Medicare Advantage PlansMedicare Advantages
A type of Medicare health plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare. |
Medicare Supplement CoverageMedicare Supplement
A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy helps pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover |
Medicare Scholar
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Medicare is the federal health insurance program for:
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Whether you’re new to Medicare, getting ready to turn 65, or preparing to retire, you’ll need to make several important decisions about your health coverage. If you wait to enroll, you may have to pay a penalty, and you could have a gap in coverage.
One important question is about your agent. >read more: What your medicare agent should do for you. Given that Medicare can seem like a confusing web of options, it's not any wonder that many consumers rely on licensed professional for help. In addition to that question, will the agent be qualified to assist? Make sure they are well versed and have the right credentials before working with them.
We are here to assist. When it comes to Medicare, you have choices with our agency. We are appointed and contracted with all of the major insurance companies in Oregon & Washington. That gives you more choices for Medicare coverage. Let us help you find the best plan to fit your health care needs.
Since each individual have different needs, we provide one on one meetings, phone interviews and best of all we can provide you side by side quotes to help you compare plans before you enroll.
One important question is about your agent. >read more: What your medicare agent should do for you. Given that Medicare can seem like a confusing web of options, it's not any wonder that many consumers rely on licensed professional for help. In addition to that question, will the agent be qualified to assist? Make sure they are well versed and have the right credentials before working with them.
We are here to assist. When it comes to Medicare, you have choices with our agency. We are appointed and contracted with all of the major insurance companies in Oregon & Washington. That gives you more choices for Medicare coverage. Let us help you find the best plan to fit your health care needs.
Since each individual have different needs, we provide one on one meetings, phone interviews and best of all we can provide you side by side quotes to help you compare plans before you enroll.
Medicare Advantage Plan
A type of Medicare health plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans provide all of your Part A and Part B benefits. Medicare Advantage Plans include:
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What is a Medicare Advantage Plan?
A Medicare Advantage Plan is a type of Medicare health plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare to provide you with all your Part A and Part B benefits.
Medicare Advantage Plans include Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Special Needs Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans.
If you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare services are covered through the plan and aren't paid for under Original Medicare.
You may be able to lower your out-of-pocket costs while getting extra benefits, like vision, hearing, dental, and prescription coverage. In fact, 4 out of 5 people pay less than $50 per month for their Medicare Advantage Plan. This may be in addition to a Part B premium.
With Medicare Advantage, you can pick from a variety of plans to get the benefits that matter most to you. And it’s a way for you to combine all your Medicare health and drug coverage in a single plan.
Medicare Advantage Plans include Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Special Needs Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans.
If you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare services are covered through the plan and aren't paid for under Original Medicare.
You may be able to lower your out-of-pocket costs while getting extra benefits, like vision, hearing, dental, and prescription coverage. In fact, 4 out of 5 people pay less than $50 per month for their Medicare Advantage Plan. This may be in addition to a Part B premium.
With Medicare Advantage, you can pick from a variety of plans to get the benefits that matter most to you. And it’s a way for you to combine all your Medicare health and drug coverage in a single plan.
What do Medicare Advantage Plans cover?
Medicare Advantage Plans must cover all of the services that Original Medicare covers except hospice care. Original Medicare covers hospice care even if you're in a Medicare Advantage Plan. In all types of Medicare Advantage Plans, you're always covered for emergency and urgently needed care.
Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra coverage, like vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Most include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). In addition to your Part B premium, you usually pay a monthly premium for the Medicare Advantage Plan.
You can also ask the plan for a written advance coverage decision to make sure a service is medically necessary and will be covered. If the plan won't pay for a service you think you need, you'll have to pay all of the costs if you didn't ask for an advance coverage decision.
Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra coverage, like vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Most include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). In addition to your Part B premium, you usually pay a monthly premium for the Medicare Advantage Plan.
You can also ask the plan for a written advance coverage decision to make sure a service is medically necessary and will be covered. If the plan won't pay for a service you think you need, you'll have to pay all of the costs if you didn't ask for an advance coverage decision.
Medicare Supplement Insurance
A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy helps pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like:
Medigap policies are sold by private companies. |
What is Medicare Supplement Insurance?
Medicare supplement (Medigap) insurance can help pay some of the health care costs that original Medicare does not cover, like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Some Medigap policies also offer coverage for services that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like medical care when you travel outside the U.S. If you have Original Medicare and you buy a Medigap policy, Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. Then your Medicare supplement insurance policy pays its share.
A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan. Those plans are ways to get Medicare benefits, while a Medigap policy only supplements your Original Medicare benefits.
Some Medigap policies also offer coverage for services that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like medical care when you travel outside the U.S. If you have Original Medicare and you buy a Medigap policy, Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. Then your Medicare supplement insurance policy pays its share.
A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan. Those plans are ways to get Medicare benefits, while a Medigap policy only supplements your Original Medicare benefits.
Important Things to Know About Medicare Supplement Coverage
- If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can apply for a Medigap policy, but make sure you can leave the Medicare Advantage Plan before your Medigap policy begins.
- You pay the private insurance carrier a monthly premium for your Medigap policy in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.
- A Medigap policy covers one person. If you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, we'll work with you to setup two separate policies.
- Any standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable even if you have health problems. This means the insurance company can't cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.
Drug Coverage (Part D)Medicare Part D, also called the Medicare prescription drug benefit, is an optional United States federal-government program to help Medicare beneficiaries pay for self-administered prescription drugs through prescription drug insurance premiums (the cost of almost all professionally administered prescriptions is covered under optional Part B of United States Medicare). Part D was originally proposed by President George W. Bush in 2003 and enacted as part of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 and went into effect on January 1, 2006.
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Medicare Enrollment: How and When to Enroll in Medicare
You have several options when the time comes for you to enroll in Medicare. For some people, Medicare enrollment is automatic, while for others, it may depend on when and how they become eligible.
How to enroll in Medicare
You can enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B in the following ways:
- Online at www.SocialSecurity.gov.
- By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, from 7AM to 7PM.
- In-person at your local Social Security office.
Medicare Information Disclosure
This is not a complete listing of plans available in your service area. For a complete listing please contact 1-800-MEDICARE or consult www.medicare.gov (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov.
NorthWest Benefits Solutions is not affiliated with Medicare.gov or CMS.gov. Medicare.gov and CMS.gov have the .gov domain because they are official web sites of the Federal government. Medicare has not endorsed this information provided on this web site by NorthWest Benefits Solutions.
This is not a complete listing of plans available in your service area. For a complete listing please contact 1-800-MEDICARE or consult www.medicare.gov (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov.
NorthWest Benefits Solutions is not affiliated with Medicare.gov or CMS.gov. Medicare.gov and CMS.gov have the .gov domain because they are official web sites of the Federal government. Medicare has not endorsed this information provided on this web site by NorthWest Benefits Solutions.