What Does Original Medicare Mean

Medicare Part D: Prescription Drug Plans

Medicare Part D, also called prescription drug plans, cover your prescription drug costs. Like Medicare Advantage, there are many plans to choose from, each with a different amount of drug coverage and varying costs.

Each plan has its own formulary â a list of what medications the plan covers and the prices of each. The formulary consists of “tiers” that the drugs covered are arranged in. The specific amount that you will pay out-of-pocket for a given drug depends upon its tier. Below is an example:

• Tier 1, lowest copay: This tier usually includes preferred generic drugs

• Tier 2, medium copay: Non-preferred generics and preferred brand name medications

• Tier 3, higher copay: Non-preferred generics/brand name drugs. Sometimes, new drugs, or drugs that are similar to a Tier 1 or Tier 2 drug are also placed here.

• Tier 4, highest copay: Very expensive, specialty drugs

Medicare Part D plans will not cover a drug that does not appear on their formulary. In that case, you will likely have to pay full price â unless you qualify for an exception.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Or Medigap Policy

Medicare Supplement Insurance, also known as Medigap, helps to cover the out-of-pocket healthcare costs you incur with traditional Medicare Part A and Part B. There are 10 standardized plans and premiums are regulated by the states. Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin have their own version of Medigap. What you pay in monthly premiums can depend on where you live, what coverage you get and how old you are.12

Choosing Between Traditional Medicare And Medicare Advantage

If you are eligible for Medicare you can chose between getting Medicare benefits through traditional Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. Making this choice is personal and requires individuals to consider their circumstances, including their health, need for flexibility, budget and tolerance for financial risk. Before deciding how to receive Medicare, it is important to understand the different parts of Medicare, how they work together, and the key differences between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. It is also important to ask questions and gather information before deciding whether to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

A. Understanding the Parts of Medicare

Before discussing the differences between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, it is important to understand the different parts of Medicare and how they work together. Medicare has four parts: Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D.

B. Medigap

C. Key Differences between Traditional Medicare and a Medicare Advantage Plan

• Traditional Medicare

Read Also: Can I Change My Medicare Advantage Plan Now

What Does Medicare Supplement Plan F Cover

Youve already heard a few times that Plan F offers more comprehensive coverage than any other Medicare Supplement policy. But what does that mean?

According to medicare.gov, it means that MedSup Plan F pays for 100% of the following:

• Medicare Part A deductible.
• Medicare Part B deductible.
• Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after youve used up your standard Medicare benefits.
• Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment.
• Part B coinsurance or copayment.
• Part B excess charge.
• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance.
• First three pints of blood each year.

MedSup Plan F also covers 80% of medical care you receive while traveling outside the U.S. up to your plans limits.

The excess charge mentioned above is the difference between the amount a healthcare provider legally can charge for a procedure or treatment and the Medicare-approved amount for it. Basically, if the first amount is higher than the second amount, the difference between the two is the excess charge. Plan F pays that charge.

Something to keep in mind as you contemplate enrolling in this plan: like all MedSup policies, Plan or Part F is standardized. In other words, although many different insurance companies sell Plan F, the benefits are the same no matter where you buy it. The costs arent necessarily the same, though, so shop around before you settle on a MedSup plan. That is key if you want to get your best price for this kind of coverage.

What Does Original Medicare Mean

Since its inception in 1966, the Medicare program has undergone several changes. Understanding how this program is organized into different parts can help Medicare recipients better navigate their care and coverage.

History of the Medicare Program

The Social Security Amendments of 1965 led to the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid. From the beginning, services covered by Medicare were split under two main categories: hospital insurance, which is called Part A, and medical insurance, which is called Part B.

The way each part of the program is funded helps explain why theyre separate from one another. Part A is funded in large part from a specific payroll tax paid by employers and workers while some recipients may be obligated to pay a monthly premium for Part A, most receive Part A premium-free. Part B, on the other hand, is funded through a combination of U.S. Treasury revenue and the premiums Medicare beneficiaries pay for being enrolled in Part B.

In the years following its creation, changes to how beneficiaries receive their Medicare benefits gave rise to the common practice of referring to the combined benefits of Part A and Part B as Original Medicare. This can help Medicare recipients identify their basic level of benefits from other programs that may package Original Medicare with other types of coverage, or simply enhance the existing coverage available under Original Medicare.

Identifying Original Medicare Benefits

Other Medicare Plans

Related articles:

Also Check: Does Medicare Cover Disposable Briefs

What Are Medicare Replacement Plans

Does Medicare Advantage replace Medicare? The answer is yes and no.

Medicare replacement plans is a phrase commonly used by Medicare beneficiaries and medical providers when referring to Medicare Advantage plans. Advantage plans are private insurance policies that pay instead of Medicare for the calendar year that you enroll in them.

