Medicare Archives | Georgia Medicare Plans

Help! We Have No Money for Medicare! Are FREE Medicare Plans an Option?

Bob Vineyard · February 14, 2022 · Leave a Comment

No money for Medicare? Get the TRUTH behind those misleading ads for FREE Medicare plans.

Medicare sales pitches are high pressure, confusing and not helpful. You WANT to believe them but they just SOUND TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. You need help UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE, not some mumbo jumbo. No money for Medicare? Get the TRUTH behind those misleading ads for Medicare.

FREE Medicare Plans

FREE Medicare Plans and Other Nonsense

USE ANY DOCTOR YOU WISH
FREEDOM OF CHOICE
CHOOSE YOUR OWN DOCTOR
GET THE CARE YOU NEED PLUS EXTRA BENEFITS

Who could ask for more? Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? FREE Medicare is just a tease to lure you in.

Truth Behind the Medicare Hype

NO PREMIUMS – true but implies no COST
$0 PREMIUM, $0 PCP COPAY, $0 DRUG DEDUCTIBLE – implies no cost
SOME PLANS DO NOT INCLUDE RX
PREDICTABLE DOCTOR VISIT COPAYS BUT . . .
UP TO $300 FOR DX IMAGING – IN NETWORK, 30% OUT
UP TO $100 FOR DX TESTING – IN NETWORK, 30% OUT
UP TO $45 FOR LAB – IN NETWORK, 30% OUT
UP TO $100 FOR X RAY – IN NETWORK, 30% OUT
UP TO $45 FOR URGENT CARE – IN NETWORK, 30% OUT

HMO OR PPO?

Are you getting the picture? All the fluff behind the sales pitch doesn’t tell the FULL story.

No premium doesn’t mean no cost.

You STILL have to pay for services once you get in the door.

The Fine Print Behind the Pitch

That FREE Medicare pitch isn’t looking so great now, is it?

NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL

PLAN DESIGNED FOR YOUR NEEDS AND BUDGET (DOES NOT EXPLAIN CLAIM DETAILS)
HEALTH, DENTAL, VISION, HEARING IN ONE PACKAGE

MAX OOP $6100 – IN + OUT OF NETWORK $10,000
APPLIES TO APPROVED MEDICAL CHARGES ONLY

Why don’t they tell you this in the commercials?

If they told you the whole truth, you probably would not buy their plan . . .

Are Medicare Advantage Plans Bad?

If Medicare Advantage plans are bad why do they dominate some areas? Why do so many people buy into the Advantage plan sales pitch? Good benefits, low OOP (out of pocket), decent networks.

It all sounds so good.

Still there ARE limits on access to health care. Policyholders can’t go anywhere they want. Networks do change from year to year. Over half the Georgia Advantage plans are HMO, the balance are PPO. Understand the difference!

“Your” doctor(s) may be in network this year but not next.

What About Dental and Vision Coverage?

DENTAL COVERAGE – Fine print . . . . must be network dentist or one that accepts Medicare . . . less than 20% of dentists are in network – even fewer participate in Medicare

VISION COVERAGE – Fine print . . . must use approved providers

HEARING SERVICES
UP TO $699 FOR SELECT HEARING AIDS – Low price hearing aids might not work for you
HEARING TEST $45 IN NETWORK, 30% OUT – How far will you have to drive to find an IN NETWORK hearing aid store?

Get the Coverage you Deserve

FREE Medicare plans . . . are they worth it?

BIG PRINT GIVES – SMALL PRINT TAKES AWAY
SOME BENEFITS NOT AVAILABLE IN ALL AREAS
SOME PLANS MAY NOT HAVE EXTRA BENEFITS
SOME BENEFITS MAY REQUIRE EXTRA PREMIUM
LIMITATIONS, EXCLUSIONS AND RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY

Seen enough?

Medicare Explained in Plain Language

Medicare explained using words you can understand. A Medicare 101 course if you will. Bob is a Medicare expert who will take the time to listen to your questions and give answers to your questions.

Give me 10 minutes by phone. Ask ANY question. How does Medicare work?

If you are turning 65 and enrolling in Medicare, this may be your only chance to purchase a Medicare supplement plan in Georgia. Full report with Medicare supplement rates for ALL Georgia Medigap carriers. Anthem GA Medigap rates include Silver Sneakers

Medicare 2021 information. Our videos help you to understand about Medicare options. You have questions, I have answers. Medicare supplement plans, Medicare Advantage vs Medicare supplement. Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B. Which Medicare plan is BEST? How to change Medicare plans? Medicare supplements plan G information and rates. Which Medicare options are best? What is original Medicare? What are Medicare basics? Turning 65 Medicare? Medicare explained. Help understanding Medicare without a sales pitch.

