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Is Medicare Supplement Insurance Right For You?

by ClaimLinxOctober 10, 2021October 29, 20211 Comment

Medicare is available for people who are 65 or older or individuals that suffer from disabilities. Original Medicare, which is more of a basic form of the program, provides just the most basic form of coverage.

While original Medicare covers most of your medical and hospital bills, you’ll still have to pay for 20% of approved doctor treatments.

If you’re in the hospital for even three days, the cost of the hospital stay can be as much as $60,000. Paying 20% of these costs still leaves you with a $12,000 bill that you need to pay.

Medicare supplement insurance can help.

What is Medicare Supplement Insurance?

Supplement insurance, or Medigap insurance, is just like it sounds: insurance that fills in the gaps. For example, in the scenario above, this type of insurance would kick in and cover the $12,000 that original Medicare doesn’t cover.

Roughly 24% of all beneficiaries on Medicare purchase Medicare supplement Insurance

What’s Included in Medicare Part A and B?

If you’re on original Medicare, this means that you’re on both Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Part B covers about 80% of the costs for approved:

Doctor services
Medical equipment
Outpatient therapy

On top of the 20% of the costs, you’ll be required to pay a deductible of just over $200 in 2021. While you may not pay for Medicare Part A, you will be responsible for paying for Part B if you want this additional coverage.

Supplement insurance is sold through private insurance companies and will offer additional coverage, such as:

Costs of doctor visits
Services rendered outside of the US

Insurance companies cannot disqualify you from these programs based on preexisting conditions either.

Cost of Medicare Supplement Insurance

Is this type of insurance worthwhile for you? It depends. You’ll be required to pay additional money to these programs, and they can be very expensive. While the average person paid $152 per month for supplemental insurance in 2018, prices may be much higher for the individual.

Depending on multiple factors, the cost of these plans can range from $50 to $650. Factors that contribute to the overall cost are:

Age
Location
Deductible

However, some individuals may benefit from state programs that offer to pay for some or all of these costs.

Often, low-income individuals will qualify for state assistance, so they’ll benefit from low or no cost for their supplemental insurance. Additionally, there may be options to help cover the cost of prescription medications, too.

When considering whether signing up for one of these programs is the right thing to do, it’s important to note that Original Medicare does not have a limit on out-of-pocket expenses. So, you’ll continue to pay 20% out-of-pocket whether the bill is $200 or $2 million.

There are options outside of Medigap, such as Medicare Advantage plans that will roll Part A and B into one plan as well as offer prescriptions for free.

Medicare supplement insurance is often a good choice if you don’t have coverage through a union or employer and you’re enrolled in Original Medicare.

Medicare Ohio Health Plans To Consider When Shopping Around

by ClaimLinxAugust 5, 2021August 31, 20211 Comment

Medicare Health Programs are another way to cover Medicare Part A and Part B. Sometimes referred to as “Part C” or “MA Plans”, they have to comply with regulations provided by Medicare-approved private companies. A lot of Medicare Ohio health care programs include Drug Coverage (Part D). In most cases, you will need to use a healthcare provider involved in local and regional network services at a very low cost.

These plans not only reduce the cost you pay annually for the services but you can also avoid unexpected expenses with it. Some of the Medicare Ohio health plans provide out-of-network services but the cost of those services is higher. Keep your red, white, and green Medicare Ohio cards in a safe place as you will need them when you return to the original Medicare. Following are some common types of Medicare Ohio health plans that you must consider when looking for health plans

Health Management Organization (HMO) Program
Provider Organization (PPO) Program
Private Fee Service (PFFS) Program
Special Needs Program (SNP)

Here are some uncommon types of Medicare Advantage plans you can find:

HMO Point of Service (HMO-POS) Program
Medicare Medical Savings (MSA) Account System

Health Organization (HMO)

For HMO programs, you usually need to obtain your care and services from network providers, without the facility of:

Emergency care
Emergency care outside the area
Dialysis outside the area

Some of the health care providers might not provide some of the network services too. However, it usually costs less if you divert your attention from the provider outside the network. This is known as HMO with Point-of-Service (POS) option.