However, Medicare prefers that you use the term Medicare Advantage or Part C plan because you are never permanently replacing your Original Medicare benefits. You can always return to them during the next election period.

What Does Wo Mean On Medicare Eob

does

Hereof, what is wo in medical billing?

WO Withholding Used to recover previous overpayments. A reference number is applied for tracking purposes. This amount does not reflect a withholding on this claim. Providers should receive a letter requesting this amount and instructions for refund.

Also, what is RC amount on EOB? Total RC-Amt: Total amount of non-covered services. This is the difference between the total billed amount and the total allowed amount. Prov. Pd Amt: The total amount paid on the SPR.

Just so, what does forwarding balance mean on Medicare EOB?

Answer: Forwarding balance means that a negative value represents a balance moving forward to a future payment advice. A positive value represents a balance being applied from a previous Remittance Advice . A reference number is applied for tracking purposes.

What are provider level adjustments?

A Provider Level Adjustment is an option in MacPractice when addressing Insurance Payments where you can credit some or all of an insurance payment to a specific Provider. This is useful in situations where the Insurance may overpay due to being late in remitting payment, or other similar reasons.

Recommended Reading: Will Medicare Pay For An Inversion Table

Does Medicare Cover These Services

Heres general info about what Medicare does or doesnt cover for common health care needs. Visit medicare.gov/coverage for more detail. Also, check a Medicare Advantage plans Summary of Benefits to learn whats covered.

Medicare doesnt cover acupuncture. Some Medicare Advantage plans have benefits that help pay for acupuncture services.

Assisted living is housing where people get help with daily activities like personal care or housekeeping. Medicare doesnt cover costs to live in an assisted living facility or a nursing home.

Medicare Part A may cover care in a skilled nursing facility if it is medically necessary. This is usually short term for recovery from an illness or injury.

The federal Medicaid program can help pay costs for nursing homes or services to help with daily living activities.

Medicare Part B covers outpatient surgery to correct cataracts. It also pays for one pair of standard frame eyeglasses or contact lenses as needed after the surgery.

Medicare has some coverage for chiropractic care if its medically necessary. Part B covers a chiropractors manual alignment of the spine when one or more bones are out of position. Medicare doesnt cover other chiropractic tests or services like X-rays, massage therapy or acupuncture.

Some Medicare Advantage plans have benefits that help pay for these other chiropractic tests or services.

Effects Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 made a number of changes to the Medicare program. Several provisions of the law were designed to reduce the cost of Medicare. The most substantial provisions slowed the growth rate of payments to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities under Parts A of Medicare, through a variety of methods .

PPACA also slightly reduced annual increases in payments to physicians and to hospitals that serve a disproportionate share of low-income patients. Along with other minor adjustments, these changes reduced Medicare’s projected cost over the next decade by $455 billion.

Additionally, the PPACA created the Independent Payment Advisory Board , which was empowered to submit legislative proposals to reduce the cost of Medicare if the program’s per-capita spending grows faster than per-capita GDP plus one percent. The IPAB was never formed and was formally repealed by the Balanced Budget Act of 2018.

Meanwhile, Medicare Part B and D premiums were restructured in ways that reduced costs for most people while raising contributions from the wealthiest people with Medicare. The law also expanded coverage of or eliminated co-pays for some preventive services.

Also Check: What Is Medicare Premium Assistance

What If I Use Up All My Lifetime Reserve Days But Need More Coverage

Not sure how much medical care youll need in a given year? Its a hard thing to estimate, especially as you get older and may need more care than you did before. And if you have a chronic condition, it can be tough to see that 60-day lifetime reserve cap on Medicare Part A hospital coverage. What if you need more care?

Fortunately, there are a couple different ways to handle this scenario. But you need to be proactive. Option A is to get a Medicare supplemental insurance plan. Option B is to enroll in Medicare Advantage .

As for Medicare supplemental insurance, also known as Medigap, its a supplemental policy that you can buy to help offset the costs of Original Medicare.

There are 8 different plan types, labeled by letter, and each letter type covers a set of out-of-pocket costs for Parts A and/or B. These plans are standardized in all but three states . That means that if you buy Medigap Plan G in Texas, it covers the same set of benefits as Plan G in Rhode Island or Kansas or Delaware. The only thing that differs is the cost of the plan and the company selling it.

We discuss Medigap elsewhere, but we did want to mention it here because a Medicare supplemental policy can boost your Part A coverage.

How Much Does Original Medicare Cost

People usually dont pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part A coverage if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes while working. For Medicare Part B, most people pay a standard monthly premium. Some people may pay a higher Medicare Part B premium based on their income. Additional information about Part B premiums can be found on our Medicare Part B page.

