Health Care News
Recent articles, advice, and money-saving strategies
5 Times When Medicare Becomes Your Secondary Payer
Medicare is the primary insurance provider for most retirees aged 65 and older. However, there are some circumstances where Medicare will not have the primary payment responsibility for your health care. Here are five common situations when Medicare becomes your Secondary Payer. 1. Americans and spouses working for companies with insurance While 65 is the…
Celebrating the Baby Boomer Generation
Get out your party hats! Baby Boomer Recognition Day is August 17th. This event is an opportunity to celebrate a generation of people worthy of being honored. Baby Boomers, or colloquially ‘boomers,’ have witnessed massive events globally and have had a tremendous influence on the world. In the spirit of recognizing these folks, let’s peruse…
4 myths about Medicare’s financial future and why they’re wrong
There has been a lot of conversation about Medicare’s financial outlook and whether it can withstand the influx of beneficiaries now and in the future. Naturally, there are a lot of myths about Medicare. As a large part of the country’s federal budget, Medicare spending continues to rise. However, it is a critical part of…
What happened to Medigap Plan J?
Medicare Supplement Plan J was once one of the most popular choices for beneficiaries seeking a high level of coverage. It was, in fact, the highest level of coverage you could get with a Medicare Supplement plan. Unfortunately, Medigap Plan J is no longer available. So, what happened? Why was was Medigap Plan J removed?…
National Insurance Awareness Day
One of our favorite holidays of the year is here: National Insurance Awareness Day! We’re sure you’re already aware of insurance, but we want to help you understand insurance better — specifically health insurance. Because health insurance in the U.S. is largely tied to employers, many people go their entire lives without ever truly shopping…
Can My Children Receive Medicare?
Most of the time, Medicare is for individuals who are 65 years of age or older. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Sometimes, even children can qualify for Medicare. Learn more about Medicare for children so you can find out if anyone in your family fits the criteria for coverage. Relationship Requirements In order…
How to file a Medicare claim step-by-step
Most Americans never need to file a Medicare claim. Usually, Medicare providers send claims directly to Medicare so their members don’t need to do a thing. However, in some rare cases, people in Original Medicare may need to file their own claims. Follow these steps to make sure you file yours correctly. When you may…
How Do I Get Dental Coverage with Medicare?
Does Medicare cover dental care? Your dental health is an important part of your overall wellness, but most standard Medicare health insurance plans do not include dental services. Instead, dental insurance is often sold separately, so you can customize your insurance to suit your needs. If you use Medicare, you should be aware that certain…
Insights Into 2021 Medicare Shopping Trends
United Medicare Advisors provides independent advice to help people select the best Medicare insurance for their needs. Years of expertise enable us to match Medicare-eligible individuals with the appropriate coverage for their lifestyle and budget. Once again, Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for 2021 ended on December 7. Many people are not aware of the…
What’s Next for Medicare in 2022
Each year, we speak to thousands of people who tell us how confusing and overwhelming Medicare can be. We understand how tricky it is, and you are not alone. To help you make sense of Medicare, United Medicare Advisors has reviewed and analyzed changes to the costs and benefits of Medicare plans to help you…
Medicare Enrollment Period 2021
Each year, Medicare beneficiaries are allowed to re-shop their Medicare benefits to find a plan that works well for them. While many plans automatically renew, many beneficiaries still prefer to take the time to compare their options when they can. Depending on what kind of Medicare plan you have, there are only certain times of…
Understanding Medicare: 22 Medicare Terms to Know
There is a big learning curve when it comes to Medicare. Even seasoned Medicare beneficiaries need refreshers on the details from time-to-time. This Medicare glossary includes 20 common Medicare terms that you may come across in your Medicare journey. 1. Annual Enrollment Period The time of year where all Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in or…
Does Medicare Cover Eye Exams?
Does Medicare Cover Vision? Did you know that Medicare doesn’t include vision care? A common misconception is that Original Medicare covers all areas of health care, leading many people to overlook important coverage for their dental, vision, and hearing needs. To address this gap in Medicare coverage, private insurance carriers offer add-on plans that complement…
Which is Better: Plan F vs Plan G?