Georgia Medicare Plans. An offer you can’t refuse.

Does Medicare Cover COVID Testing and Treatment in 2020?

Bob Vineyard · December 16, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Does Medicare cover COVID testing? What are COVID-19 symptoms? Is Coronavirus treatment in and out of the hospital included in Medicare? How much will I have to pay for care?

Does Medicare Cover COVID Testing and Treatment?

Coronavirus testing is included in your Medicare Part B coverage. Your cost for testing should be $0 when the test is conducted by a lab, pharmacy, doctor or hospital.

Your test should be ordered by your doctor to diagnose or rule out the COVID infection.

You, as an individual, may choose to have the screening for personal reasons. This would not be considered medically necessary and would not be covered by Medicare.

What are COVID symptoms that indicate I may be infected?

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

Will Medicare Cover My Coronavirus Treatment in or out of the Hospital?

Seriously ill patients may need inpatient and/or outpatient services. Medicare covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays, some home health visits, and hospice care under Part A. Beneficiaries who need medical care following a hospitalization have coverage in a skilled nursing facility.

FAQ from Kaiser Foundation

You will find a wealth of information from the Washington Post. These reports are available at no charge. You do not need to register to view the articles.

Am I considered “high risk” for Contracting the Chinese Virus?

Older adults and those with compromised immune systems tend to be more susceptible to contracting the disease.

Medical conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, COPD, and asthma can tax your immune system putting you in a higher risk category than the rest of the population.

Additional information about COVID-19 from these resources
https://www.coronavirus.gov/
https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS Facts to Ease Your Fears

The CDC estimates the overall fatality rate is .26%.

Ninety-four percent of COVID-19 deaths involve, on average, 2.6 additional conditions or causes of death.

Those outside of nursing homes, the infection fatality rate is estimated to be just 0.13 percent.

About one-third of Covid-19 deaths occur in nursing homes, or other long-term care facilities.

For more information visit Flatten The Fear

What do I Need to Know about the Vaccine?

Coronavirus vaccines MAY prevent you from contracting the disease. As with any medication or vaccination, there may be side effects.

You may have pain or swelling where you received the shot.

You could also experience fever, chills, tiredness or headache.

Tests indicate the vaccine may be 90 to 95% effective in preventing the virus.

It is not yet known if the vaccine will prevent you from getting sick or it merely prevents you from having symptoms of the disease. “Full” protection may require a second dose.

Questions still remain about the vaccinations. Among those include:

What COVID-19 vaccines have been approved and how do they work?

Can the vaccine give you COVID-19?

Are there some people who should NOT get the vaccination?

If I have tested positive for the illness should I still get the vaccine?

Do I still need to wear a mask or practice social distancing after getting the shot?

Should I still use hand sanitizer and wash my hands after being in public?

Do I need to avoid contact with others if I have a fever or feel sick?

Medicare telehealth video

Coronavirus and Medicare Advantage plans.

Shop and compare Georgia Medicare plans and supplement rates. Bob Vineyard, GA Medicare insurance agent. Anthem Blue Cross Medigap rates available on request. Quoted on the phone and a report sent by email.

#CoronavirusAndMedicareCoverage #DoesMedicarePayForCOVID19TestingAndTreatment #GeorgiaMedicarePlans

Medicare Hospital Bonus 2019

Bob Vineyard · June 28, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Do you know about the Medicare hospital bonus program? Hospitals can get cash for better results. The idea sounds good in theory, but there is a dangerous underbelly to this plan. (UPDATED 6/28/2020)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said on Tuesday that 55%—more than 1,500 hospitals out of approximately 2,700 facilities participating in the program—got a slightly higher Medicare payment under the program. Overall there will be $1.9 billion in incentive payments for hospitals in federal fiscal year 2020, which runs from Oct. 1 until Sept. 30, the same amount as fiscal 2019.
“The highest performing hospital in FY 2020 will receive a net increase in payments of 2.93 percent, and the lowest-performing hospital will incur a net decrease in payments of [negative] 1.72 percent,” the agency said.
Fierce Healthcare

Quality of Care and Medicare Hospital Bonus

Quality of care bonuses. What could possibly go wrong?

So how does Medicare decide winners and losers?

