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Michigan Medicare Basics

Watch this short video as we make Medicare easier to understand.

Medicare is health insurance for:

People age 65 or olderPeople under age 65 with certain disabilitiesPeople of any age with end-stage renal disease (ESRD: permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant)These different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:

Original Medicare

Is run by the Federal governmentProvides your Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage

You can join a Medicare prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D) to add drug coverage

You can buy a Medigap (Medicare supplement insurance) policy sold by private insurance companies to help fill the gaps in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage (such as coinsurance, copayments and deductibles)

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

Original Medicare helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility, hospice and home health care

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)

Original Medicare 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, like an HMO or PPO)

A health coverage option run by private insurance companies approved by and under contract with Medicare:

Includes Medicare Parts A and B but can charge different amounts for certain services

May offer extra coverage and prescription drug coverage for an extra cost

Costs for items and services vary by plan

If you want drug coverage, you must get it through your plan (in most cases)

You cannot purchase both Medicare Advantage and a Medigap Plan.

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.

Medicare Part D may help lower your prescription drug costs and help protect against higher costs in the future.

Avoid Penalties: Learn More about Medicare Part D

Why not enrolling in Medicare Part D now can cost you money later.

Medicare Supplement Insurance

What is Medigap?

The Benefits of Owning a Medicare Supplement Insurance Policy

Medigap Plans

Medicare Supplement plans are also referred to as Medigap Plans.

With all the choices you have for your health care coverage, it’s important to understand how each one works, its benefits and your share of the costs.

Free Medigap Quotes - Contact Michael Packer - Insurance Advisor

Here’s a brief look at how Medicare supplement insurance differs from other coverage, including Medicare Advantage Plans.

Medigap = Low Out-of-pocket Costs

Every year, your Medicare supplement insurance policy benefits coordinate with your Medicare benefits to help you meet your eligible health care expenses, depending on the plan you choose. What’s more, you can be sure your benefits won’t decrease.

Find out how other health plans work before joining. Some annually change their benefit structure, which can decrease your benefits and increase your out-of-pocket costs, so budget wisely.

With Medigap - Keep Your Doctors and Hospitals

With your Medicare supplement insurance policy, you alone select all your health care providers to use whenever and wherever you choose. You don’t have to worry about your doctor or hospital leaving a provider network at any time. And, you never need a referral to see a specialist.

Other health care plans may have local networks that possibly could prevent you from receiving care from the people you’ve grown to know and trust. Read each plan closely. Some let you see anyone as long as the provider accepts the plan’s payment terms. Others let you go outside the network, but you pay for services yourself and usually pay more for them. Providers can leave and join networks.

Medigap Coverage is Guaranteed Renewable

Your Medicare supplement insurance policy cannot be cancelled. It will be renewed as long as you pay the premiums on time and make no material misrepresentations (premiums are subject to change).

Contracts between the government and some health plans are reviewed annually. As a result, plans may change or not be renewed, forcing members to choose another health care option.

Providers Accept Patients with Medicare Supplement Insurance Your Medicare supplement policy enables you to see any doctor or provider who accepts Medicare.

On the other hand, not all providers in a health plan network take new patients or accept its payment terms. Talk with your doctors about their relationship with a health plan before joining.

Your Medigap Coverage Goes with You

Just like Medicare, your Medicare supplement covers your health care needs anywhere in the United States. Some Medicare supplement plans even provide limited medically necessary emergency care outside the country. That way, you can confidently travel or live part of the year anywhere you choose.

With some other health care plans, there may be charges for care no matter where you go. Carefully check all the plan’s travel rules and restrictions.

Medigap Guaranteed Issue Coverage

Sometimes when you apply for Medicare supplement coverage, you don’t answer any questions about your health and your policy is guaranteed issue.

One time is during your Medicare open enrollment period.

Some other times are when: *

You or your Medicare Advantage/Private Fee for Service plan move out of the service area

Your employer discontinues its group retiree health coverage

You leave a Medicare Advantage plan within a year of joining and return to Medicare

*For more situations, see Your Shopping Guide to Medigap Plans.

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