If you need more coverage than what you get from Original Medicare alone, you can get extra protection from Medicare Supplement Insurance. Two of the most popular Medicare Supplement (or Medigap) plans are Plan G and Plan F. They both provide broad coverage, but they are not identical. To figure out if one of these…
Best Medigap Plan
What is the best Medicare Supplement Insurance? When determining the best Medicare Supplement (or Medigap) plan for you, you’ll want to consider several factors like costs and coverage. Rather than looking solely at monthly costs, you should also look to protect yourself from unexpected, out-of-pocket costs that can eat into your monthly income. We cannot…
Do All Hospitals Accept Medicare?
Not all hospitals accept Medicare, but luckily, the vast majority of hospitals do. Generally, the hospitals that do not accept Medicare are Veterans Affairs and active military hospitals (they operate with VA and military benefits instead), though there are a few other exceptions nationwide. Hospitals near me that accept Medicare Hospitals need to follow specific…
Medicare and COVID-19 resource guide
After a national emergency was declared on March 13, 2020 in response to the novel Coronavirus, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded the coverage and services available to all Medicare beneficiaries. The FAQs below highlight these new services including virtual access to care, offer tips to stay healthy, and reduce stress. This…
Understanding your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)
Each year in September, anyone enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug (Part D) plan receives an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). While you may be tempted to toss it with your other junk mail, this is an important piece of information you should review. The ANOC is sent by your insurance company to…
Boomer health care: A mix of digital & personal
As more and more boomers age into Medicare, the landscape is adapting to a newer generation of high-tech and exceedingly knowledgeable seniors. Now more than ever, people are using the internet to scout health care options—ultimately changing the industry along the way. According to Statista, out of Americans 50 years or older: 70 percent own…
Telemedicine: Its impact and future
Telemedicine is the one of the largest trends to impact the health care industry. In fact, 76 percent of hospitals in the United States utilize technologies to connect with patients and consulting practitioners outside of traditional clinical facilities, according to the American Hospital Association. For perspective, in 2010, that number was just 35 percent. Telemedicine,…
Medication non-adherence: Tips to stay on schedule
Sticking to a regular medication schedule is difficult for everyone. Busy schedules and changing routines make it easy to skip these seemingly minor tasks. But for people with serious conditions, including recovering from an injury or managing a chronic illness, maintaining that schedule is critical. When a patient takes less than 80% of their prescribed…
The Switch: Shopping trends in Medicare’s AEP
As your trusted Medicare advisors, we stay up to date with trends to give you reliable information and provide clear guidance through Medicare. Using recent Deft Research data on Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period, Lauren Guinta, vice president of sales at UMA, found some noteworthy trends regarding the current state of senior health. She highlights some…
Medicare’s Extra Help Program
Basic health care is the right of all Americans. Those who cannot afford to pay for their health care may qualify for a low-income subsidy under the Medicare Extra Help program. Read on to understand more about this subsidy and its qualification requirements. What is the Medicare low-income subsidy? The Medicare Low-Income Subsidy helps Medicare…
Starting Medicare: 4 common situations and how to navigate them
I don’t know where to begin. Transitioning to Medicare can feel absolutely overwhelming. That’s why you need a great partner who can help you before and after you enroll. United Medicare Advisors (UMA) has a library of great Medicare resources available online, but we’re also a team of real people who can help you find…
The growth of Medicare fraud and abuse
While the majority of American individuals and businesses are honest, Medicare fraud and abuse is on the rise. Learn more about this growing epidemic of health care system abuse and its affect on honest Medicare users. How Does Medicare Fraud and Abuse Occur? Medicare fraud involves a range of dishonest practices that include making or…
Medicare & VA benefits:how they work together
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) and Medicare are two separate medical coverage programs. If you served in the military, you might have access to VA benefits and Medicare. How do the two types of coverage work together? When You Use a VA Hospital If you get medical care at a VA hospital, your VA…
What happens if you don’t renew a plan?
Whether you deal with a chronic condition and you have significant medical expenses or you simply want to ensure that your future needs are met at the lowest possible cost, you need the peace of mind that Medicare provides. But what happens if you forget to renew your plan? Do Medicare supplement plans automatically renew?…
