The World 11_07_18

SENIOR LIVING | YOUR HEALTH
What to Know About Medicare
Medicare is a federal health insurance plan that working Americans pay into through payroll taxes.
It is a valuable benefit, as most Americans’ health insurance is tied to their jobs, thus leaving a
hole when workers retire, but enrolling in and navigating the program can be a daunting task.
The AARP has a Medicare
Question and Answer Tool to
walk people through the plans
Medicare offers, what health
care coverage you need and
can afford, and the timeline
you should expect as you are
signing up.
BASICS OF MEDICARE
At age 65, Americans are eligible
for Medicare. There are
four parts:
• Part A (hospital): Helps
pay for the cost of hospital
stays and time in short-term
skilled nursing facilities, hospice
and home health services.
• Part B (medical): Helps
pay for doctors, outpatient
and preventive care and certain
medical equipment.
• Part C (Medicare
Advantage): An alternative
coverage option that puts all
your Medicare benefits into
one plan.
• Part D: Helps cover the
cost of outpatient prescription
drugs.
If you or your spouse have
earned a minimum of 40 work
credits through paying
Medicare payroll taxes, you
won’t pay monthly premiums
for Part A insurance. Work
credits aren’t necessary for
Part B or D services, though
there is a monthly premium
for those.
Like traditional health
insurance, Medicare does not
cover all health care costs.
Plans have different deductibles,
premiums and copays.
Your income also may be a
factor on how much you pay.
HOW TO SIGN UP
FOR MEDICARE
Even after paying payroll
taxes and turning 65, most
Americans still must apply for
Medicare. The initial enrollment
period lasts for seven
months, with the fourth
month being the month you
turn 65. You should sign up
during this period if you have
no other health insurance or
have insurance you bought
yourself; you have retiree benefits
from a former employer;
you have COBRA coverage or
veterans’ benefits; or you’re in
a nonmarital relationship and
covered by their insurance. If
you enroll before your 65th
birthday; your coverage begins
on the first day if the month
you turn 65. If you enroll after,
there is a delay.
© ADOBE STOCK
A special enrollment period
is available for people who
have health insurance past the
initial period and allows them
to delay enrolling in Part B
until their previous coverage
ends. There also are exceptions
for expatriates or people
who are covered through a
spouse’s insurance.
Turning 65? New to Medicare?
CVCOA Offers Free Workshops!
Learn about your
Medicare options
TwoWorkshops
Per Month in Barre
Call for Schedule and to
Register: 479-0531 or email
medicareworkshops@cvcoa.org
Central Vermont Council on Aging
59 N. Main Street - 2 nd Floor - Barre
Senior HelpLine - (800) 642-5119
Did you know?
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is
often mistaken as something that only affects aging men and
women. While the Alzheimer’s Association® notes that age is
the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s, the group also warns
that even men and women nowhere close to retirement age
can develop the disease. In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association
reports that, in the United States alone, roughly 200,000
people under the age of 65 have early-onset Alzheimer’s
disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, many
people with early-onset are in their 40s and 50s. Recognizing
that Alzheimer’s is not just for retirees but capable of affecting
younger men and women with families and careers is important,
as the Alzheimer’s Association points out that healthcare
providers typically do not look for signs or symptoms of
Alzheimer’s in young people. In such people, symptoms of Alzheimer’s
may be incorrectly attributed to stress. Adults who
suspect they might be suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s
should have a comprehensive medical evaluation, which may
include a neurological exam and/or brain imaging, conducted
by a physician who specializes in Alzheimer’s disease.
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November 7, 2018 The WORLD page 21