Nearly 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease, and that figure is expected to climb to 1.2 million by 2030. While this disease can affect anyone, it is more common in older adults: it affects around 1% of the population over 60. If you are an older adult, especially if you have a family history of Parkinson’s disease, you might be worried that you could be diagnosed with this condition; you might also be worried about how you would pay for treating it. Medicare can help ease the financial burdens of paying for care, especially if you purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan.
Understanding Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain, which causes tremors.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disease that causes nerve cells in the area of the brain that control movement to weaken and/or die. It is the second most destructive degenerative neurological disorder after Alzheimer’s disease, but unlike Alzheimer’s, which primarily affects memory and cognitive skills, Parkinson’s affects movement, balance, and mood.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra; scientists believe this loss of nerve cells is triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. You might be at higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease if one or more of your family members has it: around 15 to 25% of people living with Parkinson’s have family members that have had it as well. In terms of environmental factors, studies have shown that Parkinson’s is more common among people living in rural areas, leading experts to believe that exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
There are four main symptoms to keep an eye out for when it comes to Parkinson’s:
Tremor or trembling in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head
Slow movements
Stiffness of the limbs and trunk
Impaired balance and coordination
Medicare Coverage For Parkinson’s
Medicare will help cover some of the costs of treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Medicare Part A will provide coverage for any inpatient hospital stays, which can be beneficial for people who have more advanced cases of Parkinson’s. It will also cover up to 100 days in a skilled nursing facility, as well as any surgery needed.
Medicare Part B will cover your doctor visits. It will also help cover the cost of physical therapy, injections, therapy for any accidents related to Parkinson’s, and any medical equipment needed to manage symptoms. Medicare Part B might also cover parts of Duopa therapy, an innovative procedure used to treat motor symptoms in advanced Parkinson’s. In this procedure, medication is delivered through a tube directly into the patient’s intestine.
A Medicare Supplement Plan can help cover any extra costs that Original Medicare does not cover, including the 20% coinsurance that you will have to pay out-of-pocket for every Part B expense. One of these plans could cover 100% of your Part A coinsurance and hospital costs, as well as 100% of Part B coinsurance and copayments, for one low monthly premium price.
There are 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from, each offering different coverage options and rates. It’s worth looking into a Medicare Supplement Plan to save as much money as you can, so speak to an EZ agent for all of your options. EZ’s agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation and can compare plans in minutes for you at no cost. To get free instant quotes for plans that cover your current doctors, simply enter your zip code in the bar on the side, or to speak to a licensed agent, call 888-753-7207.
Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in the US, especially in older adults. The risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration increases from 2% for those aged 50-59, to nearly 30% for those over the age of 75. That means it’s vitally important that you get your eyes checked regularly as you age, since doing so could help save your vision. August is National Eye Exam Month, so this month we wanted to talk about macular degeneration, how you can avoid this disease, and how Medicare can help.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration causes blurred or reduced central vision.
The macula is the center of the retina, and is responsible for vision clarity. Over time the macula can thin, known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), causing blurred or reduced central vision. This condition can develop in one or both eyes, but will eventually affect both eyes.
If you are diagnosed with macular degeneration, you will not lose your sight entirely, but you could lose your ability to read, drive, and even recognize faces. The best way to avoid macular degeneration as you age is to have regular eye exams. During exams, your ophthalmologist can detect the early signs of macular degeneration and find the best solutions for minimizing its effects.
Risk Factors
There are multiple risk factors for developing macular degeneration, including:
Having a family history of AMD
Being Caucasian
Smoking cigarettes
Eating a diet high in saturated fat
Being overweight
Having hypertension or high blood pressure
Having heart disease and/or high cholesterol
Being over the age of 50
Unfortunately, there is no cure for macular degeneration, but a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of developing it, and can slow down its progression. For example, to reduce your risk of AMD, you should quit smoking if you are a smoker, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and protect your eyes from UV rays with sunglasses and a hat.
Medicare Coverage for Macular Degeneration
If you begin to experience wavy, blurry, or dim vision, it’s important to contact your eye doctor immediately. If you are diagnosed with macular degeneration, treatment will depend on the stage of the disease. In the early stages, called dry macular degeneration, you will most likely be told to take supplements, which are generally not covered by Medicare.
But if your AMD is in a more advanced stage, known as wet macular degeneration, Medicare Part B will cover diagnostic tests and treatments, including drops and injections. You will, though, have to meet your Part B deductible first, as well as pay a 20% coinsurance for the Medicare-approved amount of the treatment.
Medicare Part B will only cover the cost of services or treatment for any condition at 80%, leaving you to pay for the other 20% out-of-pocket. If you need ongoing treatment for a condition like macular degeneration, this can become quite expensive, especially if you are living on a fixed income, as many Medicare beneficiaries are. Fortunately, though, you can save money on all your medical expenses and get extra coverage by purchasing a Medicare Supplement Plan.
There are 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from, each offering different coverage options and rates. It’s worth looking into a Medicare Supplement Plan to save as much money as you can, so speak to an EZ agent for all of your options. EZ’s agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation and can compare plans for you in minutes at no cost to you. To get free instant quotes for plans that cover your current doctors, simply enter your zip code in the bar on the side, or to speak to a licensed agent, call 888-753-7207.
When you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare, you might find that you need to adjust to Medicare after having private insurance. But you’ll most likely be pleased with the switch! With that being said, though, there are things that Medicare doesn’t cover, meaning you’ll have some out-of-pocket expenses to budget for, as you would with a private health insurance plan. Some of these expenses change every year; it’s important to be up-to-date so you can plan for them, as well as know what type of Medicare Supplement Plan will help keep your out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum.
You will have some Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, which is important to know so you can prepare and budget for them.
Medicare Part A Costs
Medicare Part A is hospital insurance, which covers most inpatient hospital services. Most people don’t pay a Part A premium, because this is covered by the Medicare taxes you have paid while working. But if you don’t qualify for free Medicare Part A premiums, you will have to pay up to $499 each month for hospital insurance.
For Medicare Part A, your biggest out-of-pocket expense is your annual deductible, which you will have to meet if you are admitted to the hospital. For 2022, the Part A annual deductible is $1,556, and covers your share of costs for the first 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care in a benefit period. If you go over 60 days, you’ll have to pay a coinsurance of $389 per day for the 61st through 90th day of hospitalization in a benefit period, and $778 per day for lifetime reserve days. If you need a skilled nursing facility, your daily coinsurance for days 21 through 100 of extended care services in a benefit period will be $194.50 in 2022.
Medicare Part B Costs
Medicare Part B covers outpatient medical services, including durable medical equipment. There are a few more out-of-pocket expenses for Part B than there are for Part A: you will have to pay a monthly premium, coinsurance, and meet your annual deductible. Each year, these costs change slightly. For 2022, the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees is $170.10, the annual deductible is $233, and coinsurance will remain at 20% of the Medicare billable amount of services.
What Medicare Typically Doesn’t Cover
In addition to the out-of-pocket expenses associated with Medicare Parts A and B, there are other things that Original Medicare does not cover, including:
Most dental care, including dentures and dental implants
Most vision care, including eye exams for glasses and contacts
Most hearing care, including hearing aids, exams, and fittings for hearing aids
Long-term or custodial care
Most cosmetic surgery
Massage therapy and acupuncture
Routine foot care
Personal comfort items and services
Medical expenses outside the U.S.
Prescription medications
Medicare also will not pay for services and supplies that your doctors consider medically unnecessary.
As we pointed out above, Medicare Part B will only cover the cost of services or treatment at 80%, leaving you to pay the other 20% out-of-pocket. If you need to have major surgery, like a heart transplant, this can be quite expensive, especially if you are living on a fixed income, as many Medicare beneficiaries are. Fortunately, though, you can save money on all your medical expenses and get extra coverage by purchasing a Medicare Supplement Plan.
There are 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from, each offering different coverage options and rates. It’s worth looking into a Medicare Supplement Plan to save as much money as you can, so speak to an EZ agent for all of your options. EZ’s agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation and can compare plans for you in minutes at no cost to you. To get free instant quotes for plans that cover your current doctors, simply enter your zip code in the bar on the side, or to speak to a licensed agent, call 888-753-7207.
