Insurance is a complex thing. When the time comes to pick the best plan, you want to make sure you know that you chose the one that meets your needs and budget. Doing this alone can lead to misinformation. If you choose to use an agent’s help, it is important to make sure that you have one that is honest, and has your best interests at heart. Some agents will deceive you just to make a sale, but not our agents. EZ.Insure agents want what you want, we are here to serve you.
With EZ, you will recieve you own personal agent who will compare plans and provide you with the best.
Custom Service
As soon as you submit a form and reach out to us you will see a photograph of the agent we have chosen for you based on your needs, and you will have the ability to see online quotes that they offer instantly. Before you even speak to an agent you will know who they are, some of the companies they work directly with, and what some of the plan prices they offer are.
What Our Agents Provide
Gone are the days of dealing with multiple agents. EZ will provide you your own personal agent that is specialized and licensed in your area. You personal agent will:
Compare plans to find the one that fits your needs.
Help you get insurance companies to lower their prices to get your business.
Assist you through the Health Plan enrollment process.
Our agents put you first and prioritize your needs.
Offer you support in the future with any Health Care issues you might encounter.
Aside from all of these things your agent will provide, you will also receive honesty and integrity. It is all about helping you and making sure you have a positive experience, not making money off you.
No More False Information
Because our agents will compare all the available plans in your area, you will not have to worry about getting the wrong information. The agent we provide you will give you instant, accurate quotes, for free. The goal is to provide you with these quotes, and make sure you find the best plan for your exact needs and budget. No deception, or trying to get you to sign up for something you do not need just to make a profit. That is what separates us from the other companies.
Many people wonder if Humana and Medicare are the same. Simply put, no. Medicare is a government administered health insurance program, and Humana is one of the largest private insurance companies. People get these two confused because Humana sells Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Plans. Let’s go over what exactly the two are.
When comparing Medicare and Humana, it can be like comparing apples and oranges. They are two different things.
Medicare
Medicare is the nation’s largest health insurance program for adults 65 and older. It is operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Medicare is used by over 57 million Americans, and it is not based on income, and it is not free. In order to be eligible for Medicare, you must meet some requirements:
You must be 65 and older.
You must have worked and paid at least 40 qualifying quarters, or 10 years, of Medicare taxes to receive Medicare Part A.
You must be a U.S. citizen.
Medicare benefits are divided into two parts, Part A and Part B.
Medicare Part A and Part B covers a number of hospital and medical services.
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) — covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, short-term nursing home care, hospice care, and some home health care. (100% of your costs for up to 60 days in a hospital or up to 20 days in a skilled nursing facility.)
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) — covers annual wellness visits every month, ambulance services, orthotics and prosthetics, medical equipment, and mental health care. (80% of costs covered by Medicare.)
Medicare will cover 80% of your Part B expenses, leaving you with 20% to pay out of pocket. If the expenses get to be too much to budget, you can look into additional coverage to pay for the 20%, such as Medicare Supplement plans. These plans vary by premium, deductible, and coverage. Additionally, they are helpful to those who travel, as some cover international health care costs.
Humana
Humana is a private insurance company that sells Medicare Advantage plans, and Medicare Supplement plans for people looking for secondary insurance to help pay for Original Medicare.
Humana is contracted with the federal government to provide these Medicare plans under the Medicare program.
If you have Medicare and are interested in a Medicare Supplement plan, EZ.Insure can help! There are roughly 10 different types of medicare supplement plans on the market, and they all vary in coverage and cost. Figuring out which plans are best for you can be hard, but we are here to help. If you would like to gather more information on Medicare and Medicare Supplement plans, one or our highly trained agents are ready to help.
You can start by simply entering your zip code in the bar above to get a quote, or you can contact us by email at [email protected] or call 855-220-1144. There is no hassle and no obligation. We will help you answer any questions, go over all of your plan options, find the Medicare Supplement plan most suited for your needs and budget, and even help you sign up if you’re ready.
If you are turning 65 soon you might be looking for information on your Medicare eligibility, and what exactly having Medicare means. Medicare provides insurance to seniors under plans known as Parts A and B. Part A is hospital insurance, and Part B is medical insurance. While Part A is free, Part B is only covered up to 80% by Medicare, leaving you to pay for the other 20%. Unfortunately, some people are unaware that they must sign up for Part B within a certain timeframe, and can face a Medicare penalty.
In order for Medicare beneficiaries to avoid a penalty, Congress will begin notifying them to sign up before they turn 65.
Currently Medicare does not notify you when it is time to sign up and it is up to you to be aware of the standard enrollment periods. If you do not sign up for Medicare Part B within the specified enrollment period, then you will face a life-long penalty. Luckily, in order to help people avoid this penalty, Congress is considering making revisions to a bill called the BENES Act.
The Medicare Penalty
Medicare Part A normally kicks in when you turn 65 on its own, there is no action required from you. You can enroll in Part B three months before you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and three months after the month you turn 65. While it is mandatory to enroll into Medicare Part A when you turn 65, you do have the option to opt out and put off your enrollment into Part B. Generally this will cause a penalty to be applied to your future Medicare rates unless you qualify for a special enrollment period.
