Medigap Medicare Supplement Insurance Blog

The population of the United States is aging, and many businesses are extending special offers to older Americans, but you may have to ask to find these benefits. These benefits include price reductions, and extras like free checks, free copies, and free notary services.

As the first wave of baby boomers turns 62 this year, more and more services are anticipated for seniors. The National Council on Aging provides a BenefitsCheckUp Web site so anyone with Internet access can screen nearly 1,000 public programs. Read the rest of this entry »

Medicare is divided into four parts. Part A deals with home health care, hospice, hospital, and skilled nursing care. Part B handles doctors’ services, other medical services, and supplies not covered by Part A. Part C allows you to receive Medicare benefits through private health insurance (Medicare Advantage Insurance) in place of Parts A and B. Part D provides prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Part A does NOT cover:

-   Adult daycare

-   A private room, unless medically necessary

-   Assisted living

-   Custodial care

-   Personal care items, like razors or slipper socks

-   Private duty nursing

-   The first three pints of blood, unless the blood deductible has been met. Read the rest of this entry »

It is important to understand that Medicare does not cover all medical expenses. Even when Medicare covers services or supplies, it rarely pays the total cost. The amount of coverage depends on whether you have coverage under Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, or both. Typically, Part A deals with inpatient hospital expenses, and Part B deals with outpatient health care expenses, such as doctor fees.

You may opt to be covered by private insurance for these Part A and Part B expenses through a Medicare Advantage plan. These plans must cover at least the same benefits covered under Medicare Part A and Part B. With these private insurance plans, your costs may be different, and you may get extra benefits, such as coverage for prescription drugs or extra days in the hospital. Read the rest of this entry »

Studies are finding that Americans are living longer than ever these days, and are having fewer incidents of heart disease. Deaths related to heart disease fell a whopping five percent from 2006 to 2007.

As more people are living longer, they need adequate healthcare coverage for more years. Medicare Supplement Insurance (also known as Medigap Insurance) can pay for expenses that Medicare does not cover. Nearly 10 million seniors have enrolled in Medicare Supplement Plans, and American Viewpoint conducted a national telephone survey of 500 Medicare enrollees who purchased Medigap Plans. According to the survey, 77 percent said Medicare Supplement Plans provide “excellent” or “good value” for their money. Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center presented findings at the American Urological Association’s Annual Meeting that may alarm Medicare beneficiaries. The findings showed that kidney cancer patients with Medicare as their primary payer were more likely to have a kidney removed entirely than those with private insurance.

Kidney cancer is often treated by removing an entire kidney, but this may be unnecessary. The long-term benefits of only removing the cancerous portion of a kidney include longer life expectancy, maintaining maximum kidney function, and lower risk of dialysis. Read the rest of this entry »

Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap Insurance, covers medical expenses that Medicare does not cover. A dozen Medigap Plans (plans A through L) each offer different sets of benefits. Plan A, for example, has the same benefits regardless of which insurance company offers it. Companies may charge different prices for the same plan, though.

As of June this year, the Medigap Plans E, H, I, and J will no longer be sold, and new Plans M and N will become available. This is a result of the Federal Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, which requires states to adopt changes for Medigap Insurance policies. Read the rest of this entry »

With a Medicare Advantage Plan, generally all of your Medicare-covered health care is provided through that plan, which can include prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans may offer more benefits, and lower co-payments than Medicare Part A and B.

What are the real advantages of Medicare Advantage plans? To determine that, the American Health Insurance Plans Center for Policy and Research studied the health care patterns of those enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, and traditional Medicare. The differences were striking. Read the rest of this entry »

Medicare Supplement Insurance (also known as Medigap Insurance) can pay for expenses that Medicare doesn’t cover. When you have Medicare and a Medigap Plan, both pay their share of covered health care costs. Nearly 10 million seniors have enrolled in Medicare Supplement Plans, and American Viewpoint conducted a national telephone survey of 500 Medicare enrollees who purchased Medigap Plans.