Eight of the current 25 quality standards, Yahoo News reported, are based on patient satisfaction: communication with nurses; communication with doctors; responsiveness of hospital staff; pain management; communication about medicines; cleanliness and quietness of hospital environment; discharge information and overall rating of the hospital.
The rest are based on how often hospitals followed clinical standards of care, such as controlling heart surgery patients’ blood sugar levels and giving them beta blockers to lower their blood pressure.
Georgia Health News

All sounds so simple. If a hospital delivers better results, and you are a satisfied customer, they can get a Medicare hospital bonus.

Do you think hospitals might “cherry pick” the Medicare patients they take in and the type of services they will provide to Medicare patients? And does it matter if you have a Medicare Advantage plan or original Medicare and a Medicare supplement plan (where you can choose your doctor and hospital)?

The maximum amount any hospital could gain or lose was 1 percent of its regular Medicare payments.
For nearly two-thirds of the hospitals, the changes are less than a quarter of a percent, KHN said. Still, for hospitals with a high number of Medicare patients, hundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake.
The caps will rise to 2 percent over the next four years.

The maximum Medicare hospital bonus (or penalty) now is 1%, rising to 2%. But will it stop there or keep climbing?

If a hospital can game the system in hopes of qualifying for the maximum bonus, how many really sick patients with expected poor outcomes do they have to reject in order to earn the highest kickback from Medicare?

This is about more than money. It is about your health and quality of care. Georgia Medicare Plans is concerned about your health and the health of your wallet. Save money by comparing your existing Medigap rates with an instant GA Medigap quote.

How Do Georgia Hospitals Compare to Other States?

How does quality of care in Georgia stack up against other states?

Georgia Health News reveals

Some other Southern states had higher percentages of hospitals getting bonuses than did Georgia. In both North Carolina and South Carolina, 69 percent of hospitals are receiving the extra payments; Alabama, 64 percent; Florida, 57 percent; Kentucky, 53 percent.

Louisiana equaled Georgia’s 51 percent performance. Performing worse than Georgia were hospitals in Tennessee, at 40 percent, and Mississippi, at 39 percent.

Does this mean you can receive better care in other states?

Not necessarily, but these are figures that cannot be ignored.

Budgeting for Healthcare Costs

It is impossible for most retirees to cover the OOP (out of pocket) cost of health care without insurance.

Original Medicare pays 80% of your outpatient health care costs but the remaining 20% can be staggering.

Most retirees worry about paying hospital bills, but the MAJORITY of medical claims are OUTPATIENT.

Original Medicare does not cap your OOP health care costs. You pay until you get better, run out of money or die.

A cost effective Medicare supplement plan from Georgia Medicare Plans can give you piece of mind.

Shop and compare rates. Get your personalized Medigap rate report. Invest 10 minutes to call and ask us ANY Medicare question. Either you like what you hear or you don’t.

I will stay on the phone with you as long as you have questions. Never a sales pitch. No obligation to buy.

I call this my offer you can’t refuse.

Medicare Initial Enrollment Period

Bob Vineyard · March 17, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Medicare Initial Enrollment Period. For most people, their Medicare Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is when they turn age 65. Medicare Part A is normally automatic and usually with $0 premium. You must make an election for Medicare Part B and pay a premium.

Medicare Initial Enrollment Period

Your IEP window operates like this.

Medicare IEP - When to enroll in Medicare

If you enroll before turning 65 your Part B begins the month you turn 65.

Enroll the month you turn 65 and your Part B coverage begins the month following your 65th birthday.

When you enroll the month AFTER you turn 65 your coverage begins TWO months after turning 65.

Enrolling two months AFTER you turn 65 your coverage begins THREE months after turning 65.

If you enroll three months AFTER you turn 65 your coverage begins FOUR months after you turn 65.

When is the Best Time to Enroll in Medicare?

How to enroll in Medicare? Should I sign up at age 65 or wait until I get Social Security? Is Medicare free? GA Medicare Expert Bob Vineyard answers questions.

Am I automatically enrolled in Medicare at age 65? Am I required to enroll in Medicare? How do I apply for Medicare?

What if I continue to work past 65? Do I still need Medicare? What happens if I have a younger spouse? If I elect COBRA, does that work with Medicare?

Who pays first? Medicare or employer group insurance? Should I stay on my group insurance plan or continue to work and enroll in Medicare? Should I enroll in Medicare Part A even if I am continuing to work past 65 and covered by my employer group health insurance plan?

Is there a penalty for enrolling late? Do I need a drug plan (Medicare Part D)?

Medicare Special Enrollment Period

There are situations where you may enroll in Medicare Part B other than when you are turning age 65.

