Medicare 101

What you need to know before you choose a plan

Medicare Part A and B

Medicare Part A covers:

Hospital insurance covers inpatient hospital care
Skilled nursing facility
Hospice
Lab tests
Surgery
Home health care

Medicare Part B covers:

Clinical research
Ambulance services
Durable medical equipment (DME)
Mental Health
Inpatient
Outpatient
Partial hospitalization
Limited outpatient prescription drugs

Medicare Part D

Medicare Part D:

is coverage that helps you pay for prescription drugs. It also gives you access to other purchasing options, including many retail drug stores and mail-order drugs

Medicare Supplement (Medigap):

Medigap is Medicare Supplement that helps fill "gasps" in Original Medicare and is sold by private companies. A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy can help you pay some of the remaining health care costs, like: copays, coinsurance and deductibles.

Medicare Advantage Part C

Medicare Advantage Plan (also referred to as Part C):

is a Medicare approved plan from a private company that offers an alternative to Original Medicare for your health and drug coverage. They may also include benefits not covered by Original Medicare, such as vision, hearing and dental services.

When can I enroll in Medicare and/or Medicare Plans?

There are several different times throughout the year in which you can enroll in Medicare and/or Medicare Advantage plans. They are:

Initial Coverage Period

Your enrollment period includes the three months before you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and three months after you turn 65, seven months total. As soon as you are eligible, you can sign up for Medicare coverage.

Annual Enrollment Period (October 15-December 7)

From October 15th to December 7th, you will be able to join, drop or switch plans. Your new coverage period will begin on January 1st the following year.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1-March 31)

From January 1st to March 31st, if you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch to Original Medicare and join a separate prescription drug plan. It is important to remember you can only switch plans once during this period.

Special Enrollment

You can make changes to your Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage when certain events happen in your life, like if you move or you lose other insurance coverage. These chances to make changes are called Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs). Rules about when you can make changes and the type of changes you can make are different for each SEP.

So, which Medicare Plan is right for me?

The right plan for you in the end, is up to you. There are many circumstances to consider in order to make the right choice. Remember you're not alone. We are here for you every step of the way. Call now 1 (833) 387-3523 TTY: 711, to speak to one of our licensed agents.

*We are required by law to inform you that we do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area.