Medicare: What You Should Know About

Medicare is a federal health insurance policy available for you. While the name Medicare itself may be familiar to you, it may not necessarily mean that you understand it. Understanding Medicare is not difficult. As long as you understand the basics, then you should be able to make the most out of this coverage as you enter your retirement year.

ELIGIBILITY

Not all people can apply for Medicare. There are eligibility requirements that must be complied before one can indulge in the benefits offered by this health insurance policy. Whether you can pay for your availed Healthcare Services in Fairfax, Virginia through Medicare in part or in full depends on your eligibility. You automatically qualify for Medicare when you:

1. are 65 years old and above
2. have end stage renal disease, regardless of age
3. have been receiving Social Security benefits for a minimum of 24 months
4. have severe disability, regardless of age

If you don’t automatically qualify for the Medicare coverage, then you can only opt to enroll voluntarily.

BASIC MEDICARE PLANS

There are basic plans in the original Medicare coverage that you should pay close attention to. Here are the two plans to keep in mind:

1. Plan A. This plan helps cover patients who are receiving inpatient care in skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and hospices.
2. Plan B. This plan helps cover vital medical supplies and healthcare services needed to diagnose and/or treat medical conditions.

Medicare offers more than these two plans, especially for those who are in need of Medical Home Care Service in Fairfax, Virginia. However, these two are the most popular plans nowadays.

WILL MEDICARE WORK WITH OTHER INSURANCE?

Medicare works with other insurance! The so-called “coordination of benefits” rule applies when you have Medicare, as well as other health insurance policies in your hands. This rule decides which policy pays first. The first payer is called the “primary payer” and pays your bills up to the limits of its offered coverage. The “secondary payer” covers the costs the primary payer doesn’t cover, if there are any. Whether Medicare is the primary payer or the secondary payer depends on what insurance policy you have.

WHAT MEDICARE DOESN’T COVER

There are healthcare services that you will have to pay either through your own pocket or other insurance policies because Medicare doesn’t cover them. Here are the services that your Medicare won’t cover:

1. Custodial care
2. Cosmetic surgery
3. Dental care
4. Routine checkups
5. Prescription drugs (with exceptions)
6. Immunization shots (with exceptions)
7. Experimental procedures

Medicare is really needed when you want to save on your medical bills. If you want to lower your medical expenses further, you can call Gateway Healthcare Services LLC for affordable yet high-quality Non-Medical Home Care Service in Fairfax, Virginia. Just give us a call at 703-462-8725 for further details.