Starting and enrolling in an ideal Medicare package for yourself can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to the healthcare system.
However, understanding the major things to know when starting Medicare can help you make informed decisions and ensure that you have the coverage you need. In this piece, we shall examine three key areas to focus upon when starting Medicare.
3 Key Facts About Medicare Services
- Understand the Four (4) different Parts of Medicare
It is instructive to know that Medicare is divided into four parts, namely: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing care, hospice care, and some home health care.
While Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient services, and preventive care, Part C, otherwise known as Medicare Advantage, is an alternative to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) and is offered by private insurance companies.
Part D covers prescription drugs. It is important to have deep knowledge and understanding of the different parts of Medicare because each part has its own specific rules, costs, and coverage.
- Enroll at the Right Time
Enrolling in Medicare on time is crucial to avoid late enrollment penalties and gaps in coverage. If you are receiving Social Security benefits when you turn 65, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.
However, if you are not receiving Social Security benefits, you will need to enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which is the seven-month period that begins three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after the month you turn 65. If you miss your IEP, you may have to pay higher premiums for Part B and Part D for the rest of your life.
- Get Familiar with Costs and Coverage
It should be noted that Medicare comes with various costs, including premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. It is important to understand these costs and how they apply to each part of Medicare.
Additionally, while Medicare covers many healthcare services, it does not cover everything. For instance, it does not cover long-term care, dental, vision, or hearing care. It is important to know what is covered and what is not covered by Medicare, and to consider additional coverage options, such as a Medicare Supplement plan (also known as Medigap) or a Medicare Advantage plan.
In general, starting Medicare can be overwhelming, but knowing the different parts of Medicare, enrolling on time, understanding the costs and coverage, choosing additional coverage wisely, among others, will make everything seamless for you.
Guidelines to Medicare – Do You Want to Start Medicare?
There are clearly defined guidelines or templates you can follow if you want to start Medicare. MedicareOnVideo has made it easy for all and sundry.
More importantly, you should be able to determine if you want to choose original medicare or medicare advantage. You can watch this video for clarity.
Additionally, you can go through our free comprehensive Medicare ebook containing relevant content, links, and videos on Medicare.
Conclusion
While starting a medicare could be quite overwhelming, the templates above will work you through the processes involved.
Meanwhile, you can watch our Medicare Video titled “3 Quick Medicare Facts – Starting Medicare” for authoritative guidance or call us via 1-877-855-3484.