Archive for January, 2012
Saturday, January 28th, 2012
All of us have to face the reality that sooner or later our health could deteriorate. Even after you have Medicare, it's coverage is not complete enough to secure your future if you need to see a doctor often or you have to stay in the hospital. Medicare contains gaps in coverage for both doctor and hospital expenses.
It leaves you to pay for 20 percent of your doctor bills and requires you to pay for a lot of hospital care. In 2012, you need to spend $1,156 to meet the Part A deductible
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Medicare Advantage plans can expand on traditional Medicare coverage to help with dental, hearing and vision services without even raising your monthly premiums. That's because Medicare Advantage plans are subsidized by the federal government.
These plans do have some restrictions, though. With the exception of emergency situations, Medicare Advantage plans require you to get services through their network of providers. There's usually no coverage when you go outside of the network. Needing a
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Advantage Plans | No Comments »
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012
Medicare Advantage plans are another way to receive Medicare benefits. They replace traditional Medicare Part A and B benefits with coverage through a private insurance company that adds on prescription drug coverage, like a Part D plan. Most Advantage plans add coverage beyond Medicare to help with dental services, eyeglasses and hearing aids.
One of the big selling points behind the growth in Medicare Advantage plans’ enrollment is the low premiums. In some areas, plans are available that
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Advantage Plans | No Comments »
Thursday, January 19th, 2012
Medicare deductibles, along with co-insurance and co-pay charges, can add up to thousands of dollars in medical debt, but Medicare is not your only option. Both Medicare Advantage Plans and Medigap Insurance can expand on the benefits available through traditional Medicare. Your health status may impact those choices, though.
As with conventional health insurance, insurers are permitted to decline applications for Medigap Plans if the applicant has a pre-existing condition. There are certain periods
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Advantage Plans, Med Supp Plans | No Comments »
Monday, January 16th, 2012
In August, the Congressional debate over who pays for budget cuts heard from the military. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta urged Congress not to trim more of the military budget at any cost. According to Panetta, we should increase taxes and cut Medicare and Social Security. Obviously, he’s not running for election, but will Congress follow his lead?
While the military’s budget was increased by over 70 percent just since 2001, this year is the first time that Medicare has paid for preventive
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Advantage Plans, Med Supp Plans | No Comments »
Friday, January 13th, 2012
Medicare beneficiaries have an alternative to traditional Medicare in the form of Medicare Advantage plans. These plans are guaranteed issue regardless of any pre-existing health problems with the exception of End Stage Renal Disease. Even though the plans accept most health conditions, the time when you can sign up for one is strictly limited.
When you first become eligible for Medicare, whether from a disability or by virtue of turning 65, you can choose any one of the Medicare Advantage plans
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Advantage Plans | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Medicare Supplement plans do raise their rates. However, contrary to popular belief, there is no annual enrollment period for Medicare Supplement plans. So, regardless of when you see an increase in your premiums, you may be able to find a better option as long as your health is relatively good. Insurers are still permitted to decline your application if they think you will have a lot of claims.
You may find a few open enrollment periods on Medigap insurance, but that's up to the discretion of
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Supp Plans | No Comments »
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
Do you know that you have another alternative besides Medicare Supplement Insurance to expand Medicare's benefits? Rather than join Medicare and supplement it with Medigap Insurance, you can sign up for one of several Medicare Advantage Plans from a private insurance company. These plans are known as Part C or MA Plans.
Medicare Advantage Plans combine your Medicare Part A, Part B and Part D benefits. To enroll in a MA Plan, you must be enrolled in Part A and B and live in an area where
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare, Med Advantage Plans | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
Medigap Insurance quotes are easy to obtain and can help tremendously in sorting through the many choices for Medicare supplement insurance. Medicare Supplements are standardized so there is no variation in coverage from one company to another. However, the prices and company reputations can vary quite a bit.
It does pay to shop around for the best way to meet your health care needs, and that’s true whether you’re looking at Medigap Plans or Medicare Advantage Plans. But, it doesn’t have
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in Med Advantage Plans, Med Supp Plans | No Comments »
Sunday, January 1st, 2012
Supplemental health plans for Medicare beneficiaries or Medicare Supplement insurance may soon be facing cutbacks as a result of major budget reductions. Medigap Insurance plans provide additional coverage for people who have Medicare. These individuals often live on fixed incomes and rely on Medigap Plans to protect them from the deductibles and out-of-pocket costs that Medicare does not cover.
As the name implies, Medigap policies fill in the gaps of Medicare's Part A and B coverage. Remember
| Continue reading this entry » Posted in General Medicare | No Comments »
