Turning 65 and have Medicare eligibility questions?

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If you are turning 65 or just coming on to Medicare, it is time to start planning for healthcare costs. The first thing to do is sign up for Medicare by going to your local Social Security Office or by logging on to ssa.gov and clicking on Medicare Enrollment. You can do this 3 months prior to turning 65 or upon retiring. Once you have received your red, white and blue Medicare card you can start choosing the plans that are best for you.   

•  Medicare Part A (hospital coverage): Medicare Part A covers Medicare inpatient care, including care received while in a hospital, a skilled nursing facility, and, in limited circumstances, at home.  
•  Medicare Part B (doctor and medical coverage): Medicare Part B covers medical services and supplies that are medically necessary to treat your health condition. This can include outpatient care, preventive services, ambulance services, and durable medical equipment. It also covers part-time or intermittent home health and rehabilitative services, such as physical therapy, if they are ordered by a doctor to treat your condition.  
•  Medicare Advantage Plans: Often referred to as Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage Plans are government approved plans offered by private companies. Medicare advantage plans are similar to HMOs or PPOs and provide all of your Part A and Part B coverage and usually include prescription drug coverage.  
•  Medicare Part D:  These are the prescription drug plans of Medicare that are administered by independent insurance carriers. By choosing a Part D plan, you agree to use the insurance carriers network of pharmacies to purchase your prescription drugs where you will receive reduced pricing through a small co-pay. All Medicare prescription drug plans must follow the federal guidelines.  
•  Medigap Plans (Supplemental Plans):  A Medigap policy is health insurance sold by private insurance companies to fill the “gaps” in original Medicare Plan coverage. Medigap policies help pay some of the health care costs that the original Medicare doesn't cover. As long as you pay your premium, your Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable.