Castle Wealth Group

May 17, 2017

Medicare 101: Know Your Options

Anyone who has experienced the Medicare world, whether by helping one’s grandparents, parents, or themselves, knows how confusing and stressful it can be. Sure, it’s a government program (shouldn’t we expect the confusion by now?) but Medicare is particularly mystifying and, though this may be cynical, we feel it’s by grand design. Big insurance companies take advantage of the lack of information surrounding Medicare to sell their latest and greatest (greatest for who?) products to the next unsuspecting customer.

At Elder Care Firm, we have seen this happen all too many times within our client family, so we decided to proactively battle the confusion and replace it with confidence. Our Elder Care Medicare Resource Team is dedicated to educating, explaining, and demystifying the world of Medicare for our clients. Long after you read this article, we will be there to help you with every Medicare decision you make from here on out- at no cost to you.

Let’s move on to explain the basics of Medicare and some of the key facts you need to know before making any healthcare decisions.

How Medicare Works

Traditional Medicare is broken down into two primary parts: Part A and Part B.

Medicare Part A:

This is the hospital part of your insurance. Inpatient hospital stays, some skilled nursing care, some hospice care, and some general healthcare procedures are covered under Medicare Part A. This is one of the simplest parts of your Medicare coverage. However, depending on hospital coding and labeling, it can get complex.

For example, the healthcare status used in hospital paperwork between triage and admittance, or between admittance and dismissal, is called “under observation” and can be trouble for a patient. When a patient is “under observation” they are not meeting the requirements of hospitalization by Medicare to activate their nursing care benefit. Medicare says you must be admitted to the hospital for three full days before you can engage the nursing care benefit. Just be careful to pay attention to your status if you are ever hospitalized under Medicare.

For now, a good way to remember what Part A covers is the phrase “Part A covers your stay” (in most cases).

Medicare Part B:

This is the doctoring part of your coverage, i.e. your typical health insurance coverage. It covers two types of medical services:

1. Preventive medical services such as vaccinations, illness screenings, exams, and lab tests are all covered under Part B. The lines here can become blurry, but essentially any sort of screenings or lab work done in an attempt to prevent major illness is considered preventive care under Medicare. Additionally, coverage can extend to necessary durable equipment like walkers or wheelchairs when a diagnosis requires it.
2. Necessary treatment is covered when patients require treatment and care to treat existing conditions and illnesses. Included in this category are x-rays, outpatient services, and routine doctor’s visits that are necessary per the condition.

When you go to the hospital or doctor, the institution then turns around and bills Medicare for your procedures. So, let’s say you had a knee replacement. The hospital says to Medicare “the knee replacement costs $10,000 here.” Medicare says “No way- according to our DRG, (diagnosis-related groups, basically Medicare’s master list of codes and amounts they cover) this procedure costs $5,000, so we will give you $4,000.”

In this case, the hospital takes their $4,000 from Medicare and then bills you, the patient, for the remaining $1,000. Traditional Medicare only covers 80 percent of the approved amount, leaving you to pay for the remaining 20 percent.

Medicare Part D:

This is the part of Medicare that  covers prescription drug costs. Though it is the smallest part of Medicare, it is incredibly important. In most cases the only time to change is during the Annual Election Period (Oct. 15- Dec. 7).  These plans require reviews annually. The plan costs and benefits can change each year, so it’s always important to review your drugs and budget for the year with an advisor.

That is how Medicare works in a general sense. The remaining 20 percent that is left for the insured is the reason why people elect to buy Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare supplement plans almost always cost more in monthly premium, but they have little to no out-of-pocket costs or co-payments. Medicare Advantage plans have low monthly premiums (sometimes even $0) but high out-of-pocket costs.

Now we’ll get into a breakdown of pros and cons to both types of Medicare insurance plans.

Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap) VS. Medicare Advantage Plans (MAP)

Pros of Medicare Advantage Plans in Michigan

• Medicare Advantage monthly premiums are fairly inexpensive. Some can cost $0 per month.
• Part D drug plans are typically included. (*Note: This is a pro for convenience, not efficiency.)
• Sometimes they include fitness memberships or other extra incentives/benefits such as dental, vision, etc.

Cons of Medicare Advantage Plans in Michigan

• Small and intricate medical networks determine your available medical providers. In many cases, you must change your doctor to become “in-network” before your plan will cover claims.
• You run the risk of VERY high out-of-pocket costs (OPCs) if you don’t remain perfectly healthy.
• If your OPCs get too high due to illness or injury, you are unable to enter back into original Medicare with a supplement (due to medical underwriting) and can get stuck paying the high OPCs forever.
• Limited nationwide coverage due to network restrictions. Traveling becomes an issue because your insurance is usually not applicable at remote medical facilities. (*Note: The Mayo Clinic is one of those major hospitals that will NOT take Medicare Advantage plans.).
• In most cases you can only change your plans during the Annual Election Period (October 15 through December 7).

Medicare Advantage plans may be cheap, but as my mother always told me, “You get what you pay for”. This is true with Medicare Advantage; the cons almost ALWAYS outweigh the pros when it comes to a Medicare Advantage plan. There are some cases when a MAP is a good option, when people are low income or on disability, but it is almost always a ticking time bomb.Get Free MedicareInformation Now

Medicare Supplement or Medicare or the “Medigap” Policy

Pros of the Medicare Supplement or “Medigap” Policy in Michigan

• Depending on your plan, almost everything is covered. Out-of-pocket costs (OPCs) arerelatively low or non-existent.
• Anytime you become eligible or want to switch, you can enroll in a supplement plan, not just during the Annual Election Period (AEP).
• Coverage is more predictable and easier to understand.
• You can keep your doctor! As long as they accept Medicare, they must accept your corresponding supplement plan.
• Nationwide network – You can go to any doctor in the country that accepts Medicare.

Cons of a Medicare Supplement or “Medigap” Policy in Michigan

• Medicare supplement plans are more expensive monthly than Medicare Advantage plans.
• Medicare supplement plans usually cost more on a monthly basis, however the coverage they provide is exemplary.

Medicare Supplement plans are more comprehensive. Anyone who likes to plan for every possible expense and avoid surprises belongs on a Medigap plan. Depending on which letter plan you choose, you may have little to no co-payments or out of pocket expenses other than your monthly premium. Anyone with preexisting conditions should choose a Medigap plan to be properly protected for the rest of their lives. Once you’re out of traditional Medicare and enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you must answer health questions to get back in.

Important Medicare Facts

These are key takeaways from this article and things to remember:

• You can change your Medicare Supplement plan to another Medicare Supplement plan any time of year, NOT only during the Annual Election Period (AEP).
• Medicare Part A covers your stay, Medicare Part B covers office visits, and Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs.
• Approximately 70 percent of American Medicare beneficiaries who own a Medicare Supplement have Plan F.
• In the year 2020, Plan F will be eliminated. Anyone who owns it can stay in it, however the rates will continue to rise  due the plan not being open for new enrollees. Without new enrollees, the rates will climb higher as claims increase. Anyone who has a Medicare Plan F should talk to someone sooner rather than later to find out their options.
• We have Elder Care Medicare Resource Team advisors standing by to explain more about how Medicare works and to see if you could be saving money.

Call our Elder Care Medicare hotline at 888-214-3070 or research rates on your own at www.eldercaremedicare.com.Get Free MedicareInformation Now