Medicare is health insurance for people age 65 or older, under age 65 with certain disabilities, and any age with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant). Medicare provides partial coverage for certain medical services. The main coverage has two parts, Part A and Part B.

Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance

Medicare Part A is also known as Hospital Insurance, or HI. People who are eligible for a Medicare plan in Wisconsin or Texas can usually get Part A coverage without having to pay a monthly premium, because they have already paid into the system with their Social Security withholdings. Part A pays for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, and hospice care after you pay deductibles and coinsurance.

Hospital Care

Part A provides coverage for a semi-private room, meals, and certain other services, up to 90 days per benefit period.

  • You pay a Part A deductible of $1,600 per benefit period
  • For the first 60 days, eligible care is covered in full after you pay the deductible
  • For days 61-90, you pay coinsurance of $400 per day
  • For your additional 60 lifetime reserve days, you pay coinsurance of $800 per day.
  • You pay any charges not covered by Medicare

 

Skilled Nursing Care Facility

Part A covers up to 100 days for eligible services in a Medicare-certified facility after a hospital stay of at least 3 covered days.

  • For the first 20 days, care is covered in full.
  • For days 21-100, you pay $200 per day.

 

Hospice Care

Terminally ill patients may receive up to 210 days of care (Two 90-day periods & one 30-day period) plus a benefit period of unlimited days during a hospice patient’s lifetime.

As a result of health reform, many preventive services are NOW covered by Medicare Parts A or B. For a complete list of Medicare covered preventive services, visit the official U.S. government site for Medicare, www.Medicare.gov.

What Original Medicare Doesn’t Cover

Original Medicare doesn’t cover all medical costs. There are deductibles and coinsurance you must pay when you receive medical services. Original Medicare also does not cover routine preventive services, eye care and prescription medications. Your out-of-pocket expenses (the amount you pay) for these “coverage gaps” can add up quickly. Fortunately, you can enroll in several private insurance plan options to help cover the costs that Original Medicare does not cover.

Some of these plan option include:

After you review what benefits are available and decide what is important to you, you can compare Medicare health plans. Many things should be considered. These include services offered, choice of providers, location, and costs. The quality of care is also a factor to think about.

Find out which Medicare Plan is right for you! Call locally at 262.299.4904 or toll free at 866.575.3313 for a list of Medicare options available in your area. You may also click the button below and a Medicare professional will call you.

Wisconsin Medicare:
Learn More About Your Options