{"id":1285,"date":"2022-02-01T16:11:10","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T20:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rcgroupbenefits.com\/?p=1285"},"modified":"2022-02-01T16:34:37","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T20:34:37","slug":"understanding-medicare-in-northeast-ohio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rcgroupbenefits.com\/understanding-medicare-in-northeast-ohio\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Medicare in Northeast Ohio"},"content":{"rendered":"
Northeast Ohio<\/span>\u2019s population continues to age and decline. According to the <\/span>2020 census<\/span><\/a>, all of the major cities in the region, including <\/span>Cleveland<\/span>, Youngstown, Akron, and Canton, all lost inhabitants. The number of <\/span>Ohio<\/span> residents over 65 will soon overtake the number of <\/span>Ohio<\/span> residents age 18 or under. And as <\/span>Ohio<\/span>\u2019s population ages, more members of the baby boomer generation are retiring and enrolling in <\/span>Medicare<\/span><\/a> for their <\/span>healthcare<\/span> and <\/span>prescription drug coverage<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> is the federal program created in 1965 to citizens over the age of 65 in the United States have medical coverage and can enjoy health and <\/span>wellness<\/span> during their retirement years. <\/span>Medicare<\/span> also covers some people under 65 if they have a <\/span>disability<\/span>, such as ALS (Lou Gehrig\u2019s Disease).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> differs from <\/span>Medicaid<\/span> in that <\/span>Medicaid<\/span> is jointly funded by state and federal governments to provide <\/span>healthcare<\/span> to those with low incomes. <\/span>Medicare<\/span> is solely funded by the United States government.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Continue reading to find out about <\/span>Ohio Medicare<\/span>, whether it differs from federal <\/span>Medicare<\/span>, its different aspects, and how the <\/span>Medicare<\/span> enrollment<\/span> process works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medical coverage through <\/span>Medicare<\/span> is the same in all 50 states, including <\/span>Ohio<\/span>. Changes to <\/span>Medicare<\/span> at the federal level impact all of the United States equally. About 2 million Ohioans are covered under <\/span>Medicare<\/span>, and almost 55 million Americans in total are covered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The initial <\/span>enrollment period<\/span> for <\/span>Medicare<\/span> is the 7 month period (beginning 3 months before the month of the enrollee\u2019s 65th birthday, it also includes the month of the birthday, and the 3 months after the enrollee turns 65).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For those individuals who still have other medical coverage at age 65 (because they are still working or have spousal coverage), there is a special <\/span>enrollment period<\/span>. Those in this particular situation can sign up for <\/span>Medicare<\/span> after they turn 65 or during the 8 month period that begins the month after employment or medical coverage ends, whichever comes first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> has undergone revisions over the years. Current <\/span>Medicare options<\/span> are now divided into four Parts: A, B, C, and D. Each one is concerned with different aspects of medical coverage and some parts are optional.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> Part A<\/span> is for inpatient hospital coverage, hospice care, or inpatient care in a non-medical <\/span>healthcare<\/span> facility, and is typically available to all <\/span>Medicare beneficiaries<\/span>. Generally, enrollees do not pay a <\/span>monthly premium<\/span> for <\/span>Medicare<\/span> Part A<\/span> coverage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> Part B<\/span>, on the other hand, usually requires individuals to pay a <\/span>monthly premium<\/span>. <\/span>Part B<\/span> covers medically necessary doctors\u2019 services, durable medical equipment, and outpatient care. Enrollees can turn down <\/span>Part B<\/span> coverage when they first become eligible, but if the enrollee later decides to sign up for <\/span>Part B<\/span> later, coverage could be delayed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> Part C<\/span> is another name for <\/span>Medicare Advantage Plans<\/span>. These