Are there prescription drugs in Health Management Agency (HMO) programs?

In many cases, HMO programs include prescription drugs. Ask the program providers. If you are looking for Medicare drug coverage (Part D), you must join the HMO program that provides access to prescription drugs.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

PPO is a kind of Medicare Advantage Program (Part C) that can be availed through a private insurance company. The services under PPO include physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers. You are charged less if you utilize network services and you will be charged higher for utilizing services outside the network.

You can avail health care services from different providers in PPO programs or hospitals. You can also receive out-of-network services for higher costs than the services provided within the network.

Are prescription drugs included?

In many cases, prescription drugs are included in PPO programs. Ask the program. If you are looking for a drug prescription in Medicare, you must enroll in a PPO program that provides medical coverage. Remember, if you join a PPO program that does not offer prescription offer drugs, you will not join the Medicare Drug (Part D) program.

Private Financing Schemes (PFFS)

How PFFS programs work

A variant of the Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C), PFFS programs are not similar to Medigap and Medicare. Through this plan, you can determine how much cost you will be charged for different medical health facilities.

Is it possible to utilize another hospital, doctor, or healthcare provider for medical help?

Healthcare services from a doctor, hospital or any other healthcare provider are provided in most cases in PFFS programs. If you join a PFFS program offline, you can check with any network provider who regularly agrees to deal with program members. You can also choose a doctor, hospital, or another non-network provider that accepts the terms of the program, but your costs are usually lower when you are on the network.

Special Needs Programs (SNPs)

How Medicare SNPs work

A Medicare SNP is a type of Medicare Health program (such as an HMO or PPO). Medicare SNPs reduce membership in people with certain diseases or symptoms. Medicare SNPs organize all their resources together to serve a specific group with specific needs.

Is it possible to utilize another hospital, doctor, or healthcare provider for medical help?

You can usually get all the services provided by the doctors and health care providers under the SNP health plan, except:

Emergency care in case you need immediate medical attention as a result of a sudden medical emergency.
If you are a renal failure patient and require out-of-network dialysis treatment.

Medicare SNPs usually have a panel of professionals that have specialization in the condition or disease of the group allocated.

Are prescription medications included?

All SNPs must provide medical treatment. In most cases, you may need a primary care physician for SNPs or you might need a caretaker to take care of your health necessities.

Do I need referrals to get an appointment with a professional doctor?

Referrals are needed in most cases to get an appointment with experts on SNPs. Some services do not require a transfer, namely:

Annual memory test
In-network POP testing and pelvic examination (covered at least annually)

Some important points to keep in mind

Planning must limit membership to the following groups:

People living in certain organizations (such as nursing homes) or need of home care, or
People who are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, or
People with disabilities (diabetes, end-stage kidney disease) (ESRD), AIDS, Chronic Heart Failure, or Dementia). Programs can continue to limit membership. You can join the SNP at any time.
- Programs should guide the services and providers needed to help you stay healthy and follow the instructions of your doctor or other health care provider.

If you have Medicare and Medicaid, ensure approval of your health care plan by all the doctors and your healthcare providers

Hopefully, this article was helpful for you to get the required information about Medicare Ohio. You must make your decision very smartly to get maximum benefits at the lowest cost possible. Choose the plan according to your requirements. The best plan is one that covers the maximum of your health care requirements and is also within budget.

How the ARP makes marketplace health plans more affordable for older buyers

by ClaimLinxJuly 8, 2021July 28, 2021Leave a comment

On 11th March 2011, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act 2021 (ARP) This latest law will give a reduction in premiums who already have health insurance and make it more affordable to increase the number of people who have health insurance.

Additional subsidies will be given to people who get their insurances directly from the health insurance marketplace. Since the start of April, people who have signed up for HealthCare.gov coverage will be eligible for these benefits and lower costs.

The new premium rate for the people who are eligible for these benefits will be $50for each person or $85 for the policy each month.

The premiums after this new savings will be reduced, on average, by $ 50 per person per month or $ 85 per policy per month. Four people out of every five subscribers will be able to access the $ 10 plan or have less after premium tax payment, and more than 50% of the people who enrolled will be able to get a Silver plan for $ 10 or less.

