This is the first in a five-part series on important things you need to know about Medicare.
You’ve heard about the “parts” — there’s A, B, D, maybe an F or a C, but really, what are the Medicare Parts?
Initially, Medicare was made of Parts A and B. Medicare Part A can be described as hospital insurance. It helps pay for your treatment while you are admitted into a hospital. Medicare and the insurance companies often call that inpatient treatment because you are receiving care during a prolonged hospital stay. Additionally, Part A may help cover skilled nursing, hospice care, and home health care.
To learn more, contact a Licensed Sales Agent at Get Benefits today to look over your Medicare options.
Keep in mind that Part A is not intended to cover long-term care: there is a cap to how many days your care is covered. For example: you would be covered if you temporarily needed around-the-clock care at a Skilled Nursing Facility for rehabilitation from a serious injury. However, if you needed to live in a nursing home permanently, Part A would not apply.
You are eligible to receive Part A with no monthly premium if you or your spouse has paid Medicare payroll taxes for at least ten years, however the services covered under Part A are subject to a deductible and copays. In most cases, you can sign up for Part A three months before, and three months after the month you turn 65, and certain disabilities allow for earlier enrollment periods. For more information on eligibility and cost, go online to www.medicare.gov/eligibilitypremiumcalc or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213; TTY 1-800-325-0778.
When Medicare was first introduced, it only included Part A and Part B. When referring to them together, they are known as Original Medicare. These programs are robust, but do not cover everything. Additional supplemental plans are now available to fill in the gaps. To learn more, contact a Licensed Sales Agent at Get Benefits today to look over your Medicare options. You can reach us any time at 800-697-9596, or go to our website at www.getbenefitsinsurance.com where you can read more, fill out a form to be contacted, or even start a chat with one of our representatives.
Click here for Part 2 in our series: What’s with Part B?