Blog Posts
Does Medicare Cover Dental, Vision, and Hearing? Here’s What You Need to Know
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not cover routine dental care, routine eye exams, or most hearing services. However, many Medicare Advantage plans do include these benefits — and knowing the difference could save you thousands of dollars per year. What Does...
How to Enroll in Medicare: Deadlines, Penalties, and Everything You Need to Know
You can first enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which is a 7-month window that begins 3 months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends 3 months after. Missing this window without qualifying for a Special...
Medicare Advantage vs Medigap: Which Plan Is Right for You?
If you're trying to choose between Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan, here's the key difference in one sentence: Medicare Advantage replaces your original Medicare, while a Medigap plan supplements it. Both help cover costs that original...
How & When to File a Medicare Appeal When a Claim is Denied
If you received a notice saying Medicare denied payment, you have the right to appeal. An appeal is a formal request you make if you disagree with a coverage or payment decision. Always check your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) to see if Medicare has paid for your...
How Does Medicare Cover Medical Outside The U.S. ?
Medicare usually doesn’t cover medical care outside the U.S. and its territories. However, Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans must cover care you receive outside the U.S. in some very limited certain circumstances: • Medicare will pay for emergency...
Can your own Social Security benefit grow while collecting a survivor benefit?
“Yes, your own benefit can continue to grow while you collect a survivor benefit. However, we need to clarify how that happens…” "Your own Social Security retirement benefit can potentially grow even if you are already receiving a survivor benefit. This is because...
THE DISEASE FUND (TAF) – providing financial assistance
The Assistance Fund is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. Millions of...
Medicaid cuts in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”
Today’s newsletter examines the changes to Medicaid, their potential impact, and the political and legal challenges to the new bill. The majority of these changes will affect non-disabled adults age 18-64, so those age 65 and over don’t need to panic, but some of the...
PROTECT YOUR MEDICARE ID # – Medicare Scams Identified & How to Report Fraud
You might have heard me explain to protect your Medicare ID# on your Medicare cards. Your Medicare ID# is like your Social Security ID#. The same importance. Scammers will randomly make phone calls to sell you something. These items could be durable medical equipment,...
Medicaid and Medicare cover hospice care for people who qualify.
The insured person has been given a life expectancy of six months or less by a physician. The care the person is receiving is comfort care only. The person has Part A in place. The person is enrolled in a Medicare-approved program. There’s no limit to how long you can...