Benefits introduced under ARP

No one will be charged more than 8.5% of the total family income. Individuals and their families may get a temporary rise in tax credits. With this scheme, more people will be eligible to get a higher tax credit and will get help covering their health insurance premiums

The main agenda of this plan is to help people who are unable to get health insurance by subsidizing the costs and also helping people to easily make the payments of the insurance plans to those who already have an insurance plan. This plan apart from supporting people who have a family income of less than 400% but need FPL also supports those who have more than that but need help paying their premiums. It will result in not only people getting better insurance benefits but also increase the number of people who have access to these benefits.

Some clients whose payment is more than the 400% FPL will not be eligible to tax credits in case the cost they are charged for the valuation plan is less than 8.5% of their total home income.

Upon sign up, customers have to select a similar program that is less expensive than the rating system. 8.5% cap is introduced to calculate the premium credit debt but the cost that the customer is charged for a plan may or may not be less than the valuation plan.

Since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, health insurance has become quite affordable with the help of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). In 2021 and 2022, it increased the amount of premium in the market/exchange and ended the “subsidy fall”.

ARP guarantees that Americans who receive unemployment benefits at any time by 2021 can enroll in the Premium Free Silver Plan with a full reduction in cost-sharing. (Even if you are eligible for this benefit, if you join a non-silver plan, you should switch to the Silver Plan to apply for a cost-sharing discount August 2021, is the deadline for most states. For those who lose their jobs due to some reason or got a reduction in their hours, it provides subsidies to cover the full cost of the spread of state development.

To allow the public to get better marketplace health plans, many provinces have a single special registration window that runs until August 15, 2021. Thanks to this opportunity to register and grow ARP funding, active market registration everywhere, the country has reached record levels.

ARP support for older consumers

The American Rescue Plan helps people to get health insurance and make them affordable for people who can’t afford large out-of-pocket expenses. These improvements will help older adults who are not yet eligible for Medicare.

For more than two years, the law makes health insurance tax bills more widely available and available to more people. Subscribers will not have to pay more than 8.5% of their income to cover access, and households with less than 150% of poverty will receive access without premiums. It also increases the government’s COBRA health insurance subsidy to 100%, making it much easier for employees who leave their jobs but want to maintain health care for their employers.

The move encourages more countries to increase Medicaid by increasing similar government payments by 5% over two years.

Individuals consisting of every age bracket including young individuals have discovered that marketplace health plans are less expensive than the American Rescue Plan implementation. The full cost of health insurance depends on age – and therefore older people get higher premiums, An additional ARP discount is also announced for older Americans.

Some older clients have been buying their marketplace health plans for several years, and now find that their premiums are lower than before ARP went into effect. (This is only true if these customers renew their Market plan to activate a new subsidy or later claim a tax refund. Those with off-exchange bonds need to convert into the exchange to take advantage of this new subsidy either upfront or in tax returns.)

ARP assists individuals in moving from health insurance that is sponsored by employers to self-purchased plans. Elderly applicants get huge discounts on their plans.

So if you have still few years left on Medicare eligibility and are missing out on your employer-sponsored health plan, rest assured you will have options to have access to health care options. And thanks to ACA and ARP, you have a chance to afford it.

Switching to the personal market

You can take a look at the data to find out how much ARP raises premium discounts, especially for older American Americans who are not eligible for a subsidy due to income.

What is a Medicare advantage plan and should I get it?

by ClaimLinxFebruary 20, 2021May 4, 20211 Comment

Medicare is a private insurance plan. However, advantage plans are an alternative to private insurance. These plans are distinct from Medicare and have several pros and cons.

Medicare Advantage plans may vary and can provide better care, flexible plans, and saving opportunities. On the other hand, some plans may be too expensive to afford, have fewer options to offer, and may require changes in your lifestyle.

We will provide information on Medicare advantages in this article and also their procedure, advantages, and disadvantages so you can know whether they are suitable for you or not.

What is Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage is an extension of Medicare’s original plans and is often known as Medicare Part C. Several private insurance companies offer these plans. The features of these plans are a combination of original plans (Part A and Part B) and with some modification and additional options, Part C is made.

