Why are there 4 parts to medicare, not 5?

[goillini52]

I just found out TODAY that Medicare.gov is emailing seniors telling them thry need to review their plan every year. They supply a link to do it now and it goes straight to Medicare.gov.
I’m pretty sure to be fair though they will have to mail them 48 hour scope of appointments and will have to explain to them that they can get better personalized service if they meet with the Local Agent in their area. Nah!

Did you know you have choices in your Medicare prescription drug and health coverage? Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (October 15 - December 7) is your chance to think about what matters most to you. Plans can change from year to year, and your health needs may change, too. So it's important to know your options.

Explore Coverage Options
You have 2 main ways to get your Medicare coverage — Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (Medicare-approved plans from private companies). It's important to understand the differences between the 2 options.

Start at Medicare.gov, your official source to find the type of coverage that fits you best. If you need more help comparing options:

• Call us at 1-800-MEDICARE during Open Enrollment.
• Contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp.org to get the phone number for your state.

Sincerely,

The Medicare Team

NOTE: If you make less than $22,000 a year ($30,000 for married couples), it's worth applying for "Extra Help." Extra Help can pay for your prescription drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. Visit ssa.gov/extrahelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply for Extra Help.

 

[Newby]

Did you know you have choices in your Medicare prescription drug and health coverage? Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (October 15 - December 7) is your chance to think about what matters most to you. Plans can change from year to year, and your health needs may change, too. So it's important to know your options.

Explore Coverage Options
You have 2 main ways to get your Medicare coverage — Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (Medicare-approved plans from private companies). It's important to understand the differences between the 2 options.

Start at Medicare.gov, your official source to find the type of coverage that fits you best. If you need more help comparing options:

• Call us at 1-800-MEDICARE during Open Enrollment.
• Contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp.org to get the phone number for your state.

Sincerely,

The Medicare Team

NOTE: If you make less than $22,000 a year ($30,000 for married couples), it's worth applying for "Extra Help." Extra Help can pay for your prescription drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. Visit ssa.gov/extrahelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply for Extra Help.

That’s the one. Is that new? Or have they been doing that for a while?

 

[vic120]

Never fails.

“Yeah I got medicare supplement with the hearing and dental and spending card”

Oh, nice, those supplements sure are great aren’t they?

Or how come my friend has a Medicare supplement that does not cost her anything and has dental, but mine does not?

 

[LostDollar]

Paying for A and B has nothing to do with it.

Paying for (or having) A and B has everything to do with it because you must be in Medicare (in both parts) in order to be eligible for and use Medicare Advantage coverage.

 

[LostDollar]

Yeah I know what you mean. I haven’t had any pushback or confusion over it yet, (I find it reduces confusion and makes things simpler to retain) and I'm very thorough in explaining things to people and educating them on what they have/are going to have.

Ok, thanks. I don't think I could do what you do many times a day on a daily basis.

 

[rmhaire]

Paying for (or having) A and B has everything to do with it because you must be in Medicare (in both parts) in order to be eligible for and use Medicare Advantage coverage.

You are correct. But you're not disagreeing with what I said, just how I chose to say it.

You've got to have both for a supplement or an advantage plan. That had nothing to do with what @Newby said, your response nor mine.

There are rare exceptions on advantage plans where you do not have to have both. But I can't share these with you due to OSHA regulations.

 

[goillini52]

That’s the one. Is that new? Or have they been doing that for a while?

I got that one October 4th.

 

[goillini52]

Ok, thanks. I don't think I could do what you do many times a day on a daily basis.

Have you tried Viagra?

 

[renee15]

Sorry for the basic question, but this has not stopped bothering me since I’ve been in medicare space.

Why are supplements not considered a “part” of medicare? If you search google, even medicare.gov, there are four parts to Medicare, and then supplements straggling along somewhere.

Why not make it less confusing and just say there are five parts? Why does advantage get a part, but not Supplements?

If there’s an actual answer to this I want to know!

you really don't understand this?
Medicare Part A/B/and most of the time D can bundle as Medicare Part C-or Medicare Advantage
Med supps are totally outside. Providers bill Medicare. Then they bill the balance to the supplement.

Supplements pick up what Medicare does not pay --but they are not Medicare.

 

[renee15]

Caveat, I am not an insurance agent.

I don't think this is quite true. There must be a little better way to express what is going on here.

Since a Medicare Beneficiary has to have both Medicare Parts A and B in force, and continue to pay any required premiums to keep Parts A and B in force in order to obtain a Medicare Advantage insurance product; I don't think it is right to say that Medicare Advantage replaces your government Medicare coverage. In discussions on site about this over the years, a FL agent has consistently maintained that Medicare Advantage is a part of Medicare, not a replacement of it.

Medicare has graphics in their booklet showing A + B=C. MAPD plans are highly regulated and approved by CMS