Medicare Part A
Medicare is organized in a very specific way, in order to minimize confusion and ensure that all beneficiaries are fully aware of the different areas of coverage that they have. Medicare is organized into different parts, each of which corresponds to a certain area of care. There are four parts within Medicare and each of which has an identifying number.
Medicare Part A
Part A and Part B are what makes up Original Medicare, while Part C is Medicare Advantage. Part D provides coverage for prescription drugs and is only available for those enrolled in Original Medicare. Because of this structure, beneficiaries are easily able to differentiate what coverage they have and make decisions about their policy.
Part A
Medicare Part A provides a wide range of coverage and can save beneficiaries thousands of dollars. The majority of Part A coverage includes inpatient care. This means that inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facilities and hospice care are all included within this coverage umbrella.
Understanding Part A is essential if your goal is to save as much money as possible. In order for Part A to be used, a doctor must deem that the care is essential. Medicare doesn’t typically cover things that are not necessary, so having a doctor’s approval is an important step in the coverage process. When having this discussion with your doctor, bring up your Medicare coverage and make sure that they’re aware of your health insurance situation.
Hospital Coverage
If you’re going to be admitted to a hospital, it is essential that you make sure they accept Medicare. If you receive care that isn’t within your Medicare coverage, you will be responsible to pay for it entirely out-of-pocket. This is one of the most common ways to get a huge medical bill and can be financially devastating. Making sure that all the care you receive is within your coverage will help keep your bills down and make sure that you’re using your coverage to its full extent.
When it comes to coinsurance for hospital stays, the amount will increase as the visit days do. There is a $0 coinsurance for Days 1-60. That amount will increase in increments as your stay lengthens. Keeping this in mind is important and one of the reasons why many try to avoid long hospital stays.
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Skilled nursing facilities are another type of care that’s covered within Part A. This requires that beneficiaries have a prior hospital stay that meets the requirements for them to be transferred to this type of facility. This type of care must also be ordered by a doctor.
Contact Us Today!
Enrolling in Original Medicare is an excellent way to save yourself money and still have access to quality medical care. If you’re interested in learning more, give us a call today.