The qualifications for a special enrollment period are:
You have coverage by a group health plan through you or your spouse’s current employment.
During the 8 months following the month your group health plan coverage ends, or when the employment ends (whichever is first).
If you do not qualify for a special enrollment period, then you will only be able to join during The General Enrollment Period, or GEP.
The GEP, which falls between January 1 and March 31 of every year, is the period of time when you can enroll in Medicare Part B for the first time. Coverage will then begin the following July. However, if you skipped the initial enrollment period when you turned 65 and waited for a GEP, you will be at risk of facing a penalty.
If you miss the opportunity to sign up for Part B when you are eligible, you will face a 20% penalty for every year you did not sign up.
When you do decide to finally sign up for Medicare Part B, you will then have to pay an additional 10% on top of your monthly premiums. For every full 12-month period (calendar year) that you were eligible for Part B, but did not enroll in it, you will pay a 10% penalty for as long as you have Part B. For example, if you opt out of signing up for Part B benefits for two years, then you will face a 20% penalty fee added onto your monthly Part B premiums forever.
The Problem
Unfortunately, some seniors mistakenly assume they can skip Part B because they have a former employer’s insurance through the ACA, or for other reasons. This leads to the beneficiaries facing a monthly Part B penalty for the rest of their lives. According to research, in 2018, about 760,000 people were paying a late penalty onto their monthly Part B premium, increasing their costs an average of nearly 30%. Congress thankfully is stepping in to try and end the Medicare penalty by notifying the beneficiaries before they turn 65.
Congress’ Approach
Congress hopes to revise the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act, so that Medicare & Medicaid Services are required to notify people before their 65th birthday about their Medicare eligibility. Currently, the government only contacts people who are receiving Social Security benefits to notify them when it is time to sign up for Medicare.
The hope is that this would lead to beneficiaries avoiding the Part B penalty when they do not sign up for 12 or more months after they become eligible.
If passed, the revision would be the first one in five decades. This would move the GEP (January through March) window to the fall, which would coincide with the enrollment period for drug coverage and Medicare Advantage. It would also do away with the July effective date, and move it to January.
When dealing with an illness or disability that leads to the assistance of durable medical equipment such as an adjustable bed. Questions come up, mainly how much they are, and if the costs of these beds are covered by Medicare Insurance.
Adjustable beds will be covered under Medicare if they are deemed medically necessary.
Doctors can prescribe these beds for many conditions, such as sleep disorders, respiratory problems, restless leg syndrome, and more. If you do require an adjustable bed, then it must be deemed “medically necessary” by your doctor in order to be covered. Will it be completely covered? Well, it depends.
What Is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)?
Durable medical equipment is medical equipment that is reusable, such as crutches, wheelchairs, and adjustable beds. In order for a DME to be covered, it has to be used for medical reasons, durable, andused at home.
If you are staying in a nursing home, that does not qualify as your home. Therefore, it will not be covered. However, a long term care facility can give you DME, because they are responsible for your health.
Is it Medically Necessary?
Even though your doctor might determine that there is a medical purpose for DME, it does not mean it will be approved by Medicare. Once the doctor recommends it, it must be considered and reviewed by Medicare before it will pay. Not all DME is created equal. In other words, there might be a specific type of bed that is approved, while others are not.
Adjustable beds are usually prescribed to patients to help cure, relieve, and minimize circulatory and respiratory health issues. These beds help people get in and out of bed with more comfort and ease.
Medicare Part B will cover 80% of the adjustable bed expense, leaving you to pay the rest (20%).
Will Medicare Cover Adjustable Beds?
Under Medicare Part B, in the DME section, it states that they might cover adjustable beds. But there are some requirements that a person must meet first before qualifying. First, a doctor must prescribe the bed for use at home. Afterwards, the bed must be sourced by an accredited Medicare supplier. Then, Medicare Part B will cover 80% of the expense, leaving you to pay the rest (20%).
Thankfully, if you are in need of an adjustable bed in your home due to chronic pain, or certain conditions, Medicare will cover it. As long as the bed is prescribed as medically necessary, and acquired from an accredited supplier, then you will be good to go. Make sure you contact Medicare to make sure the bed is accredited before purchasing it, because some bed suppliers will mislead patients into buying unaccredited beds.
Medicare normally kicks in when you turn 65. You can enroll 3 months before you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and three months after the month you turn 65. While it is mandatory to enroll when you turn 65, you do have the option to opt out and push your enrollment into the program. However, when you do this, you are at risk of facing a penalty.
There are some ways to avoid the Medicare penatly, such as if you have employer’s health insurance.
Having Coverage
If you are still employed, or have coverage, then you can opt out of signing up for Medicare. As long as your employer has 20 or more employees, then you can hold off on Medicare, and will not have to worry about the penalty. You can still sign up for Medicare Part A. It does not cost you anything and will cover hospital visits, and can act as a secondary insurance to your employer’s insurance.