Also Check: How Can I Sign Up For Medicare

What Else Do I Need To Know About Original Medicare

• You generally pay a set amount for your health care before Medicare pays its share. Then, Medicare pays its share, and you pay your share for covered services and supplies. There’s no yearly limit for what you pay out-of-pocket.
• You usually pay a monthly premium for Part B.
• You generally don’t need to file Medicare claims. The law requires providers and suppliers to file your claims for the covered services and supplies you get. Providers include doctors, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies.

Switching Back To Original Medicare

While you can save money with a Medicare Advantage Plan when you are healthy, if you get sick in the middle of the year, you are stuck with whatever costs you incur until you can switch plans during the next open season for Medicare. At that time, you can switch to an Original Medicare plan with Medigap. If you do, keep in mind that Medigap may charge you a higher rate than if you had enrolled in a Medigap policy when you first qualified for Medicare.

Most Medigap policies are issue-age rated policies or attained-age rated policies. This means that when you sign up later in life, you will pay more per month than if you had started with the Medigap policy at age 65. You may be able to find a policy that has no age rating, but those are rare.

Read Also: How Many Parts Medicare Has

Coverage Choices For Medicare

If you’re older than 65 and not already getting benefits from Social Security, you have to sign up for Medicare Part A and Part B. It doesn’t happen automatically. However, if you already get Social Security benefits, you’ll get Medicare Part A and Part B automatically when you first become eligible .

There are two main ways to get Medicare coverage:

What Does Part B Cover

Medicare Part B covers medically necessary services provided on an outpatient basis. These include doctor visits, lab tests, x-rays, mental health services, durable medical equipment such as walkers and canes, ambulance services and some prescription drugs that are administered in a doctors office or clinical setting.6

Part B also covers preventive services such asyearly wellness exams, screenings and some vaccinations.

You May Like: Does Medicare Cover Rides To The Doctor

Medicare Part B Medical Insurance

While Part A basically covers inpatient services, Medicare Part B is also referred to as medical insurance because it covers medically necessary services including physician and nursing fees, x-rays, diagnostic tests, blood transfusions, chemotherapy, renal dialysis, and some vaccinations and also preventive services. Although most medically necessary services are covered by either Part A or Part B, most outpatient prescription drugs are not . Dental care is also not covered under Original Medicare, and neither is routine vision care.

Enrollees pay a monthly Part B premium . Learn more about how to enroll in Part B.

Original Medicare Vs Medicare Advantage

Whether you choose Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan will depend on your healthcare needs, preferences, and financial situation. Original Medicare is a fee-for-service plan that allows you to go to any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare. It only pays for 80% of services received, which may not be cost effective if you need a lot of healthcare. In this case, you may choose to supplement your Original Medicare with a Medigap plan.

Medicare Advantage on the other hand covers everything Part A and Part B covers, but charges a copayment and coinsurance for in network services. Some plans also include ancillary services like vision, hearing, and dental benefits, which may make Medicare Advantage more cost effective if you need those services and dont need a lot of healthcare.

Read Also: How Much Medicare Is Taken Out Of Social Security Check

What Isnt Covered By Original Medicare

Original Medicare doesnt cover everything you might need for your healthcare. First, Original Medicare does not include Part D, which is coverage for prescription drugs. If you enroll in Original Medicare and choose a Medigap plan instead of an Advantage plan, you will need to enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan and pay its associated monthly premiums separately.

Additionally, Original Medicare will not cover the following health-related needs:

What Does Medicare Part A Cover

Medicare Part A covers inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, although not custodial or long-term care. Part A also helps pay for hospice care and some home health care. Medicare Part A has a deductible and coinsurance, which means patients pay a portion of the bill. There is no coinsurance for the first 60 days of inpatient hospital care, for example, but patients typically pay $371 per day for the 61st through 90th day of the hospitalization, and more after that.

Also Check: Are Medicare Advantage Plans Hmos

What Does Medicare Part A Cost

Depending on your income, you may have to pay a premium for Part A coverage. If you have worked and paid FICA taxes for 10 years, you pay no premium for Part A. However, You may have to pay copayments or a deductible for any services under Medicare Part A. You can apply for assistance or help if you cant pay.

According to Medicare, in addition to a $1,484 deductible, your 2021 Part A costs include:

• $0 coinsurance for hospitalization days 160
• $371 coinsurance per day for hospitalization days 6190
• $742 coinsurance per day for hospitalization day 91 and beyond for each lifetime reserve day
• all costs for each hospitalization day over your lifetime reserve days
• no charge for the first 20 days of approved skilled nursing facility care
• $185.50 per day for 21100 days of approved skilled nursing facility care
• all costs after 101 days of approved skilled nursing facility care
• no charge for hospice care

For hospital services to be covered by Medicare, you must be approved and receive care in a Medicare-approved facility.

• diabetes supplies