If you receive disability benefits from Social Security, you will become eligible for Medicare Part A and Part B on the first day of the 25th month after your Social Security benefits begin.

If you have ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) and you have permanent kidney failure requiring dialsysis or a kideny transplan, you automatically qualify for Medicare Part A and Part B. Enrollment is not automatic, you must apply for Parts A and B.

What is a Special Enrollment Period?

If you didn’t take Medicare Part B when you were first eligible because you or your spouse were working and had group health plan coverage through your or your spouse’s employer or union, you can sign up for Medicare Part B during a Special Enrollment Period. You can sign up:

Anytime you are still covered by the employer or union group health plan through your or your spouse’s current or active employment, or
During the 8 months following the month the employer or union group health plan coverage ends, or when the employment ends (whichever is first).

If you are disabled and working (or you have coverage from a working family member), the Special Enrollment Period rules also apply.

When Coverage is Effective if you sign up during a Special Enrollment Period

If you enroll in Medicare Part B while covered by the group health plan or during the first full month after coverage ends, your Medicare Part B coverage starts on the first day of the month you enroll. You also can delay the start date for Medicare Part B coverage until the first day of any of the following 3 months.
If you enroll during any of the 7 remaining months of the Special Enrollment Period, your Medicare Part B coverage begins the month after you enroll.

If you don’t enroll in Medicare Part B during your Special Enrollment Period, you’ll have to wait until the next General Enrollment Period, which is January 1 through March 31 of each year. You may then have to pay a higher Medicare Part B premium because you could have had Medicare Part B and didn’t take it.

Georgia Medicare Plans is pleased to provide this information to seniors in Georgia. Please contact us if you have any questions. You can also compare GA Medigap rates by clicking on the quote request links.

#HowDoIEnrollInMedicare #WhenIsTheBestTimeToSignUpForMedicare

Medicare COBRA Trap

Bob Vineyard · March 13, 2020 · Leave a Comment

The Medicare COBRA trap is catching many seniors off guard and costing them delays in Part B coverage and penalties. Due to the recession, more Americans are working longer including past age 65. Some of those opted for COBRA (for different reasons) once employment stopped. I suspect many did so because of a non-working spouse under age 65 even though they were 65 or older.

COBRA Trap Means Late Enrollment Penalty

Even though COBRA has been around for over a quarter of a century, most people do not understand their COBRA rights. They believe COBRA is only available to family members if the former employee ALSO elects COBRA.

In reality, every covered family member have COBRA rights separate from the other. A non-working spouse or child can exercise their own COBRA rights even if the former employee does not.

Bill Bregar Was Bitten

This confusion plus the recession has led to problems when the age 65+ COBRA participant enrolls in Medicare once COBRA ends.

Under current law, working Americans with employer health coverage can postpone signing up for Medicare until after 65. When they retire, accept a buyout or are laid off, they then get an eight-month special enrollment period to sign up for Medicare Part B (which covers doctors visits and other outpatient services) immediately and without penalty.
But many people in these circumstances are able to extend their employer coverage for a year or two under a 1986 law known as COBRA, which is what Bregar did.
What they may not realize is that waiting until their COBRA coverage expires to enroll in Part B disqualifies them from the eight-month grace period. Instead, they must wait to sign up during open enrollment, from Jan. 1 to March 31 each year. And coverage won’t begin until the following July. They also get hit with a late penalty, an extra charge added permanently to their Part B premiums.

This COBRA trap will catch you off guard if you do not know about it, triggering an LEP (late enrollment penalty) from Medicare.

Avoid the Part B Penalty

You can avoid the penalty and delay by enrolling in Medicare Part A and B when you turn 65.

the crucial Medicare regulation barring a special enrollment period for people whose COBRA coverage is ending is rarely publicized. It is not mentioned in the Department of Labor’s guidance for people considering COBRA. The penalty mentioned briefly on page 18 of the official handbook, “Medicare & You 2020” . However, there is not any warning of a delay in Part B coverage. It isn’t included in Social Security’s general website information on enrolling in Medicare or in its frequently-asked-questions section. But you can enter “COBRA” into the site’s search engine leads to an explanation.

This is a real problem that was never anticipated when COBRA laws were written.

Avoid the Medicare COBRA Trap

When you are ready for Medicare, let the experts at Georgia Medicare Plans help you find affordable Medicare supplement rates to fit your budget. Compare plans and rates from Anthem, Mutual of Omaha, Humana and others instantly online. GA Medigap rates.

https://www.gamedigaprates.com/

#MedicareCOBRATrap #PartBLateEnrollmentPenalty #GAMedicarePlans