Collecting Social Security
If you are collecting Social Security, then you will automatically be enrolled into Medicare Parts A and B. You have the option to cancel or opt out of Part B if you have coverage through an employer. However, if you opt out, then you will face a penalty. Medicare Part B covers doctors’ services, outpatient care, and medical equipment.
The Penalty
Opting out of Medicare Part B without a valid reason, such as being on an employer’s insurance, then you will pay a penalty fee. When you decide to finally sign up for Medicare Part B, then you will have to pay 10% to your monthly premiums. This penalty can remain as part of your monthly premiums for a long time.
Every full 12-month period (year) that you could’ve had Part B, but did not take it, you will pay a 10% penalty for as long as you have Part B. For example, if you opt out of signing up for Part B benefits for 2 years, then you will face a 20% penalty fee added onto your monthly Part B premiums forever. If you opt out for 4 years, then you will face a 40% penalty, as so forth.
The Medicare penalty you will face is 10% for every year you opted out of Medicare.
When You Are Safe From Penalties
If you miss your enrollment date, you have a General Enrollment Period, GEP, in which you can sign up if you missed signing up when you were eligible. It is a make-up time for Medicare enrollment and us January 1-March 31 every year. If fewer than 12 months have elapsed, then you will not pay a penalty fee. Other situations you can avoid the penalties are:
If you have Medicaid and Medicare. The state pays the Part B premiums.
If you qualify for assistance from your state in paying Medicare costs under a Medicare Savings Program.
It is not mandatory to sign up for Medicare when you turn 65, depending on your situation. If you do not sign up when you are supposed to, then you will be penalized, unless you have employer coverage or are in the aforementioned situations. It is best to go over your situation and make sure you are making the best decision. Talk to a Medicare agent beforehand so that you are aware of all of your options, and how you can avoid any extra fees.
EZ.Insure can help you with these kinds of situations. We offer specialized Medicare agents within your area that can go over all of your options and make sure you are in the best situation. If you would like to speak to an agent, call 888-753-7207 or email us at [email protected]. Or if you would like an instant quote, enter your zip code in the bar above. Our services are free, because our goal is to help you, and make sure you are taken care of.
The federal government designed a tool to help seniors navigate through all their possible Medicare choices. This was created for them to be able to choose their best option. There have been some bugs that needed to be fixed, so the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, updated the Medicare Plan Finder tool in August. However, the tool is still currently giving seniors incorrect price estimates, and wrong coverage information.
The Medicare Plan Finder Tool is a tool on the Medicare.gov site that helps consumers navigate through Medicare plans and prices
The Medicare Finder Tool
The Medicare Plan Finder Tool is a tool on the Medicare.gov site that helps consumers navigate through Medicare plans and prices before signing up. The tool was developed in 2005, but in August of 2019, it was revamped and redesigned.
The Issue With The Tool
Even with the revamp, Medicare beneficiaries have been just as confused as ever. The tool has been showing inaccurate premium estimates. Incorrect prescription drug costs, and inaccurate coverage costs. If a beneficiary chooses the wrong coverage due to the inaccurate information provided, it can cost them a lot of money for the whole year they are stuck with the plan until the next open enrollment.
Per ProPublica, a Medicare consultant in Wisconsin used the tool to research prescription drug plans for a client, and was shocked by the results. The consultant stated that when she searched for them, the comparison page showed all but one of her client’s medications would be covered. So the consultant dug deeper by clicking on “plan details” to find out which medication was left out. She then saw that the plan finder said all of the medications were covered.
She started checking the plans’ websites, and came across two versions of the same high blood pressure medication. One was covered, while the other was not. The difference in price was $2,700 a month.
In Nebraska, an insurance administrator flagged about 100 errors since she began working with the tool in October.
“Millions of people are going to be absolutely affected,” said Ann Kayrish, senior program manager for Medicare at the National Council on Aging. “And you hate to think about millions of people having the wrong plan. That’s kind of crazy.”
The Medicare Tool has been giving seniors the wrong information on coverage and prices.
“It’s not like there’s one consistent problem that you can fix and then be addressed,” said David Lipschutz, associate director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. “It’s really like a game of whack-a-mole.”
What You Can Do
CMS has spent $11 million dollars in order to revamp the tool. But the misinformation it gives is alarming, especially when seniors are struggling as it is to pay for Medicare costs and prescription drugs. Using the tool and enrolling into a plan that ends up costing a medicare beneficiary too much, they will struggle, and possibly end up with major financial issues.
The CMS is currently working on fixing the issues. In the meantime, if you are seeking Medicare advice, it would be best to contact a Medicare agent. A Medicare agent who is familiar with plans and their coverage can help guide you in a better, more accurate direction. EZ.Insure offers highly trained agents in your region that can offer you accurate quotes on plans available. If you would like to speak to an agent, call 888-753-7207 or email us at [email protected]. Or if you would like an instant quote, enter your zip code in the bar above.
