Have you recently qualified for Medicare in Rockford IL due to age, disability or other factors? If so, there is much for you to learn about this essential government service before you go about trying to select a plan. There are many factors to consider regarding what parts of Medicare you could benefit from and how they may interact with any existing insurance you already have. This article will provide an in-depth look at the structures of Medicare to give you a solid base in understanding your choices.
First, you should know that Medicare is split into three different parts that can be offered together or independently. There is Medicare Part A which covers stays in hospitals, hospice, skilled nursing facilities and any services rendered during admission. Medicare Part B covers outpatient (non-admitting) procedures at those same facilities along with doctor visits, medical supplies and preventive care. Finally there is Medicare Part D which covers prescription drugs. Whether you need one or all of these services is up to you, but a little knowledge can go a long way when you select Medicare in Rockford, IL.
You may have another insurance plan that already provides coverage on all of these areas to you, but Medicare is still worth looking into. Having two insurances is rarely, if ever, worse than having one and there may well be things your current plan doesn’t cover that Medicare does. Your coordination of benefits would determine which insurance plan pays first in this case. You could well have a situation where your secondary insurance (Be it Medicare or otherwise) picks up the copay remaining from your first plan!
Enrollment dates are another important fact to keep close at hand if you want to be a beneficiary of Medicare in Rockford IL. Once you become eligible you will have seven months in which to sign up for Part A and/or Part B services. If your eligibility comes from your age, then this window begins three months before you turn 65. You can actually sign up early! With this in mind it’s even better to figure out what you want before you actually become eligible so you can start reaping the benefits of Medicare in Rockford IL as early as possible. Even if you do wind up selecting a coverage package that is less than optimum you should be able to re-enroll by the end of the year. Your decisions are not necessarily set in stone, but it’s better to get things right on the first try!