Medicare May Not Be Enough: Supplemental Plans

Health care is important for people of any age but perhaps more so for those over 65. Seniors tend to need more doctor visits, more medication, and more tests and procedures. Not to mention eye care. Aging eyes need a bit more help than those of the younger set. Paying for medical care can be expensive. That’s why people have health insurance. Senior citizens are eligible for Medicare as are some people with disability status. Unfortunately, Medicare doesn’t cover everything and can have large deductibles. Many people on Medicare can use the help of a supplemental insurance plan.

Medicare Parts A-D

Medicare has four parts that each cover different health expenses. They are:

  • Part A – This is coverage for hospital and hospice stays. Hospital stays up to 60 days are fully covered with a deductible of $1408.
  • Part B – This is basic medical insurance and covers services that are generally outpatient. There is a deductible of about $180 after which Medicare picks up the tab.
  • Part C – This is called Medicare Advantage and essentially was created to offer additional coverage to Part A. In some instances, Part A offers better coverage.
  • Part D – This is a prescription drug plan. It has a copay of 25% of the cost of a prescription.

Medicare is an effective insurance plan that helps millions of seniors. There are however gaps in coverage so you may want to search for Medicare supplement quotes to find a plan to over extra coverage. Read More: How Does the Medicare Free Flex Card Work?

Medigap Insurance

There is help available to supplement Medicare. There are insurance plans called Medigap that are designed to pay for many things Medicare doesn’t. They generally cover the copays for Part A and its deductibles as well as your portion of a bill for Part B. Should you need blood transfusions, Medigap plans pay for the first three pints each year. They also act as coinsurance for hospice stays.

Medigap plans do not cover vision, eyeglasses or prescription drugs. They also do not pay for at-home care for bathing, dressing, eating or using the bathroom. You can learn more by visiting the AARP website.

Finding a Supplemental Medicare Plan

You can search out companies that provide supplemental insurance on your own, comparing coverage and quotes and choosing the best fit. Even with the help of AARP, this can be time-consuming and you may not find exactly what you are looking for. A better plan of attack is to use an insurance broker. There are many of them online. They can take your information and location and offer free quotes to available insurance plans. They can find every possible option from which you can find the perfect plan for you.

Without health insurance, it can be too expensive to get regular medical care. This is especially true for seniors who often are on fixed incomes and generally require more care. Medicare can provide help but it does have gaps in coverage. There are supplemental insurance plans that can pick up where Medicare leaves off. An insurance broker can help you find the one that works for you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *