April 11 is World Parkinson’s Day, a day to raise awareness about this debilitating disease. According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, there are approximately 1.5 million Americans living with this disease, with 60,000 new cases joining the count each year. This condition usually affects people 65 years and older, and progresses in 5 stages. If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, are in the beginning stages of the disease, or have a family history of it, you might be wondering exactly what Medicare covers when it comes to this condition. Medicare covers quite a lot to improve the quality of life of those suffering from Parkinson’s, but there are some out-of-pocket costs.
What Is Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological progressive disorder that is caused by the degeneration of cells in the nervous system. The exact cause of this degeneration is not known, but scientists believe it is the result of external and genetic factors. Men are 1.5 times more likely to develop the disease, and many usually develop symptoms around age 60. The life expectancy for those with the condition is anywhere between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed.
What Are The Symptoms?
Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease are both motor and non-motor and include:
Tremors of the hands, arms, legs, or face
Slow movements
Memory loss is one of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Gradual loss of spontaneous movement (bradykinesia)
Parkinson’s disease lowers levels of dopamine in the brain, and causes the death of nerve cells in the brain. Because of this, it affects multiple areas of the body, causing tremors and loss of spontaneous movement. The disease progresses in 5 stages, which will affect the sufferer in the following ways:
A person with stage 5 Parkinson’s will most likely be confined to a wheelchair.
Stage 1: Individuals will experience mild symptoms that do not interfere with daily activities. Tremors will occur on one side of the body, with possible changes in walking and facial expressions.
Stage 2: Symptoms get worse with tremors now occurring on both sides of the body, and normal daily activities will take longer to accomplish.
Stage 3: Symptoms include loss of balance and slowness of movements, and will hinder daily activities such as getting dressed and eating.
Stage 4: Symptoms are severe: the individual might be able to stand without help, but will need a walker in order to get around. At this stage, a person with the condition will no longer be able to live alone and will need assistance.
Stage 5: Symptoms include stiffness in the legs, making it impossible to stand or walk. The individual will need a wheelchair or could be bedridden at this stage, and will require nursing care at all times. Severe symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations.
Treatment & Medicare Coverage
Unfortunately, there is no treatment that can delay the progression of Parkinson’s disease. There are, however, ways to effectively manage the disease, including medications, surgeries, and lifestyle modifications such as healthy eating and exercise.
Medicare covers medically necessary treatments including medications, therapy, and hospital stays if a surgical procedure is performed. Part A will cover any inpatient hospital care, surgical procedures, hospice care, skilled home health visits, and limited skilled nursing facility care.
Medicare Part B will cover outpatient services such as doctor appointments, screenings, any tests needed, limited appointments with home health aides, durable medical equipment, occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy and mental health services.
Medicare will not cover long-term care.
While you will be covered as long as you receive care from a Medicare-approved provider, you will still have some out-of-pocket expenses. Medicare Part A has a deductible of $1,484 for each benefit period, and if you stay in the hospital for longer than 60 days, you will have to pay coinsurance for each day past the 60 days. Part B’s monthly premium is $148.50 and the annual deductible is $203. After you meet your deductible, you will be responsible for paying 20% of covered services.
Medicare Supplement Plans can help pay for the 20% coinsurance that you will be required to pay when receiving treatments. This 20% can add up quickly, but with a Medicare Supplement Plan, those costs will be covered, which will help you save money throughout the year. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease, which unfortunately means that it will only continue to get worse, and will require extensive treatment over time. This can become quite costly, and medical bills are the last things you should not have to worry about while dealing with this debilitating disease.
There are 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from that vary in price and coverage, and an EZ.Insure agent can help you go over the benefits of each one. We provide you with your own agent who will compare quotes of all available Medicare Supplement Plans for you for free. We are dedicated to helping you save money and getting the coverage you need to help improve your overall quality of life. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly with one of our licensed agents, call 888-753-7207.
You go to the doctor for a routine checkup. Afterwards you go to the store to buy some groceries, only to realize that the place in your wallet where your Medicare card usually is is empty. You search your pockets and car – nothing. So you call the doctor’s office only to be informed they do not have it. You begin to panic because you’ve always been told not to lose your card or give out your information. Not to worry, you can report your lost card stolen or missing and get a replacement card.
Your Medicare Card(s)
When you enroll in Medicare or sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan, you will be given insurance cards for both. You must keep them on you so that you can present them to your doctor, hospital or any other medical provider. If you lose either card, you need to notify your doctors immediately so that they know your card is no longer valid. Once you get a new card, either go to their office or call them to give them your new card information.
