Medicare is a health insurance plan that is federally owned and run. It has traditionally been associated with the elderly. If you are 65 or older and qualify for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits, you qualify for Medicare benefits. Medicare offers coverage for certain areas of medical and health assistance. There are many different plans and services provided, so this article will give a general idea of what will and will not be covered.
Medicare Part A: Free Health Insurance
This part of Medicare is hospital insurance and is free of charge. You do not have to pay for this service. Many Medicare benefits under this category pertain to receiving care from a doctor or while in the hospital. If you have to go to the hospital, Medicare will cover most of your expenses, including the room, services, and supplies. If you must receive care at home, you are covered as well. Home nursing services, medical equipment and supplies, physical therapy, and other necessary medical services that are needed in your home are usually covered. Even if you need to receive blood while in the hospital, you can rest assured that you will not have to pay for it.
Medicare Part B: Fee-Based Medical Insurance
This part of Medicare does require payment. It is medical insurance and usually covers services that are rendered outside of the hospital or in outpatient care. Some visits to doctors, clinical tests and analysis, and medical supplies are covered. Any services you need due to surgery or while recovering from surgery are usually covered as well. This may include the need for glasses after eye surgery, artificial limbs, body parts, and diabetes-related services. The fee for these benefits was $58.70 in 2003.
Medicare Does Not Cover Everything
Like most insurance, certain services are not covered by Medicare. Usually, you will have to get outside insurance to cover these costs. Normally, Medicare does not cover annual check-ups or routine examinations. This includes visits to the doctor, dentist, eye doctor, ear doctor, and foot doctor. Although Medicare is geared toward the elderly, many services the elderly need are not covered. Things like dentures, orthopedic shoes, eyeglasses, prescription drugs, and custodial care in the home or a hospital are not covered. Many of these expenses can get quite high for this group since these are usually the services they need most.
In order to cover these other expenses, you will have to find outside insurance. If there are certain ailments you know you have, it may be cheaper to get insurance geared toward the specific conditions, like dental insurance for dentures. Even though Medicare does not cover all expenses, any surgery and outpatient care will be covered. There are many groups like AARP that are fighting for changes in Medicare benefits. Pretty soon, more changes will be made to facilitate the lives of the elderly. Until then, you will have the benefits of some of the coverage of Medicare to help you in the later years of your life.
By Tamara C. Jude