Medicare.gov

• Comprehensive Medicare Information
• Helpful Resources

Comprehensive Medicare Information

Medicare.gov is the official site for Medicare. It offers comprehensive information on important enrollment dates and processes, how Medicare works, how to enroll in each Medicare part, Medicare coverage, and how Medicare premium costs are determined. Site visitors can learn more about Medicare benefits and what the different Medicare parts cover and how costs are determined. It also offers a breakdown of ways you may be able to receive assistance paying for Medicare costs.

Keep in mind that Medicare open enrollment is determined by when you turn 65. Medicare also has an annual enrollment period that runs from October 15 to December 7 that allows beneficiaries to review their coverage and understand changes.

In addition to comprehensive information about Medicare, Medicare.gov also offers information on Medicare supplement insurance. Medicare supplement insurance is also called Medigap. Medigap plans help Medicare beneficiaries pay out-of-pocket expenses from Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B). Medicare supplement policies are usually managed by private insurance companies, while Original Medicare is managed by the government.

Medicare.gov also breaks down what makes someone eligible for Medicare and how it works in special circumstances, like if you are under 65 years old and have a disability or have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

Medicare.gov is a great tool for learning what you need to know about Medicare because it is so comprehensive regarding benefits, costs, and coverage.

Helpful Resources

Medicare.gov provides free downloadable or printable educational resources, educational podcasts, Medicare forms, and tools for reporting fraud and abuse.

It also offers tools for checking coverage of specific tests, items, and services. Through Medicare.gov, you can also be connected with agencies and organizations that can give you more information about Medicare, health issues, and health services.

• Recent Changes to the Medicare Plan Finder

Recent Changes to the Medicare Plan Finder

Medicare.gov recently rolled out changes to its Medicare Plan Finder. The Medicare Plan Finder is used for finding Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug, and Medigap plans. Some of these changes have made the plan finder more difficult to use.

For example, the new Medicare Plan Finder no longer offers a list of preferred pharmacies when it displays plans. This is inconvenient because it makes it harder to know which pharmacies will offer the best rates under your plan.

Additionally, to use the tool and save your results, you must create an account. Your account will also have more information than needed to look for plans. Anyone accessing the account, even just to help evaluate plans, will have access to sensitive information that was not available with the legacy Medicare Plan Finder.

These changes have increased reliance on technology when many seniors have limited access or are unfamiliar with technology.