The majority of foot care, unless linked to diabetes or medically required for an injury or illness
- Overseas medical care
- Cosmetic surgery
- Massage treatment
Long-term care, commonly known as custodial care, has the most considerable uninsured spending possibility. Medicaid, a federal health program that pays for institutional care, is primarily reserved for persons with low income and few assets.