Medicare Tips for Seniors

Medicare can be a confusing program for seniors, those with disabilities, and their loved ones. If you are a senior who has Medicare or is thinking about enrolling in the program, these tips may be useful for you in navigating the system and finding the best plan to meet your needs.

Enroll in Medicare Three Months Before You Turn 65:

One Medicare tip for seniors is to enroll in Medicare three months before your 65^th birthday even if you plan on continuing to work. It is important to note that the enrollment period for Medicare is three months before a senior's 65^th birthday to three months after the senior's birth month. If you do not enroll in Medicare during this timeframe, you will have to wait until the general enrollment period, which is from January 1 through March 31 each year., according to Senior.com. When you enroll in the program, you will automatically receive Medicare Part A, which is hospital insurance. However, you will have the option of turning down Medicare Part B if you do not already receive Social Security benefits, and it may be advisable to do so if you have other insurance coverage as Medicare Part B requires a monthly premium.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder:

Medicare will find all of the Medicare prescription drug plans in your are and divide them into three categories: prescription drug plans, which stand alone and can be added to your existing Medicare coverage, Medicare health plans, which are plans that provide your hospital, medical, and prescription coverage (such as HMO and PPO plans), and Medicare special needs plans, which are special plans for individuals with low-income, are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, or have certain chronic health issues.

With the Medicare prescription drug plan finder, you will be able to gain valuable information about prescription drug plans in your area. For instance, you can see how ell each plan is rated, monthly premiums, the annual deductible, the plan's customer service phone number, and gap coverage.

Get a Medicare Advantage Plan (Medicare Part C):

Medigap insurance plans are offered by private insurance companies and help cover some of the costs Medicare Part A and Part B do not cover. However, these plans also have premiums you must pay in addition to paying your Medicare Parts A and B premium. On the other hand, Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) take the place of Medicare Parts A and B. It also covers some of the costs Medicare Parts A and B do not cover. In addition, Medicare Advantage plans typically cost less than Medicare Parts A and B in combination with a Medigap insurance plan (or Medicare supplemental insurance).

Avoiding Medicare Fraud:

Another Medicare insurance tip for seniors is to only give your Medicare number to your doctors and any hospital at which you may be treated. Silver Planet recommends that seniors never give out their Medicare policy numbers over the phone or leave them on answering machines.

Another senior tip for Medicare is to read your statement every month when you receive it in the mail. This will also help you prevent Medicare fraud because you will be checking to see what services you received during that month. If you see a charge for something you did not receive, you can call Medicare right away in order to get it taken care of. Silver Planet even suggests keeping a journal of all the doctor's visits and other care you received during the month so that you can check it against the statement when it arrives in your mail.

If you are enrolled in Medicare or if you are thinking about enrolling in the program, these senior Medicare tips should help you enroll at the appropriate time, find plans in your specific area, and help you prevent Medicare fraud. If you have any questions, want to gather more information about Medicare, or enroll in the program, you can visit the website for the Social Security Administration. You may also reach Social Security Administration at: 1-800-772-1213.

Sources:

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Fiinder:
www.medicare.gov

www.todaysseniors.com

Today's Seniors: How to Enroll in Medicare:

Senior: Important Tips About Medicare: www.senior.com

Senior: How and When to Apply: www.senior.com

Caring: Helping You Help Your Parents: Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) Plans: How They Work: www.caring.com

Another Medicare insurance tip for seniors is avoiding Medicare fraud. One way in which you may protect yourself from Medicare fraud is to never leave your official Medicare card in your wallet or purse. Rather, put your Medicare card in a safe place at home or in a safety deposit box at the bank. When you choose to enroll in both Medicare Part A and Part B, you will notice that there are gaps to the coverage the program offers, which leaves you with a substantial number of bills to pay out of pocket. Thus, another Medicare insurance tip for seniors is to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Another senior Medicare insurance tip is using the Medicare prescription drug plan finder. This tool will help you find Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D) in your local area. You can visit the site here and select the state in which you live. You may further refine your search by selecting the county in which you live as well. Seniors can enroll in Medicare three months before their 65^th birthday; however, the effective Medicare date will not begin until the first of the month in which you were born. For instance, if you were born on August 22, your effective Medicare date will be August 1. It is important to note that if you were born on the first of the month, your Medicare effective date will begin the first of the prior month. For instance, if you were born on June 1, your Medicare effective date will be May 1.

Silver Planet: Volunteer Program Targets Medicare Fraud:

www.silverplanet.com