As a result of federal legislation, individuals who are newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020 will not be able to purchase Medigap Plan C or Plan F (including the Plan F high deductible option). This is because after January 1, 2020, this...

Yes, the costs associated with Part A are different this year. Remember, Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, home health care, and hospice. Look through your 2020 Medicare & You handbook to understand...

Yes, the costs associated with Part B are different this year. Remember that Medicare Part B covers outpatient medical services.Part B premium: The Part B base premium in 2020 is $144.60. Keep in mind, $144.60 is the standard premium for people with a...

If you have Medicare prescription drug coverage, often referred to as Part D, your plan should have notified you about any changes in costs for 2020. Part D plans can change the drugs they cover, their pharmacy networks, and their costs (such as...

Depending on your circumstances, you may have opportunities to change your Medicare health and drug coverage in 2020.If you have Extra Help: Extra Help is a federal program that helps pay for some to most of the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare prescription...

Beginning in 2020, Medicare Advantage Plans have increased flexibility in offering coverage of supplemental benefits. A supplemental benefit is an item or service that is covered by a Medicare Advantage Plan that is not covered by Original Medicare. These...

As a result of federal legislation, Medicare Part B covers opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment received at opioid treatment programs (OTPs) effective January 1, 2020. Medicare previously did not cover OTPs, and this expanded Medicare coverage is intended...

A transition fill is typically a one-time, 30-day supply of a drug that your Part D plan must cover when you’re in a new plan or when your existing plan changes coverage. Transition fills let you get temporary coverage for drugs that are not on your plan’s...

The Medicare Part D donut hole or coverage gap is the phase of Part D coverage after your initial coverage period. You enter the donut hole when your total drug costs—including what you and your plan have paid for your drugs—reaches a certain limit.In...

Regardless of how you receive your Medicare coverage, you should consider: Your access to health care providers you want to see. Your access to preferred pharmacies. Your access to benefits and services you need. The total costs for insurance premiums,...

Ask yourself the following questions before choosing a Medicare Advantage Plan: How much are the premium, deductible, and coinsurance/copay amounts? What is the annual maximum out-of-pocket cost for the plan? This amount may be high, but can help protect...

Ask yourself the following questions before choosing a Part D drug plan: Does the plan cover all the medications I take? Does the plan have restrictions on my drugs (i.e. prior authorization, step therapy, or quantity limits?) Prior authorization means...

Star ratings are quality ratings that provide a measure of a plan’s performance.Medicare scores Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D plans in several categories, including quality of care and customer service. Ratings range from one to five stars, with five...

The Medicare Plan Finder is an online tool that helps you look up and compare plans in your area. To access the Medicare Plan Finder, visit www.medicare.gov. Plan Finder gives you the option to do either a personalized search or basic search. The...

Some Medicare Advantage Plans cover services that are not covered by Original Medicare.Common supplemental benefits include: Dental care. Vision care. Hearing aides. Starting in 2019, Medicare Advantage Plans were granted more flexibility in the...