The survey showed that more than three-fourths (77 percent) of those participating in the survey said Medicare Supplement Plans provide “excellent” or “good value” for their money. Eighty-seven percent would recommend Medigap to a friend or relative. They liked most that their Medigap Insurance allows them to see the doctor of their choice, provides financial security and peace of mind, and makes it easier to deal with medical bills and paperwork. Read the rest of this entry »

The first baby boomers (Americans born between 1946 and 1964) begin claiming Social Security benefits this year as they reach 62. A survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners found most were confused by their insurance choices.

Just 36 percent of 377 baby boomers surveyed across the U.S., knew that Medicare eligibility begins at age 65. Even fewer were familiar with Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug coverage, or Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap Insurance).

If you retire before age 65 and are not eligible for Medicare, here are some options: Read the rest of this entry »

Gerber Life is now offering Medicare supplement insurance in California.  This is the same well known and well rated Gerber Insurance Company that offers life insurance to children.  Gerber Medigap plans are priced quite competitively and in many areas they are the best rates available for those over age 65.  Consumers can request personal quotes by contacting us at 866-323-1441.

Change Medicare Insurance Yearly

California is unique in that every year, Medicare beneficiaries can switch their Medicare supplement insurance without any underwriting.  This is referred to as the “Birthday Rule” and allows consumers to switch to like or lesser coverage. Read the rest of this entry »

According to a new survey, Medicare Supplement insurance policy holders see great value in the coverage.  The survey, released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) , found that enrollees appreciate not having to worry about the cost of care.   Exactly 88% of Medicare Supplement insurance policy holders are “satisfied” with their coverage and 62% are “very satisfied.”

More than three-fourths (77%) of policyholders who participated said Medicare Supplement plans (or Medigap) provides “excellent” or “good value” for their money and 87% would recommend Medigap to a friend or relative. Read the rest of this entry »

Medicare beneficiaries may face a scary health care coverage battle in 2010 as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is planning on cutting payments for cancer treatment. Beginning in January of 2010, CMS will cut payments for the major components of cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment, including payments for chemotherapy, consultations, diagnostic imaging, and therapeutic radiation.

Additionally, payments for the administration of cancer medications will be cut by five percent. By 2013, further Medicare coverage cuts for cancer diagnosis and treatment will be cut by 20 percent. Many experts worry that these cuts will undermine the quality and availability of health care for Medicare beneficiaries seeking cancer treatment. Read the rest of this entry »

Millions of Americans are enrolled in Medicare plans that provide coverage for their healthcare needs when they are within the United States. However, as soon as Medicare beneficiaries travel outside of the United States, they may lose their Medicare healthcare coverage – even when on a short vacation such as a cruise or brief holiday.

According to an article recently published in the Dallas News, “Those with basic Medicare coverage are essentially uninsured outside the 50 U.S. states and District of Columbia.” This means that any Medicare subscriber who takes an international vacation may forfeit Medicare coverage during that vacation. If they require and medical care, they may have to pay for it out of pocket. Read the rest of this entry »

Praised by President Obama as a national model for efficient health care, the Mayo clinic will stopped accepting Medicare patients January 1, 2010 at its primary-care clinics in Arizona, saying the U.S. government does not pay them enough in medicare fees to survive.

The Mayo clinic’s decision to drop Medicare patients may be copied by family doctors, some of whom have stopped accepting new patients from the program, said Lori Heim, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

“Many physicians have said, ‘I simply cannot afford to keep taking care of Medicare patients,’” according to Heim, a family doctor who practices in Laurinburg, North Carolina.  “If you truly know your business costs and you are losing money, it doesn’t make sense to do more of it.” Read the rest of this entry »

Medicare Beneficiaries May Want to Enroll in Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans Now!

Millions of seniors struggle to afford their medications that are not covered during the time when they are in the Medicare doughnut hole. The Medicare doughnut hole is a Medicare coverage gap that has been in existence since Congress added the prescription drug coverage benefit to the Medicare program six years ago. Since that time, Medicare beneficiaries and many lawmakers have been trying to close this doughnut hole to provide constant prescription drug coverage to seniors.

