What if I decide to work past age 65?
If you choose to work passed 65 and you have creditable health insurance either through your employment or your spouses employment, you are able to delay enrollment in Medicare. Part A typically doesn’t have a premium so we usually recommend that you go ahead and get Medicare Part A, and delay Medicare Part B (which has a premium) until you leave the group coverage.
I’m a Veteran, do I need to do anything?
First of all thank you for serving your country! Health benefits with Veteran Affairs (VA) are a real blessing to a lot of Veterans. The coverage varies based on several categories and is differentiated by Priority Groups. Some veterans pay nothing for their services and some veterans have out of pocket expenses for both medical and prescriptions. You are not required to get Prescription drug coverage outside of the VA, however, the health coverage offered by
the VA is not considered creditable for Part B of Medicare. That means that if you choose not to get Medicare Part B you will be penalized in the future if you choose to enroll in it.
What if I plan to move?
If you are currently on Medicare and have a Medicare Supplement and Prescription Drug plan or Medicare Advantage plan and you move out of the county, to a different city or to a different state, you will qualify for a special election period and have the opportunity to change your plan/s. Medicare plans that are available to you vary from county to county and state to state.
It’s important to be enrolled in plans that are offered in the area that you live.
I travel a lot and I have a vacation home. Is that a problem?
At Navigating Medicare we love traveling and we love that you get to do the same! It is definitely not a problem however it may impact your decision as to which plan you chose to go with your Medicare.
Some plans offer world wide emergency care, some have limited care out of country and some have no coverage out of the United States. Therefore, the plan you choose depends on if you only travel stateside or if you are traveling overseas.
Can I choose my own doctors?
You can always choose your own doctors. Sometimes people fear that they will be assigned a doctor without their input. The doctors that you can choose from differ from plan to plan. For example: If you have a Medicare Supplement, the doctor has to accept Medicare or your supplement will not pay their part. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, the doctor must accept the company that you have selected. Some plans have both in network and out of
network options. If you provide us with a list of your physicians we will be able to tell you what type of plans they accept. Our goal is to help you find a plan that covers your current doctors without you having to change them.
I have a lot of medications and I’m concerned that I will not be able to afford them. Is there any financial assistance available?
There is a Federal program called “Extra Help” it is intended to help those who qualify based on their income, with Prescription drug program costs, like premiums, deductibles and coinsurance.
To find out if you qualify or to apply go to: https://secure.ssa.gov/i1020/start
We can help you with the application process if you need it, just give us a call.
I have Federal Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Is there anything I need to be aware of?
The main thing to know about Medicare and having Federal BCBS is that it is not creditable coverage for Part B. If you are still working and that is the plan you are on, you are able to delay your Part B and add it once you retire. The problem that can come up is that most people are able to keep their benefits post retirement, and at that point you would need to add Part B to avoid accruing a penalty.