Health Insurance Matters
for Medicare Recipients
Learn How to Make the Most of Your Medicare Benefits.
What is Medicare?
Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers a portion of medical and hospital expenses for people ages 65 and older, or those with certain disabilities. Because Medicare recipients are responsible for making up any cost differences and paying for their prescription medicines, choosing Medicare coverage is an important decision. Blue KC is here to help you understand your Medicare options. So you can choose with confidence.
The Basics of Medicare
MEDICARE PART A
Hospital insurance which helps cover costs if you are a patient in a hospital, skilled nursing facility or in hospice care.
MEDICARE PART B
Medical insurance which helps cover costs for doctors’ services, outpatient hospital care, durable medical equipment and other services.
MEDICARE PART C
Allows private health insurance companies like Blue KC to provide Medicare benefits, known as Medicare Advantage plans.
MEDICARE PART D
Outpatient prescription drug coverage offered through private health insurance companies as a separate cost, or built into a Medicare Advantage plan.
How does a Medicare Advantage Plan work?
With Original Medicare (Parts A and B), beneficiaries must pay their deductible and 20% of their medical bills, along with 100% of the cost of most prescription drugs. A Medicare Advantage plan actually replaces Original Medicare Parts A and B and covers all the things that Original Medicare covers, plus more. Many plans also include Part D Prescription drug coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans conveniently offer hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage all-in-one, and they sometimes include additional benefits like dental and vision. Some plans also feature an "out-of-pocket maximum" that limits how much you’ll pay for hospital and medical expenses each year.
What is Medicare Supplement?
Blue KC offers Medicare Supplement insurance plans designed for individuals age 65 years and older and for disabled Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance can help pay some of the healthcare costs that original Medicare doesn't cover, like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Benefits may vary depending on whether you live in Kansas or Missouri. To learn more about this plan and other plan options that provide additional coverage, click to download the Missouri or Kansas product brochure.
Medicare Supplement plans are offered and underwritten by Missouri Valley Life and Health Insurance Company and are administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.
Wondering what certain terms mean? View the Glossary for Answers
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