California Health Insurance

Although in the news, you commonly hear references to an all-encompassing Medicare program, there are really different parts to the whole. It’s important to understand each part, its purpose and how it can be helpful to you. Medicare is divided into four parts called A,B,C, and D. Each part serves a different function. Here is a brief overview of the four parts of Medicare:

Part A is referred to as hospital insurance. It is generally paid for through the social security tax and provides inpatient and other hospital services, as well as nursing home expenses. Automatic enrollment in part A occurs when you turn 65 whether you are retired or continue working. Part A still requires you to pay co-pays and deductibles.

Part B is medical insurance and is paid for by a monthly premium similar to traditional, private medical healthcare coverage. It helps pay for doctors’ visits, outpatient hospital visits for lab tests, and other medical services that are not covered by Part A. Similar to private insurance, you can choose form an HMP or PPO plan.

Part C of Medicare is referred to Medicare Advantage. You must be enrolled in both part A and part B in order to qualify for part C. This plan permits you to choose to receive all of your health care services through a private organization.

Lastly, part D is prescription drug coverage. This part of the Medicare package is voluntary and also paid for with a monthly premium. Medicare recipients are automatically enrolled in part D and must request to be removed from the program.

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Health Care Reform by admin