What is Medicare?
Medicare: Medicare is federal health insurance for people who are 65 years of age and older, any age with end stage renal (kidney) disease or Lou Gehrigs’s Disease (ALS), or individuals disabled and entitled to Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits (24 month waiting period). Medicare has four different “parts”: • Part A covers inpatient hospital services and short term care in a skilled nursing facility after hospitalization, home health care and hospice care. Most people are entitled to premium free Part A due to Medicare taxes paid while working. • Part B is supplementary medical insurance and covers physician and outpatient medical services. Everyone enrolled in Medicare Part B must pay a premium. • Part C is known as Medicare Advantage. You must have Medicare Part A and Part B to join a Medicare Advantage Plan. Coverage is through a private health plan such as a health maintenance organization (HMO), private fee-for-service (PFFS) or local preferred provider organization
Medicare is a Health Insurance Program for: • People 65 years of age and older. • Some people with disabilities under age 65. • People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant). • People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) -also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease Medicare has four Parts: • Part A (hospital insurance) – Most people do not have to pay for Part A. • Part B (medical insurance) – Most people pay monthly for Part B. • Part C (managed care) – this is optional, but beneficiaries must have both Parts A and B coverage to enroll. • Part D (drug coverage) – new in 2007. Most people pay for Part D coverage. For more information about Medicare Part A & B covered services, review the publication “Medicare & You”. Part A – Hospital Insurance (HI) Part A helps beneficiaries pay for inpatient hospital care, care in critical access hospitals (small facilities that give limited outpatient and inpatient services to people in rural areas), sh
A. Medicare is an insurance program that pays medical bills for people who are over 65 years old, or who are disabled. It is available to people who receive Social Security benefits regardless of how much money they have. It is run by the Federal government and is paid for with money from the Social Security Trust Fund, which most people pay into while they work. Retired and disabled people pay a monthly insurance premium for Medicare Part B. This is usually taken out of their Social Security check before they receive the check.
Related Questions
- We submit with another Medicare payer (ie, United Government Services, GHI Medicare) does this migration affect us?
- Why shouldn the government negotiate drug prices for Medicare like the Department of Veterans Affairs does?
- Should smokers be required to carry private health insurance and forfeit medicare/medicaid assistance?