Most Medicare Advantage plans offer the following benefits:

Hospitalization
Hearing
Some home healthcare services
Vision
Prescription drug coverage
Hospice care
Dental
Doctor’s visits
Preventive care

Types of Medicare Advantage plans

There are a variety of Medicare advantage plans that you can choose from depending upon your needs:

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). By opting for HMO plans, you will be provided in-network doctors for your service. However, for the appointment of doctors, you may need referrals.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). As opposed to HMO, PPO plans offer both in-network and out-of-network medical services but the cost for both of them is different.
Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS). PFFS plans offer flexibility in terms of payment and can be designed depending upon your capability.
Special Needs Plans (SNPs). SNPs are designed for payment for chronic medical conditions and long-term.
Medical Savings Account (MSA). MSA plans are opted in pair with costly health plans and help to save money from medical expenditures.

Medicare Advantage Benefits

Medicare advantage plans benefits and options are more than that of original Medicare plans.

Convenient coverage options

Original Medicare plans offer limited coverage and options and you need to purchase other plans to cover additional expenditures. If you opt for Original Medicare, it will only provide hospital insurance and medical insurance. If your needs are not covered in these two coverage options, you will need Medicare Part D for covering the cost of prescription drugs and Medigap for supplemental coverage.

Contrary to Medicare plans, all your needs and additional coverage are covered in the Medicare Advantage plans.

Personalized plan structures

Medicare Advantage provides flexible plans for every distinct situation and needs. For example, as mentioned before HMO plans can offer in-network specialists and if you don’t prefer them you can opt for PPO plans and get your desired services. Similarly, the PFFS plan can also provide consumer freedom and lets you select your options freely. Apart from basic medical services, these plans also provide additional services like hearing, dental and preventive care, etc.

Cost-saving opportunities

Most of the Advantage plans are quite affordable and offer little to no deductible cost and cover best services without purchasing premiums. If you can’t cover all your costs in these plans, you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket but Medicare Advantage plans set annual limits of such costs. Also, you can save more by opting Medicare Advantage plan in services like laboratory expenses and medical equipment. You’ll be able to see much more savings if you end up choosing a Medicare HMO plan.

Coordinated medical care

Many Medicare Advantage plans have a coordinated care network. Your healthcare providers are constantly communicating to get you the best care possible through various healthcare services. The service provider does all the interactions for you and you can save the expenses of choosing a healthcare team and you can have a group of specialists ready at your disposal. According to researchers, this type of medical care results in better service for the patients which has been estimated by higher ratings and it also eases the work of medical staff and can avoid any unpleasant experiences.

Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage

With all the mentioned advantages of the Medicare Advantage plans, most of the people are quite content by choosing them. However, these plans also have some disadvantages which may trouble you.

Limited service providers

If you opt for a Medicare Advantage plan instead of the original Medicare plans you may be limited to the health care providers. Such as HMO, it limits you to choose from only in-network specialists and you need to pay additionally if you plan to choose otherwise i.e out-of-network. Similarly, the plans, which do not pose such restrictions, are expensive and have high deductibles and copays.

Complex plan offerings

Medicare provides a tool, find a plan, through which you can narrow down your search for plans. You’ll see that many Medicare Advantage plans limits their options in different ZIP codes. Some users might find it difficult not be able to access certain benefits due to different ZIP codes.

Additional costs for coverage

Original Medicare plan only provides two coverage option and also have a high deductible, copays, and premium plans. In addition to this, you may need to pay for any Part D or Medigap for additional coverage.

Medicare Advantage plans provide a variety of options without these additional plans but their cost is more than Original Medicare plans. For example, many Medicare Advantage plans include drug deductibles and specialist visit copays.

State-specific coverage

Original Medicare’s services spread all across the United States. On the other hand, Medicare Advantage plans extend their special services in selected areas. So, if you are currently utilizing the Medicare Advantage plan, and you change your residence, your current plan may not be functional anymore.

The takeaway

As mentioned above, Medicare Advantage has many advantages over the Original Medicare plan such as better care, flexible plans, and saving opportunities. But these plans pose more restrictions, limit services and are more costly.