Medicare is different from private health insurance plans in some ways, but similar in others. For example, there aren’t as many choices to make when it comes to Original Medicare as there are with private health insurance, but you will have at least one big choice to make: if you should get a Medicare Supplement Plan, and if so, which one. The answer to the first question is easy: yes! Original Medicare has quite a few out-of-pocket expenses associated with it, like Part B’s 20% coinsurance, so having a Medicare Supplement Plan is important to help you keep your medical expenses under control.
But the second question might seem harder, since there are 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from. So if you’re wondering which one is right for you, you should ask yourself the following questions.
Medicare Supplement Plans are similar to the private health insurance you’re probably used to: you choose a plan, pay a monthly premium, and in return, the plan pays most of your expenses not covered by Medicare Parts A & B.
For example, if you have a $4,000 ambulance bill, and you have already met your Medicare Part B annual deductible, Medicare Part B will pay 80% of the bill. That means you’ll have to pay the remaining 20%, or $800, out-of-pocket. But if you have a Medicare Supplement Plan that covers Part B copayments and coinsurance, your plan will pay that $800.
How Do You Get a Medicare Supplement Plan?
While you can enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan at any time, the best time to purchase a plan is during your Open Enrollment Period. This is the six-month period that starts on the first day of the month that you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B. During your Open Enrollment Period, you can enroll in any Medicare Supplement Plan offered in your service area with guaranteed issue, meaning that insurance companies are not allowed to deny you coverage or charge you more because of pre-existing conditions. There are many different types of Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from, with varying levels of coverage and different price points.
Questions To Ask
If you’re looking for a Medicare Supplement Plan, you might be tempted to choose the most inexpensive plan because you want to save money, but that might not be the best option for your needs. You will need to take into consideration your current and future health care needs, and any additional expenses that might come up.
So before you purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan, you should ask yourself:
What is my budget?
What are the maximum out-of-pocket expenses for each plan?
What are the copays and deductibles for each plan?
Would I rather pay more in monthly premiums and have lower out-of-pocket expenses, or pay a lower premium and have a copay each time I see the doctor?
Am I okay with a plan that requires me to stay within a network of doctors? Or do I want a plan that has no networks?
Do I want a plan that doesn’t require me to get a referral from my primary care physician to go to a specialist?
Do I plan on traveling?
Do I take any infusion drugs? (Many plans only cover 80% of infusion drug costs.)
Are extra benefits such as prescription drugs or dental, vision, and hearing important to me? Or can I purchase a separate plan?
Looking For More Information?
If you need help answering these questions, an EZ agent can help you! Our agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation and can go over each plan available in your area while helping you answer all of the above questions to find the plan that best meets your needs.
Because there are 10 different plans to choose from, we guarantee to find you the perfect fit. It’s worth looking into a Medicare Supplement Plan to save as much money as you can, so speak to an EZ agent for all of your options. EZ’s agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation and can compare plans for you in minutes at no cost to you. To get free instant quotes for plans that cover your current doctors, simply enter your zip code in the bar on the side, or to speak to a licensed agent, call 888-753-7207.
If you’ve had private health insurance, you’ve probably had to get referrals before seeing certain doctors. These referrals are pre-approvals that you need to get from your primary care physician before seeing a specialist within the same network; we often associate them with certain types of private insurance plans. But now that you’re on Medicare, or are about to enroll, you might be wondering: do you need referrals to see specialists if you’re on Medicare?
Are Referrals Necessary?
The good news is that Original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t require referrals for specialist care. However, if you have Part A or Part B coverage through a Medicare Advantage (Part C) Plan, you might need a referral before seeing a specialist.
In addition, if you have a Medicare Supplement Plan, you will not need a referral to see a specialist: you will be able to go to any doctor, hospital, or other provider in the country who accepts Medicare. This means that Medicare Supplement Plans offer some of the best coverage out there: all you have to pay is your monthly premium and you get all the benefits of Original Medicare, plus a lot of extras. For example, your plan will cover what Original Medicare does not, including the 20% coinsurance that you need to pay when you receive medical treatment.
