What is Medicare?
Medicare is a Health Insurance Program
for:
- People 65 years of age and older.
- Some people with disabilities under
age 65.
- People with End-Stage Renal Disease
(permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant).
Medicare has Two Parts:
Part A (Hospital Insurance)
Helps Pay For:
Care in hospitals as an inpatient,
critical access hospitals (small facilities that give limited outpatient and
inpatient services to people in rural areas), skilled nursing facilities,
hospice care, and some home health care. Information about your coverage under
Medicare Part A can be found in the Your
Medicare Coverage database.
Cost:
Most people get Part A automatically
when they turn age 65. They do not have to pay a monthly payment called a
premium for Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes while they were
working.
If you (or your spouse) did not pay
Medicare taxes while you worked and you are age 65 or older, you still may be
able to buy Part A. If you are not sure you have Part A, look on your red,
white, and blue Medicare card. It will show "Hospital Part A" on the
lower left corner of the card. You can also call the Social Security
Administration toll free at 1-800-772-1213 or call your local Social Security
office for more information about buying Part A. If you get benefits from the
Railroad Retirement Board, call your local RRB office or 1-800-808-0772.
For More Information
About Medicare Part A Coverage:
Visit the Your
Medicare Coverage database.
Call your Fiscal Intermediary about Part
A bills and services. The phone number for the Fiscal Intermediary in your area
can be found in the Helpful
Contacts section.
Part B (Medical Insurance)
Helps Pay For:
Doctors' services, outpatient hospital
care, and some other medical services that Part A does not cover, such as the
services of physical and occupational therapists, and some home health care.
Part B helps pay for these covered services and supplies when they are medically
necessary. Information about your coverage under Medicare Part B can be
found in the Your Medicare
Coverage database.
Cost:
You pay the Medicare Part B premium of
$66.60 per month in 2004. This amount may change January 1, 2005. In some cases
this amount may be higher if you did not choose Part B when you first became
eligible at age 65. The cost of Part B may go up 10% for each 12-month period
that you could have had Part B but did not sign up for it, except in special
cases. You will have to pay this extra 10% for the rest of your life.
Enrolling in part B is your choice. You
can sign up for Part B anytime during a 7-month period that begins 3 months
before you turn 65. Visit your local Social Security office, or call the Social
Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 to sign up. If you choose to have Part
B, the premium is usually taken out of your monthly Social Security, Railroad
Retirement, or Civil Service Retirement payment. If you do not get any of the
above payments, Medicare sends you a bill for your part B premium every 3
months. You should get your Medicare premium bill by the 10th of the month. If
you do not get your bill by the 10th, call the Social Security Administration at
1-800-772-1213, or your local Social Security office. If you get benefits from
the Railroad Retirement Board, call your local RRB office or 1-800-808-0772.
For More Information
About Medicare Part B Coverage:
Visit the
Your
Medicare Coverage database.
Call your Medicare Carrier about bills
and services. The phone number for the Medicare Carrier in your area can be
found in the Helpful
Contacts section.
You may have choices in how you get your
health care including the Original Medicare Plan, Medicare Managed Care Plans
(like HMOs), and Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans.
ONLINE RESOURCES
What is Medicare?
Consumer Medicare Web Site
State Contacts for Medicare Information
Consumer Medicare Health Information
Frequently Asked Questions: Medicare
