Medicare Plans

Know and Maximize Your Medicare Benefits!

Medicare is health insurance for people in the United States lawfully, who have lived here for at least five years and fall into any of the following categories:

• People age 65, or older
• People under age 65 with certain disabilities
• People of any age with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant)

The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services. Medicare has the following parts:

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) - Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice, and home health care.

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) - Helps cover doctors' services, outpatient care, and home health care, as well as some preventive services to help maintain your health and to keep certain illnesses from getting worse.

Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans) - Similar to an HMO or PPO, Medicare Part C is a health coverage option run by private insurance companies approved by and under contract with Medicare. Includes Part A, Part B, and usually Part D prescription drug coverage, and ancillary benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, fitness programs, and an allowance toward over the counter products.

Medicare Part D (Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage) - A prescription drug option run by private insurance companies approved by and under contract with Medicare. Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs and may help lower your prescription drug costs and help protect against higher costs in the future.

The following pages are intended to help you improve your understanding of the Medicare program:

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• When Do I Sign Up for Medicare Parts A & B?
• How Much are Medicare Premiums, Deductibles and Coinsurance Rates?
• Can I Choose Medicare Advantage (Part C) Instead of Medicare Parts A & B?
• Medicare Advantage Plan Types and Enrollment Periods
• Are There Other Kinds of Medicare Health Plans?
• What Are My Options for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)?
• What Are Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) Policies?
• Changes Made to Medigap Plans on June 1st, 2010
• Changes Made to Medigap Plans on January 1st, 2020