Medicare Resources
What You Need To Know About Medicare
The US healthcare system is constantly changing and complex, including Medicare. Healthfirm Benefits has been helping people with their Medicare coverage for decades. We have done the research and are constantly updating ourselves on the federal insurance program that is Medicare. The following resources and guide are provided to help make the process of transitioning to Medicare easier. Our goal is to help you feel confident about the choices you make with your Medicare coverage.
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Making the Right Moves in Medicare
When you become eligible for Medicare, timing is just as important as selecting the right plan. Delaying your enrollment could result in late enrollment penalties and gaps in coverage. Selecting the wrong plan could wipe out a nest egg with just one major illness or trip to the hospital. Taking the right steps to enroll in Medicare, at the right time, protects your life’s savings and ensures a smooth Medicare journey.
Step #1
Know Your Costs. Review your overall healthcare costs, including regular visits, specialists you see, prescription drug costs and any procedures you know you will need.
Step #3
Learn the Basics of Medicare and SAVE. The wrong plan can cost you. You can also pay penalties and unnecessary excessive costs if you miss certain enrollment dates.
Step #2
Check Your Plan's Providers. Make sure the plan you choose accepts Medicare and that your doctors are part of any preferred network to avoid extra costs and surprise fees.
Step #4
Get FREE Professional Help. Talk to us! We’ll do the leg work for you, helping you to add up all your costs (copays, premiums, etc.) so you can pick the best option.
Step 5 – Enroll in Medicare
Medicare is NOT automatic!
You need to enroll in original Medicare (Parts A & B) before you can buy a Medicare Advantage or Supplement plan. To enroll, you will provide proof of your eligibility. This can be a birth certificate, proof citizenship, W-2 or tax forms, and or military records.
See more on how, when and where to apply in the FAQs section below.
Step #1
Know Your Costs. Review your overall healthcare costs, including regular visits, specialists you see, prescription drug costs and any procedures you know you will need.
Step #2
Check Your Plan's Providers. Make sure the plan you choose accepts Medicare and that your doctors are part of any preferred network to avoid extra costs and surprise fees.
Step #3
Learn the Basics of Medicare and SAVE. The wrong plan can cost you. You can also pay penalties and unnecessary excessive costs if you miss certain enrollment dates.
Step #4
Get FREE Professional Help. Talk to us! We’ll do the leg work for you, helping you to add up all your costs (copays, premiums, etc.) so you can pick the best option.
Step 5 – Enroll in Medicare
Medicare is NOT automatic!
You need to enroll in original Medicare (Parts A & B) before you can buy a Medicare Advantage or Supplement plan. To enroll, you will provide proof of your eligibility. This can be a birth certificate, proof citizenship, W-2 or tax forms, and or military records.
See more on how, when and where to apply in the FAQs section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most people get Part A for free, which is Hospital Coverage. Most people will pay a standard Part B premium for Medical coverage which varies depending on income. Additionally, you will pay a separate premium for Part D, prescription drug coverage. See our page on Medicare Premiums for more info.
You can apply online or call your local Social Security office. You’ll enroll, create your Medicare account, track your Medicare information such as bills, claims, health information and more, as well as print your Medicare card.
Click here to apply online at Social Security.
You can continue to receive employer benefits and delay enrollment. If you are still receiving work benefits, you still have the option of enrolling in Medicare Part A during your initial enrollment age, if you decide it is wise for your specific healthcare needs. Remember, for most people the Part A premium is free. Also, keep in mind that Medicare is not automatic (as discussed above) so you will need to enroll yourself when your enrollment period begins.
It’s important to note that you can only delay enrolling in Part B and Part D without incurring late enrollment penalties if you have creditable coverage from your employer, or your spouses employer. Creditable coverage requires that If the employer group has 20 eligible employees or more, then you may be able stay on that plan. There are many things to consider and you should talk to a professional to make sure you are making the right moves.
Original Medicare does not. There are copays, coinsurance, and deductibles. You may get more of your costs covered with an Advantage Plan, which may or may not have additional benefits such as vision, dental and hearing. OR, you can purchase a separate Medigap policy to fill in the gaps of your Original Medicare. For more info, visit our Medicare Premiums page or view our Medicare Options Compared chart.
Both of these Medicare options are sold by private carriers. You do, however, have to be already enrolled in Original Medicare before you can buy or switch to these options.
Once enrolled, you must act during annual open enrollment if you need to switch to Medicare Advantage or change your existing Advantage plan.
For Medicare Supplements – note you have a once in a lifetime window that begins the month you become eligible for Medicare and allows you to enroll in any Medigap plan without answering health questions, meaning you won’t be denied coverage or pay higher premiums for health problems. After this window closes, if you wish to buy a Supplement plan, you can do so at any time of the year, but you’ll most likely have to go through medical underwriting.
Disclaimer:
The above information on Medicare costs was retrieved from Medicare.gov.
Healthfirm Benefits, nor it’s agents, are not part of the Federal Government Medicare System. The content in on this page has not been reviewed or approved by Medicare.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program to get information on all your options.
