Medicare is a federal health insurance program that is offered to individuals who fall under any of the following three categories:
- Those who are age 65 or older
- Select individuals under the age of 65 who have certain disabilities
- Anyone with end-stage renal disease
Medicare is split into four different parts. We’ll be explaining each individual part and the coverage provides, so you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of the different offerings.
Medicare Part A – Hospital Insurance
Medicare Part A is coverage relating to a hospital stay. This insurance type covers services for inpatient hospital care that’s imperative to your care.
Medicare Part A helps cover:
- Inpatient hospital stays
- Care in a skilled nursing facility
- Hospice care
- Some home health care
Medicare Part B – Medical Insurance
While Medicare Part A deals with hospitals and receiving care while in a medical facility, Medicare Part B deals with medical coverage. Medicare Part B covers services that are considered medically necessary for the treatment of your specific health condition.
Medicare Part B helps cover:
- Certain doctors’ services
- Outpatient care
- Medical supplies
- Preventive services
- Ambulance services
Medicare Part C – All-in-One Insurance
Medicare Part C, otherwise known as Medicare Advantage, is an all-in-one alternative to Original Medicare, which refers to Parts A and B. In other words, it is a bundled plan that includes both Part A and Part B, and usually Part D.
Depending on the specific Medicare Part C plan you choose to enroll in, your Medicare Advantage plan could also include vision, hearing and dental coverage as well!
Medicare Part D – Prescription Drug Coverage
Medicare Part D handles coverage for your prescription drugs. These drugs can fall into six categories, all of which a Part D plan must cover. These six categories are:
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Anticonvulsants
- Immunosuppressants
- Anticancers
- Antiretrovirals
Depending on your specific plan, you may receive coverage for generic drugs, while other plans can cover you for name-brand prescriptions.
Medicare Part D prescription drug plans add prescription drug coverage to four categories of Medicare plans:
- Original Medicare
- Some Medicare Cost Plans
- Some Medicare Private-Fee-for-Service Plans
- Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
Additionally, some Medicare Advantage Plans may also offer prescription drug coverage that follows the same rules as Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. Because of this, it’s important to have a firm and concrete understanding of Medicare Part D’s coverage offerings.
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
If a traditional Medicare plan does not provide the full coverage you’re looking for, there are Medigap plans available, which you can purchase from a private company to pay certain costs not covered by Medicare Part A or Part B.
Medigap Insurance Often Covers:
- Co-payments
- Deductibles
- Health care if you travel outside the U.S.
Medigap Insurance Does Not Cover:
- Long-term care
- Dental care
- Vision care
- Hearing aids
- Eyeglasses
- Private-duty nursing
- Prescription drugs, usually
Securing Medicare insurance Coverage
Medicare insurance is offered by select mainstream insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare. It is important to understand your Medicare choices and to pick your coverage carefully because how you choose to get your benefits and who you get them from can affect your out-of-pocket costs and where you can get your care.
Hanson & Ryan Can Serve All Your Medicare Needs
At Hanson & Ryan, our licensed insurance agents offer unbiased Medicare insurance information based on decades of experience. If you or a family member are considering a Medicare insurance plan, the team at Hanson & Ryan can help you make the right decisions as you choose the coverage that fits both your medical and financial needs.
Whether you’re looking for help with your Original Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap), Medicare Part D, or Medicare Advantage plan, Hanson & Ryan is here to help!
Here are some of the plans we can assist you with:
- Original Medicare
- Medicare Supplement Insurance
- Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans
- Medicare Advantage Plans
When you need to enroll in Medicare, we’ll help you understand your options regarding hospital insurance, medical insurance, prescription drug plans, and Medicare Advantage Plans. We’ll present a comparison of all the plans available in our area, detailing co-pays, deductibles, participating doctors and dentists, hospitals, and even pharmacies. After a personalized review of available plans and costs, we can assist you with completing your enrollment forms before the deadline to ensure you avoid any sort of lapse in coverage.
If you’d like to begin the process of enrolling in a Medicare health plan, or if you’d like to further discuss the different coverage types and service offerings, feel free to reach out to the team of insurance experts at Hanson & Ryan! With over 140 years in the insurance industry, we are confident we’ll be able to fully assist you. Give us a call today!
Disclaimer:
Our Agency is licensed to offer products in NJ. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 5 organizations which offer 24 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program(SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
