I cannot believe that this is our first time doing a monthlong series on Medicare! Thankfully, this is a five-week month, so we can really dive deep into this complex topic. Let me lay out the month for you. This week we’re talking about Medicare Part A and B. During the next episode we’ll discuss part D and all the things that Medicare doesn’t cover. Following that episode, we’ll discuss Medigap and Medicare Advantage as well as mistakes we can make with Medicare. Finally, we will dive in deep to help build a framework that we can use to best serve ourselves when it comes to Medicare. Are you ready to start your Medicare learning journey? Press play to start your Medicare education now. 

How does Medicare work?

Danielle K. Roberts is a Medicare expert from Boomer Benefits. She helps people educate people on their Medicare journey all the time and she has even helped out in the Rock Retirement Club. I have invited her on the show to help all of us better understand Medicare. Today she is helping us learn about Medicare Part A and B. Medicare benefits can be so confusing, especially since most of us are coming from a completely different system of insurance. Are you ready to hear what is covered, what is not covered, what requires copays, and if you can ever fully exhaust your benefits? Well then, start listening now.

What is Medicare Part A?

Medicare Part A started in the 1960s and was modeled after the old Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance. Part A covers inpatient hospital stays and outpatient medical care related to a hospital stay. Included in Part A coverage are the hospital room, doctors, nurses, drugs, nursing facility visits, and hospice care. Medicare Part A does have its limits in coverage which could result in expensive copays and eventually exhausting the benefits fully. Listen in to find out what those limits are. 

What is Part B?

Whereas Medicare Part A covers your hospital stays, Part B covers all that other stuff. For example, Part B covers chemotherapy, radiation, blood work, and doctor visits. However, Part B has a completely different deductible and coinsurance setup than Part A. The good news is that the deductible is only $198. The bad news is that there is no cap on the 20% coinsurance. 

Who do you pay? 

Doctors’ visits can be so confusing. Should you pay the doctor at the time of your visit? Should you wait for the bill to come in the mail? What about those statements that Medicare sends? Danielle’s advice is to wait for Medicare to process the doctor’s bill before you pay. The doctor will then bill you if there are any excess fees. She also advises to ask plenty of questions and become an advocate for yourself. Even though Medicare can seem confusing at first, this system has been in place for a long time and actually runs quite well. 

If you are interested in receiving resources to help you make your own Medicare decisions, sign up for 6-Shot Saturday at RogerWhitney.com

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

• [1:13] What is fear?

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT

• [5:05] Our plan for the month
• [7:14] What is Medicare Part A?
• [11:30] What should people be aware of?
• [13:32] What is Part B?
• [16:12] Who do I pay?

Q&A SEGMENT

• [26:58] Place yourself in the future when making a decision
• [31:02] A Social Security survivor benefit question
• [33:34] Comparing a first position HELOC instead of a mortgage

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

• [43:09] Sign up for 6-Shot Saturday at RogerWhitney.com to get a Medicare resource packet

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Boomer Benefits

MyMedicare.gov

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center