In addition to the ability to see a specialist without a referral, all Medicare Supplement Plans also offer coverage for at least part of:
Medicare Parts A and B deductibles
Skilled nursing facility costs (after you run out of Medicare-covered days)
Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs (up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up)
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment
Part B excess charges
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
Blood (first 3 pints)
Two Medicare Supplement Plans (Plans K and L) include an out-of-pocket limit. This means that once you have reached a certain amount spent on Medicare-covered services, the plan will cover 100% of Medicare-covered costs for the rest of the year.
As stated, Medicare Part B, which covers the costs of most medical services, only covers 80% of these costs. This will leave you with the remaining 20% to pay out-of-pocket, but a Medicare Supplement Plan can help you pay for the medical expenses that aren’t covered by Medicare Part B. One of these plans can help you save hundreds, or maybe even thousands of dollars each year.
There are 10 different plans to choose from, and depending on which plan you choose, you could get anywhere from 75% coverage of your medical expenses up to 100%. Each plan offers a range of coverage at different price points, and can help save you money and keep you from stressing over medical bills, leaving you with more time and energy to focus on your health.
EZ can compare all 10 Medicare Supplement Plans and find the one that will meet your financial and medical needs. Our agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation, which makes comparing plans easy, quick, and free – our services come at no cost to you because we just want to help you save money so you can focus on your health. To get free instant quotes on plans that cover your doctors, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local licensed agent, call 888-753-7207.
As you get older, your health can change, and you might find yourself dealing with new medical issues. Fortunately, if you’re 65 or older, Medicare will take care of you. But Medicare isn’t only there to help you manage your conditions, you can – and should – also use it to get the screenings you need to keep on top of your health!
And right now, we’re talking to all the men out there: there are various health screenings suggested for men 65 and older that many men often put off, or don’t take seriously enough. But whether you’re avoiding getting a screening because you don’t think you need it, or because you think it will cost too much, you could end up missing the early warning signs of a disease that could be life-threatening. Medicare will cover the following three health screenings that every man should have, so talk to your doctor today!
About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their life.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer for men in the United States, after skin cancer. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their life. Many men will not experience any symptoms when prostate cancer is in its early stages, so it’s important to get an annual exam to check for early warning signs, and catch any abnormalities as soon as possible.
For this reason, Medicare will begin paying for this screening starting at age 50. Medicare will cover both a digital rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test once a year.
2. Colorectal Cancer
Over the past couple of decades, colorectal cancer rates have been increasing. In fact, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance believes that the risk of men developing colorectal cancer in their lifetime is now 1 in 23. A lot of men put off having a screening for this type of cancer because they worry about invasiveness, or they might not realize that they are already in a risky age group, but delaying could mean missing a diagnosis. This is especially true since most men do not experience symptoms until the cancer has spread.
If you’re worried about the test for colorectal cancer, know that you have options: Medicare will cover various preventative screenings, including a physical occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy.
Medicare Part B will cover glucose lab tests if you have risk factors for diabetes.
Diabetes can lead to other serious medical conditions such as heart disease and stroke. In fact, did you know that nearly 70% of people with diabetes who are 65 or older die of some form of heart disease?
Medicare Part B will cover glucose lab tests if you have risk factors for diabetes including high blood pressure, obesity, high blood sugar, and a history of high cholesterol levels. Medicare will also cover a diabetes screening if you are overweight or have a family history of diabetes.
Extra Coverage
Taking care of yourself is important, and Medicare makes it easy to get the screenings you need. So don’t put off getting screened for the above conditions, because doing so could help you live a little longer.
And if you need more help paying for screenings and other medical expenses, a Medicare Supplement Plan can help. These plans can cover your Part A deductible and coinsurance costs, as well as your Medicare Part B copayment, coinsurance, and deductible. There are 10 different plans to choose from, and depending on which plan you choose, you could get anywhere from 75% coverage of your medical expenses all the way up to 100%. Each plan offers a range of coverage at different price points, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for you.
Need help finding the right plan? EZ can compare all 10 Medicare Supplement Plans and find the one that will meet your financial and medical needs. Our agents work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation, which makes comparing plans easy, quick, and free – our services come at no cost to you because we just want to help you save money so you can focus on your health. To get free instant quotes on plans that cover your doctors, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local licensed agent, call 888-753-7207.
