What is Medicare Part B coverage?

Medicare Part B covers routine doctor visits, including specialists to treat your medical conditions. It also covers preventative services, which is meant to prevent illness (like the flu) or to detect at an early stage, when treatment is most likely to work best. There is a monthly premium for Part B.
Medicare Part B covers two key areas of healthcare:

Medically necessary services or supplies that are needed to diagnose or treat your medical condition within accepted standards of medical practice.

Preventive services, which is healthcare you receive to prevent illnesses, like getting a flu shot or having an x-ray to check for pneumonia. You need to receive preventive services from a healthcare provider who “accepts assignment,” so be sure to ask when you make your appointment.

Talk with your healthcare provider or contact Medicare directly to ensure the care you’re receiving is covered by Medicare Part B. SelectQuote, however, can help you see what other options you might have available when it comes to Medicare coverage. There’s no obligation to enroll.

Who is eligible to receive Medicare Part B coverage?

If you have Medicare Eligibility for premium-free Medicare Part A, then you are also eligible for Medicare Part B as long as you enroll and pay your monthly premium on time.  If you are not eligible for premium-free Part A, you may still qualify for Part B if:

• You’re 65 or older and are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident lawfully residing in the U.S. for at least five consecutive years.
• You are younger than 65 with a qualifying disability including end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease—in which case you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B.
• You are younger than 65 and receive Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) disability benefits, in which case you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A & Part B.

What is Medicare Part C coverage?

A Medicare Part C plan is an alternative developed by the government and sold through private insurers. It is widely known as “Medicare Advantage,” and by law, this plan offers—at a minimum—the same benefits as Original Medicare. The costs, rules and even the way coverage works can vary depending on the private insurer you purchase from. These plans often can include dental, vision, hearing coverage, extra benefits and in some areas, $0/mo. premiums.
Medicare Part C provides an alternative to Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B). Offered by private health insurance companies that are approved by Medicare, Medicare Part C plans—also known as Medicare Advantage plans—are legally required to offer at least the same benefits that are provided from Original Medicare, but can include additional coverage, such as routine vision or dental benefits, prescription drugs or health wellness programs.

Services Medicare Part C Covers

• $0 premium plans and $0 deductible plans may be available in your area
• Prescription drug coverage may be included
• Additional benefits, such as vision, hearing and dental may be available

What is Medicare Part D coverage?

Medicare Part D is a stand-alone drug plan offered through private insurers that will cover most of your outpatient prescription medications. It’s good to know that if you choose a Medicare Advantage plan instead of Original Medicare, the benefits of Part D are often incorporated into your Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicare Part D—a federal program that began in 2006—provides Medicare beneficiaries access to retail prescription drugs at affordable copays. Prior to the introduction of Medicare Part D, Medicare beneficiaries mostly paid for their medications as an out-of-pocket expense as Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B) doesn’t cover all prescription drug costs.

Also referred to as Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare Part D helps cover the cost of prescription medications, giving you broader healthcare coverage and potentially saving you money.

Some of the key things you need to know about the Medicare Part D include:

• Part D plans are operated by Medicare-approved private insurance companies
• Part D plans provide prescription drug coverage for both generic and brand name medications
• Medicare Part D has four phases of prescription drug coverage
• The cost varies based on the plan you choose, your medications and pharmacy
• Drugs covered and costs can change from year to year, so it’s important to compare plans
• Participation in Medicare Part D is purely voluntary