Understanding Medicare Portions As A Supplemental Insurance
Having dual insurance coverage is not surprising for most people who are eligible for Medicare. You may have a primary insurance while the medicare acts as a secondary option. The key to understanding these secondary option is to know what different medicare parts are available and how they work with your insurance. Here is some information to sort out the different parts and what you need to know to understand your supplemental insurance and your billing.
Medicare Advantage Plans
One of the first types of medicare you may hear about is called medicare advantage. This encompasses Medicare parts A, B, and D. Medicare part A covers any hospital bills and hospital stays. Medicare part B covers your doctor visits, and D covers your prescription medication. If it is a preventative service, then there is no co-pay for the appointment. This advantage plan also covers hearing and vision plans that are routine. Overall, this is an ideal plan option for someone with a high deductible on primary insurance or with very little insurance on their primary plan.
Medicare Prescription Drugs
There are some insurance companies that offer insurance coverage on appointments, routine visits, and exams. When it comes to prescription drugs, they may not have the same overall coverage. This could leave you paying a high cost for your vital medication. This is where medicare prescription drug plans come in. These are supplemental plans that will cover your prescription drugs when your primary insurance may not. This is specifically known as Medicare part D.
Medicare Special Needs
You may have issues like diabetes or certain urinary tract issues. This means that you have certain supplies you need that may not be covered under your primary insurance. Medicare considers these supplies as a special need. Needles, blood testing equipment, and catheters fall under these supplies. They can be ordered from mail order prescription companies or organizations and covered through the special needs program. You may even find that other supplies are covered if they are considered a medical need. For this you may need to have a note from your physician stating what specifically is medical need outside of your prescriptions. Another example of this is an oxygen machine or a medical bed for bed bound patients in home health environments.
These are the available plans through most major insurance companies and the government. Keep in mind, depending on your primary insurance coverage amounts and deductibles, your out of pocket costs may vary. Check with your insurance provider or doctor to ensure what you will be paying for visits and what information they need for billing the proper insurance provider.
For more information, talk to a professional like Affordable Health and Medicare Plans.
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