How do Medicare insurance agents get paid?
Medicare insurance agents are typically paid a commission by the insurance companies they represent. When an agent helps a client enroll in a Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, or Medicare Part D plan, the insurance company compensates the agent with a percentage of the plan’s premium. The exact commission rate varies by insurer and plan type. […]
Medicare Part B – Second opinion before surgery
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) helps pay for a second opinion before surgery. When your doctor says you have a health problem that needs surgery, you have the right to: • Know and understand your treatment choices • Have another doctor look at those choices with you (second opinion) • Participate in treatment decisions by […]
Who’s eligible for the Medicare hospice benefit
If you have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) AND meet all of these conditions, you can get hospice care: – Your hospice doctor and your regular doctor (if you have one) certify that you’re terminally ill (you’re expected to live 6 months or less). – You accept comfort care (palliative care) instead of care to […]
Medicare Billing – Review your Medicare claims for errors
When you get Medicare related health care services, it may be helpful to record the dates on a calendar and save the receipts and statements you get from providers to check for mistakes. Compare this information with the claims Medicare processed to make sure you or Medicare weren’t billed for any tests, items, or services […]
Medicare covers these preventive services
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening • Alcohol misuse screening and counseling • Blood-based biomarker test • Bone mass measurement • Cardiovascular disease (behavioral therapy) • Cardiovascular screening • Colorectal cancer screening – Fecal occult blood test – Flexible sigmoidoscopy – Colonoscopy – Barium enema – Multi-target stool DNA test (like CologuardTM ) • Depression screening […]
Medicare Provides Hospice Care – At no cost
Under Medicare Part A, hospice benefits are outlined in the Medicare & You handbook. A doctor ordering hospice must certify that the patient has six months or less to live. A hospice patient agrees to comfort care (palliative care) instead of treatment to cure their illness, and they must sign a statement indicating that hospice […]
Medicare and Bankruptcy
If you have filed a bankruptcy petition or are involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, notify your servicing Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) immediately so that we can properly resolve Medicare financial obligations. Even if there are no outstanding payments at the time of the bankruptcy filing, this notification ensures that we handle your situation properly. Notify […]
How do I authorize Medicare to disclose personal information to others?
You must give Medicare written permission (an “authorization”) before Medicare can use or disclose your personal medical information for any purpose other than those stated in the Medicare & You handbook. It is your right to revoke your written permission at any time, except if Medicare has already taken action based on it. If you’re […]
What’s the Part B late enrollment penalty?
If you don’t sign up for Medicare Part B when you’re first eligible and don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty. This penalty is added to your monthly Part B premium and lasts for as long as you have Part B. The penalty is 10 percent […]
How can I stop my Medicare Part B?
To stop your Medicare Part B coverage, you must complete a voluntary termination process through the Social Security Administration. This is a serious decision that requires careful consideration, as you may face penalties and coverage gaps if you decide to re-enroll later. The termination process requires submitting Form CMS-1763 to the Social Security Administration and […]