Currently, Medicare beneficiaries have to pay out of pocket for their prescription medications once they reach the doughnut hole. Many Medicare beneficiaries can avoid high prescription medication expenses by enrolling in Medicare Supplemental insurance programs, which help to cover the coverage gap. Even if the government is able to close the coverage gap, the gap may not be totally closed for another ten year, reinforcing the need for Supplemental insurance during that time. Read the rest of this entry »

A new survey suggests that the nation’s seniors are overwhelmed by the number of prescription medications they need to take each day. Of 1,000 seniors surveyed, 51 percent take at least 5 different prescription medications each day. 25 percent of seniors take between 10 and 19 pills each day. 57 percent of respondents admit that they forget to take their medications. Amongst respondents taking 5 or more medications, 63 percent say that they forget their medication doses.

Additionally, the survey suggests that the top concern for individuals taking prescription medications is the cost of the medications. 40 percent of seniors taking 5 or more medications daily cited the cost of these medications as their primary concern – not forgetting to take the medications or the side effects of the medications. Read the rest of this entry »

4,700 senior citizen volunteers are making up the Senior Medicare Patrol – a nationwide force that is aimed at eliminating Medicare fraud. Medicare fraud drains the federal health care budget of billions of dollars each year, which, in turn, increases health care costs and Medicare costs for all Americans.

The senior citizen volunteers need only to report any suspicious activity to the government in order to participate in the Senior Medicare Patrol. The Patrol also sends its volunteer seniors to senior centers, retirement communities, and other locations to help encourage Medicare beneficiaries to be aware of Medicare fraud schemes. Ultimately, the Patrol helps to reduce fraudulent spending for all Medicare programs, which helps senior citizens get the lowest possible rates on their Medicare programs. Read the rest of this entry »

Studies are finding that Americans are living longer than ever these days, and are having fewer incidents of heart disease. Deaths related to heart disease fell a whopping five percent from 2006 to 2007.

As more people are living longer, they need adequate healthcare coverage for more years. Medicare Supplement Insurance (also known as Medigap Insurance) can pay for expenses that Medicare does not cover. Nearly 10 million seniors have enrolled in Medicare Supplement Plans, and American Viewpoint conducted a national telephone survey of 500 Medicare enrollees who purchased Medigap Plans. According to the survey, 77 percent said Medicare Supplement Plans provide “excellent” or “good value” for their money.

This year, both Medicare and Medicare Supplement Insurance plans are changing. New plans will become available this June, and a couple of old plans be no longer be available for sale. Before June, you can talk to experts who know the old and new Medicare Supplement Insurance plans to learn which best fit your needs.

To be sure you have the best healthcare protection for your situation, you can use our “How To” Guide to review plans and get signed up, or call us at 866-323-1441. You can get answers to your questions from experts at Medicare advisors, and we have evening and weekend telephone appointment times for your convenience. We can explain the new plan benefits, and help you sign up to make the whole process easier for you. 

Democrats have vowed to close the “doughnut hole” in Medicare coverage for prescription drugs in 2010. The coverage gap is sizeable – totaling $3,610, but has only increased in size over the years. Democrats aim to close the coverage gap by $500 immediately, then shrink the remaining coverage gap to nothing by 2019.

As of now, many Medicare beneficiaries who receive prescription medications need to enroll in Medicare Supplemental insurance policies to cover the cost of their prescription medications. These policies, also known as MediGap policies, help to provide coverage for individuals who are not already covered by their Original Medicare plans. Read the rest of this entry »

The proposed Senate healthcare reform bill will eliminate a tax deduction that businesses receive when they provide prescription drug coverage for retirees. Both businesses and labor groups oppose the elimination of the deduction, which provides a 28 percent subsidy for employers that provide the prescription drug coverage for retirees.

The Joint Committee on Taxation has said that the elimination of the tax deduction will raise $5.4 billion over the next decade. However, employers argue that businesses would drop the benefits to retirees. As a result of the dropped benefits, more and more retirees would enroll in the Medicare Part D program to get prescription drug coverage. As a result, the federal government would have to manage the greater healthcare expense to the Medicare system. Likewise, unions are concerned that the elimination of the deduction will make their benefits unstable. Read the rest of this entry »