+ How does Medicare work?

Medicare is health insurance partially funded by the federal government for individuals 65 and older or individuals under 65 who are disabled or have certain rare medical conditions. It has two parts: A and B. Part A is your hospital insurance and Part B is your medical insurace.

+ Which Medicare Plan is Best?

As you might have guessed, it depends... Because Parts A and B don't cover everything, people usually also have to get a Medicare Advantage plan, or Part C, or a Medicare Supplement or Medigap plan. Whichever direction you decide to go depends mostly on your health, lifestyle, income, and how much flexiblity you want with your network of providers. Your Doctors’ Choice Advisor will be able to help guide your through this decision making process.

+ What does Medicare cover?

Part A covers your hospital costs and inpatient care. Basically, anytime you stay overnight in a hospital, your Part A coverage will kick in. Part B is your medical insurance and covers outpatient care—anything when you're in and out of the hospital in the same day. This can be doctors' visits, imaging labs, physical therapy, etc. Part D is for drugs. It is available as a stand-alone plan or can be added to Original Medicare (Parts A and B), or included in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan. If you have a Supplement or Medigap plan, you have to buy a separate drug plan in addition to your Supplement plan and Part B premium (Part A has no premium as long as you fulllfilled all the requirements).

+ Will medicare pay for home health care?

Yes and no. Some home health services are covered by Part A and/or Part B, such as intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, medical social services, etc. Services not covered by Original Medicare include 24 hour at-home care, meal delivery, custodial or personal care (bathing, dressing, cleaning) although some Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans do offer these services. Visit Medicare.gov for more info about home health services that are covered by Medicare.

+ Are medicare premiums tax deductible?

Yes they are. Because Medicare premiums are not considered pretax, you need to deduct them yourself when you file your taxes. This even applies if you're paying your premiums by having the money deducted from your Social Security. As long as you meet the income rules, your Medicare premiums are tax deductible for Parts B, C, D, and for Medigap plans. Part A generally doesn't require you to pay a premium.

+ Where do I apply for Medicare?

1 - Enroll in Parts A and B through social security. Your benefits office can help you through this process.

2 - Schedule an appointment with your Doctor’s Choice Advisor to go over your Medicare options.

3 - Enroll in a Supplemental, Part D, or Part C Advantage plan with your Doctor’s Choice Advisor. We recommend you complete this final step 1 month prior to retirement.

+ When am I Medicare eligible?

When you turn 65. If you're an employee, you should start thinking about Medicare close to the time of your retirement. The conversation should begin 3 months before you are ready to retire in order to provide ample time for paperwork to be submitted. However, employees who continue to work but are paying a substantial portion of their employer group health insurance (typically 50% of monthly premiums) should compare Medicare based options for cost-savings.

+ When does Medicare start?

Part A starts the month you turn 65, and Part B starts depending on the time you enrolled. Your Initial Enrollment Period or IEP, spans for 7 months. Three months before you turn 65, the month of, and three months after. If you sign up for Part B the month before you turn 65, then coverage starts the first of the month you turn 65. If your birthday is on the first of the month, however, then coverage will start the first of the month prior to the month of your birthday. If you sign up the month you turn 65, then coverage begins the first of the following month. If you sign up one month after you turn 65, then coverage won't start until two months later. If you sign up two or three months after you turn 65, then coverage won't start until three months later. If you decide to enroll in Part B after your IEP, then you will incur significant penalties unless you qualify for another enrollment period, which is usually the case if you decide to stay on employer coverage, then you won't face any penalties for missing your IEP.

+ Can Medicare be secondary?

Yes. If you're on employer coverage and your employer has 20 or more employees, then your employer will pay first. If they have less than 20 employees, then Medicare will pay first. If you're disabled and under 65, then the threshold goes up to 100 employees.