How to Change or Switch Medicare Plans?
Annual Election Period (AEP), October 15 and December 7, is the time each year when you can review your coverage and make changes to your plans. You can: Change from Medicare Part A and Part B (Original Medicare) to a Part C (private Medicare Advantage) plan Change from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare Join, drop or switch […]
How to Choose the Right Medicare Plan
Are you trying to choose the right Medicare plan and finding that the deeper you go the more complicated Medicare gets? It’s like a proverbial rabbit hole. The more you dig, the more there is to know. That’ is why there isn’t one right plan that fits everyone. Hopefully, we can give you some good […]
Do I Need to sign up for Medicare If I’m Still Working at 65?
Q: Do I need to sign up for Medicare at 65 if I’m still working? A: Medicare eligibility begins at age 65, and signing up on time can help you avoid premium surcharges. But if you’re working at 65, you get a bit more leeway. Medicare eligibility starts at age 65. Your initial window to […]
How to Enroll in Medicare
Summary: You have several options when the time comes for you to enroll in Medicare. For some people, Medicare enrollment is automatic, while for others, it may depend on when and how they become eligible. How to enroll in Medicare You can enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B in the following ways: […]
Who is Eligible for Medicare?
Generally, Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, younger people with disabilities and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant). Medicare has two parts, Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medicare Insurance). You are eligible for premium-free Part A if you are age 65 or older […]
Medicare Proof of Representation
As a Medicare patient, you’re entitled to privacy concerning who can see your medical records and under what conditions. But there are some occasions when you may want someone else to have access to your records and even be able to make decisions for you. Particularly in cases that involve a Medicare lien, you may need […]
Medicare Qualified Government Wages
Most public sector employees earn Medicare benefits through payroll taxes. These taxes are applied during each pay cycle and count toward an employee’s eligibility for Medicare. People who have worked for 10 years (or 40 quarters) are eligible for Medicare when they turn 65. Because federal employees have their own retirement systems, they don’t pay taxes for Social […]
Myths About Medicare
There’s a lot of misleading information about Medicare out there, and when you’re trying to choose a policy or figure out what your plan covers, it can be hard to sort out the facts from the fiction. When you’re dealing with something as important as your health care — and your wallet — you can’t […]
Is It Mandatory to Sign Up for Medicare at Age 65?
Many Americans look forward to being covered by Medicare when they turn 65. Others have an employer-based health insurance plan and would prefer to delay their enrollment in Medicare by a year or more. While you don’t have to sign up immediately when you turn 65, you might have to pay a penalty or higher premiums, depending […]
Medicare Cuts and Changes in 2019
You may have heard stories in the news about cuts to Medicare coming in 2020. It’s true that budget proposals from Congress and the president propose reducing the budget for Medicare by $845 billion over the next 10 years. But before you get alarmed, remember that these are proposals only and that most of the reductions would […]
