Q: What is Medicare?

A: Medicare is a program funded by the U.S. government that offers health insurance to people aged 65 and older. People with disabilities, End Stage Renal Disease or ALS can also qualify to receive Medicare benefits. Most individuals become eligible to sign up for Medicare three months before turning 65. More about Medicare eligibility is available at medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare.

Q: How do I sign up for Medicare?

A: Some people receive Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) automatically because they have applied for retirement or disability benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board. Answer questions to determine if you need to enroll in Medicare or if you will automatically receive it at medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/how-do-i-sign-up-for-medicare.

Q: How do I decide which plan or coverage option is best for me?

A: Decide what parts of your current health insurance plan work, and visit medicare.gov/plan-compare to compare Medicare plans. There are four main types of Medicare plan options, so choose the ones that cover most or all of your needs and wants.

·       Part A helps cover hospital insurance, including inpatient, nursing facility, hospice and home health care.

·       Part B helps cover medical insurance, including services from healthcare providers, outpatient care, medical equipment like wheelchairs and walkers and preventive services.

·       Part C is usually a bundled plan that combines parts of the coverage that Plans A, B and D provide.

·       Part D helps cover medicines, including the cost of prescription drugs and recommended shots and vaccines.

Medicare breaks down all available plan and coverage options in more depth at medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/health-plans.

Q: What if the coverage Medicare offers is not enough?

A: Health insurance companies like QualChoice often have Medicare supplement insurance plans that stand in the gap and cover expenses that Medicare does not. Ask your current insurance provider about their Medicare supplement plans or do some research on your own to find a Medicare supplement plan to help cover extra expenses.

There is no fully comprehensive guide to Medicare, but there are different resources to help people learn more about this program. Visit medicare.gov or hhs.gov/answers/medicare-and-medicaid/index.html to learn more and get the answers to more common questions about Medicare.

About QualChoice Health Insurance

Since 1994, QualChoice has provided the best value in health benefits for Arkansas businesses. They’re committed to transforming the health of their community one person at a time and strive to make health insurance simple with an approach based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally.

QualChoice health plans and services are offered through QCA Health Plan, Inc. (QCA), a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and QualChoice Life and Health Insurance Company, Inc. (QCLHIC), both licensed with the State of Arkansas. All QualChoice entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC).

More information can be found at qualchoice.com.