Your Options
If your Medicare card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can:
Request a replacement Medicare card online through your My Social Security account. If you’ve recently moved or changed your name, you can also update the information Medicare has on file for you through your account.
Request a replacement card through the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) if you were a railroad employee. You can also call the RRB at 1-877-772-5772
Once you notify Medicare your card is lost, you will get a replacement within 30 days.
Once notified, Medicare will cancel your old card, making it inactive, and issue you a new one. Your new card will arrive in the mail 30 days after your request to the address they have on file. However, if you need one sooner than that for an upcoming doctor appointment, Social Security can provide a letter of temporary proof of Medicare coverage.
If your Medicare Supplement Plan card is lost or stolen, immediately call your insurance company – they will cancel the number they assigned to you and issue you a new card. It will take a few weeks for your new card to arrive.
In the meantime, you should continuously review your statement of benefits to make sure that no one was using your card fraudulently before you reported your card stolen or lost.
In order to avoid losing your card, consider keeping it in a safe place so you are less likely to lose or damage it. In the event that you do lose your card, you can get a new one fairly easily, but you need to call as soon as you notice it is missing!
If you are enrolled in Medicare and are looking into a Medicare Supplement Plan to help control your out-of-pocket expenses, EZ can help. We work with the top-rated insurance companies in the country and are able to access all available plans in your area. Medicare Supplement Plans help you stick to a budget while offering more coverage for your medical needs. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak with one of our licensed agents, call 888-753-7207.
Medicare and Medicaid. These two words are so much alike that many people get them confused. They are both government-sponsored health insurance programs, but that is where the similarities end. One of these programs is for adults 65 and older, while the other is for low-income individuals. It is important to understand the difference between the two, so when it is time to enroll in Medicare, you do not miss the opportunity and end up facing a penalty.
Medicare Part A and B will help pay for medical services including hospital insurance and medical insurance.
What is Medicare?
Medicare is a federally-funded program run by the federal government. It is funded by taxpayer dollars as well as by premiums that are paid by beneficiaries. It covers all adults 65 or older; unlike Medicaid, Medicare eligibility is not determined by your income. When you turn 65, you are eligible for Medicare coverage that is broken down into 2 parts: Part A and Part B.
Part A is hospital insurance that covers inpatient medical services and supplies. You can receive premium-free Part A as long as you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.
Part B is medical insurance and covers outpatient medical services and supplies. It has monthly premiums that you must pay in order to receive coverage.
When You Can Enroll
You can enroll in Medicare during the 7 month window around your 65th birthday, which includes the 3 months before your birth month, the month of your birth date, and the 3 months after your birth month. If you miss your Initial Enrollment Period, you can enroll during the General Enrollment Period (January through March), but you will have to pay a penalty fee. Your monthly premium may go up 10% for each 12-month period you could’ve had Part B, but didn’t sign up. In most cases, you’ll have to pay this penalty for as long as you have Part B.
The only exception to the Part B late penalty fee is if you or your spouse is still working and you have group coverage through your employer or union. Then you can qualify to enroll in Medicare Part B during an 8-month Special Enrollment Period after losing your employer-based coverage.
Medicare Part B generally covers 80% of your medical expenses, meaning you will have to pay the other 20% coinsurance out of pocket. Depending on your situation, these expenses can add up to a lot of money throughout the year. In order to help with these expenses, you can choose to purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan when you enroll in Medicare. These plans will pay the 20% coinsurance that Original Medicare does not pay, as well as other healthcare expenses, like deductibles and copays.
What Is Medicaid?
Medicaid qualifications are dependent on family status, pregnancy, and more.
Medicaid is a health insurance program that is jointly funded by states and the federal government. It is voluntary and is offered based on income, generally to low-income individuals or families. Medicaid qualifications are broadly based on:
Income
Disability
Pregnancy
Age
Household size
Family status
Medicaid covers major medical expenses and is required to cover certain care. Medicaid beneficiaries pay premiums, deductibles, copays and coinsurance.
Medicare and Medicaid may sound the same, but when it comes to coverage and eligibility, they are not the same at all. When you are approaching age 65, it is important to know how to enroll in Medicare, because the longer you push it off, the more you will pay. In order to get properly insured, contact an EZ.Insure agent. We will provide you with expert Medicare help, and even compare Medicare Supplement Plans for free. We want to make the transition from regular health insurance to Medicare as smooth as possible. In order to do this, we will go over your needs and compare all Medicare Supplement Plans to find a plan that will save you hundreds of dollars each year.
To compare quotes within minutes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly with an agent, call 888-753-7207.
Kidney disease can develop at any age, but adults 60 and older are more likely to develop kidney disease than younger people. This is because as we age, so do our kidneys According to research from John Hopkins University, more than 50% of adults 75 and older are believed to have kidney disease. If not properly taken care of, it can be fatal: kidney disease kills more people each year than breast or prostate cancer! March is National Kidney Month, so it is the perfect time to shed light on this disease and talk about the importance of regular screenings. You need to know if and how Medicare covers these screenings, as well as how it covers kidney problems or failure.
If you have blood in your urine, or elevated protein levels in urine, then it is time to see the doctor.
Kidney problems or disease are common in older adults and can quickly affect your quality of life. But it can be caught early on, and you can manage symptoms and complications if you get tested regularly. There are a number of symptoms to look for that can point to a problem with your kidneys. When your doctor does a urine or blood test, some things that they will look for include:
An elevated level of protein in your urine
Blood in your urine, most often only detected by a specific urine test
Prolonged use of over-the-counter pain medications
What Does Medicare Cover?
The great thing about Medicare is that you can enroll when you are 65 or older no matter your health status – even if you have end stage renal disease (ESRD), you have kidney issues, or your kidneys are not functioning. Medicare coverage breaks down in two ways:
Medicare will cover your kidney surgery if one is needed and any testing necessary.
Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) covers:
Your hospital room
Medications and supplies when in the hospital
Inpatient rehab
Lab tests
Transplant testing
Surgery
Medicare Part B (medical insurance) covers:
Doctor visits
Doctor’s fees for transplant surgery
Doctor’s fees for kidney donors while in the hospital
Emergency room visits
Most screenings and diagnostic tests for kidney function
Dialysis
Outpatient hospital care and dialysis treatments at a Medicare-approved facility
80% of the cost of outpatient dialysis services and immunosuppressant medicine for transplant recipients
What Will I Pay?
Medicare covers the cost of your hospital stay, surgery, medication and follow-up visits, but there will also be out-of-pocket expenses. You will be responsible for premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copays.
While there is no monthly premium for Part A as long as you meet the criteria of working for over 10 years and paying Medicare taxes, you will have to meet a deductible of $1,408 (for 2021) each benefit period before Medicare will pay. There is also a monthly Part B premium of $148.50 (for 2021) and an annual deductible of $198. After you meet the Part B annual deductible, Medicare pays 80% of your expenses, and the remaining 20% is your responsibility.
In order to help with the out-of-pocket expenses that Original Medicare does not cover, you can purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan. Even if you are experiencing ESRD, you can still sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan during your initial enrollment period (the 3 months before you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and the 3 months following that). During this IEP, you will not have to undergo medical underwriting, so you will not be denied coverage or be subject to higher rates no matter your health status. There are 10 different plans to choose from that will help pay copays, coinsurance, and deductibles so you can save money.
If you are interested in a Medicare Supplement Plan to help pay for Original Medicare coinsurance and other expenses, EZ can help! Whether you need coverage for kidney problems, or you just want to save more money, we can find the best plan for you. We sift through all the top-rated Medicare Supplement Plan insurance companies in order to find the one that provides the most coverage while saving you hundreds of dollars a year. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to one of our licensed agents, call 888-753-7207.
As we age, we become more prone to unexpected injuries because of weak bones or joints. Each year, almost 3 million older people are treated in emergency rooms for fall injuries, and over 300,000 of these injuries include hip fractures or a head injury. Fractured hips, broken bones or injured joints can take a long time to heal, and, to aid in recovery, your doctor might prescribe physical therapy to restore normal function and prevent any disabilities or functional limitations. As a Medicare beneficiary, you might question whether Medicare will cover these physical therapy sessions. The short answer is yes, but you will be responsible for some bills.
Medicare Parts A and B will cover physical therapy within certain limits.
Physical therapy can be necessary after an injury, and can also help to treat chronic conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease. If your doctor prescribes physical therapy to you, Medicare will pay for physical therapy sessions under Medicare Part A and Part B, depending on where the sessions take place. Medicare Part A will cover some or all of the cost of sessions that you undergo at an inpatient rehabilitation facility. It can also extend to skilled nursing facilities following a hospital stay.
Medicare Part B will cover physical therapy services at any outpatient facilities, your doctor’s office, or at home under certain circumstances. As with most medical expenses, part B will cover 80% of the allowable charges after you meet your Part B deductible. In order to conduct your sessions at home, you will have to meet certain conditions, including:
You must be under a doctor’s care, and your physical therapy must be part of a care plan that is regularly reviewed by your doctor.
You must be certified homebound by your doctor.
The treatments must be performed by a qualified physical therapist.
The agency providing the home services must be certified by Medicare.