are <\/span>health plan<\/span> options that have been approved by <\/span>Medicare<\/span> and by law must offer the same coverage that <\/span>Medicare<\/span> does. <\/span>Medicare advantage plans<\/span> are usually operated by managed care companies instead of <\/span>insurance companies<\/span>. They offer both <\/span>Part A<\/span> and <\/span>Part B<\/span> coverage, and some offer prescription <\/span>drug plans<\/span>, as well. Even if they have a pre-existing condition, <\/span>Medicare<\/span> enrollees are still able to join <\/span>Medicare Advantage plans<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many of these <\/span>Part C<\/span> plans also offer additional benefits such as gym memberships, as well as hearing, dental, and vision services. Enrollees may also be able to customize their <\/span>Part C<\/span> plan based upon their particular needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, there is <\/span>Medicare Part D<\/span>. Part D is <\/span>Medicare<\/span>\u2019s newest part and helps pay for prescription drugs. It\u2019s optional, but immediate <\/span>enrollment<\/span> in <\/span>Medicare Part D<\/span> is recommended in order to avoid a late signup penalty. The enrollee must already be enrolled in <\/span>Medicare<\/span> Parts A<\/span> and B to add Part D coverage, or get Part D through a <\/span>Medicare Advantage Plan<\/span>. All premiums, <\/span>deductibles<\/span>, and <\/span>copays<\/span> are the responsibility of the enrollee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medigap<\/span> insurance, also known as <\/span>Medicare Supplement Insurance<\/span>, is an optional <\/span>health insurance plan<\/span> that can be purchased to cover costs not covered by <\/span>Medicare<\/span>. Private insurance <\/span>providers<\/span> (like <\/span>UnitedHealthcare<\/span>, <\/span>SummaCare<\/span> and <\/span>Medical Mutual<\/span>) offer these plans to cover the cost of medical services that aren\u2019t covered by <\/span>Medicare<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Medigap<\/span> insurance usually doesn\u2019t cover costs associated with nursing home care, vision or dental services, or hearing aids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All <\/span>Medigap<\/span> policies are controlled by both state and federal laws that have been put in place to protect the buyer. <\/span>Insurance companies<\/span> that offer <\/span>Medicare supplement plans<\/span> must clearly identify them, and these plans must all offer the same basic benefits. Depending on the insurance <\/span>provider<\/span>, sometimes <\/span>Medicare supplement plans<\/span> may offer additional benefits to the buyer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In order to purchase <\/span>Medicare Supplement Insurance<\/span>, the buyer must already be enrolled in <\/span>Medicare<\/span> parts A<\/span> and B. They will pay a premium to the <\/span>insurance company<\/span> in addition to the premium for <\/span>Medicare<\/span> Part B<\/span>. Some states offer a type of <\/span>Medigap<\/span> coverage called <\/span>Medicare<\/span> SELECT, which requires the buyer to choose hospitals and doctors that are within its <\/span>provider network<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The optimal time to buy a <\/span>Medigap<\/span> policy is during the <\/span>Medigap<\/span> Open Enrollment Period<\/span>, which is a 6-month window that begins on the first day of the month that the buyer is 65 years of age AND enrolled in <\/span>Medicare<\/span> Part B<\/span>. If a <\/span>Medigap<\/span> policy isn\u2019t selected during this time, it may cost more in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Medicare<\/span> has been safeguarding the health of elderly individuals for over 50 years. Not only across <\/span>Ohio<\/span>, but the entire United States. Navigating through all of the fine details of <\/span>Medicare<\/span>Is <\/span>Medicare<\/span> in <\/span>Ohio<\/span> Different?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
How to Enroll in <\/span>Medicare<\/span><\/h2>\n
What are the Parts of <\/span>Medicare<\/span>?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Medicare<\/span> Part A<\/span><\/h3>\n
Medicare<\/span> Part B<\/span><\/h3>\n
Medicare<\/span> Part C<\/span><\/h3>\n
Medicare Part D<\/span><\/h3>\n
Extra Protection With <\/span>Medigap<\/span><\/h2>\n
Medicare<\/span> Protects <\/span>Northeast Ohio<\/span>\u2019s 64+ Year Old Citizens<\/span><\/h2>\n