Your doctor must state their belief that your condition can reasonably be expected to improve with physical therapy, or that you need physical therapy to maintain your current condition.
Medicare Physical Therapy Caps
As of 2018, there is no longer a cap on how many physical therapy sessions a Medicare beneficiary can receive in a year, but you and your doctor do need to be aware of certain requirements. If you hit $3,000 or more in claims for any form of therapy, your doctor will have to provide extra information so that Medicare can review the claims. If Medicare determines that your doctor did not provide enough information, then Medicare can choose not to pay for any additional services.
While Medicare does cover physical therapy sessions, you will still need to meet your Medicare Part B deductible ($203 for 2021) before Medicare will begin covering any Part B costs. Once you meet this deductible, you will still be held responsible for the 20% that Medicare does not cover. This can add up to quite a lot of money, especially if you are on a fixed income. But there is a way to get more coverage while saving money – a Medicare Supplement Plan.
There are 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans to choose from, all offering different levels of coverage at different price points. EZ.Insure has trained licensed agents who will compare all available Medicare Supplement Plans in your area in minutes. Our goal is to help you save as much money as possible so you can get back to enjoying your retirement, which is why we provide our services for free. One of our agents will be assigned to assess your medical and financial needs, and will find the Medicare Supplement Plan that suits your needs. To get started, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to one of our licensed agents, call 888-753-7207.
Although research shows that women live longer than men, that does not necessarily mean they are healthier. Both women and men are likely to develop chronic conditions as they age, and women tend to die of some of the same conditions as men, including heart disease. That being said, there are certain diseases and conditions that are more likely to affect women than men.
More than half of seniors have arthritis, and women experience the worst of it.
As we age, our joints begin to degrade, causing our bones to rub against each other. This can cause inflammation in our joints, and lead to arthritis, particularly in the knees, elbows, ankles and fingers. More than half of all seniors over the age of 65 have arthritis, but this condition tends to affect women more than men. Not only are women more likely to get arthritis, but they are more likely to experience worse pain in their joints than men are, and are more vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is a more debilitating form of arthritis.
There are multiple reasons why more women are affected by arthritis than men:
Joint stability– Because women’s bodies are built for childbirth, their tendons have the ability to move around more making them more elastic and more likely to sustain injuries.
Obesity– Studies show that obesity is more common in women than men, and extra weight puts a lot of strain on the joints.
Hormones– As estrogen levels decrease, the hormones that cushion the cartilage deteriorate as well, causing inflammation.
If you’re one of the many older women suffering from arthritis, it is best to stay as active as possible, so that you do not lose your range of motion, and can lose weight if you need to. You should also consider working out with weights to build muscle around your joints.
2. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and more susceptible to breakage, is the most common form of arthritis. Of the 10 million Americans who are diagnosed with osteoporosis, 80% of them are women. This is because women’s bones tend to be smaller and less dense than men’s bones, and because hormonal changes (as mentioned above) in older women’s bodies lead to bone loss.
In order to slow down osteoporosis and bone loss, you should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol, get plenty of exercise (especially weighted workouts), and eat a healthy diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D.
It often surprises people to find out that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the U.S. Approximately 70% of women aged 60-79 are diagnosed with heart disease, and 87% of women over 80 have some form of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease can lead to strokes, which is the third leading cause of death in American women. The CDC estimates that 1 in 5 American women will have a stroke, and more than half will die from it.
It is possible to prevent heart disease, or at least treat it even after experiencing a heart attack or stroke. To prevent or control heart disease, it is important to keep an eye on your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels. Stick to a healthy diet focused on vegetables and fruits, and avoid consuming too much sodium and unhealthy fat. Be sure to exercise, as well as reduce (or quit) smoking and drinking, because both increase blood pressure.
It is no secret that women live longer than men do, but unfortunately a longer life can also mean more health problems. Women are also genetically more prone to suffer from certain health conditions like arthritis, due to hormonal changes and the elasticity of their joints. Because there are so many health conditions that can affect women, it is important to make sure that you are properly insured. Medicare Part A covers hospital stays, and Part B covers 80% of other medical expenses – the other 20% will come out of your pocket. If you have a degenerative disease such as arthritis or heart disease, it is important to seek consistent treatment; this can become costly, but a Medicare Supplement Plan will pay for these costs.
There are a variety of Medicare Supplement Plans that provide different levels of coverage at different price points. If you are interested in getting more information about Medicare Supplement Plans so that you can save money on your medical bills, EZ.Insure can help. We will connect you with an agent who will assess your needs, compare plans in minutes, and find ways to help save you hundreds of dollars. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to one of our licensed agents, call 888-753-7207.
