Consumer Post Category Archives: Medicare

Emergency medical condition: Symptoms severe enough that someone with an average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect your health to be in serious danger if you don’t get […]

Part A covers drugs you need during a Medicare-covered stay in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Part B covers most drugs administered by your provider or at a dialysis […]

What kind of durable medical equipment (DME) does Medicare cover?                       What kind of DME does Medicare not cover? Equipment […]

What is the difference between primary and secondary coverage? When you have Medicare and another type of insurance, Medicare will pay primary or secondary for your medical costs. Primary insurance […]

Medigaps are health insurance policies that offer standardized benefits to work with Original Medicare. They don’t work with Medicare Advantage Plans. Medigaps are sold by private insurance companies. If you […]

You have two options for how to get your Medicare coverage. Here’s a look at the two options:                         […]

Fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 and is the time of year when you can make certain changes to your Medicare coverage. The last change you make […]

Some Medicare Advantage Plans may have supplemental benefits. These are services that Original Medicare cannot cover. But not all supplemental benefits are the same! Let’s review what you should know […]

                What is medical identity theft? Medical identity theft is when someone uses your personal information, like your: Medicare number Social Security number […]

“Skilled nursing facility” is often shortened to SNF—pronounced like “sniff.” SNF care is post-hospital inpatient care. SNFs can be their own facilities, or they can be part of nursing homes […]

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Medigaps are health insurance policies that offer standardized benefits and that work with Original Medicare. They don’t work with Medicare Advantage Plans. Medigaps are sold by private insurance companies. If […]

Cost-Saving Checklist: _  Apply for Extra Help: You may qualify if you have limited income and assets. See the following page for details. _  Learn about any State Pharmaceutical Assistance […]

Premium-related Appeals and Troubleshooting You might owe higher Medicare premiums if you enrolled in Medicare late, or if you have a higher income. But everyone has the right to file […]

What’s new in 2025?   Part A: Hospital insurance   Part A premium   Free if you’ve worked 10 years or more $285 per month if you’ve worked 7.5 to […]

Medicare covers a lot, but not everything. For example, Medicare doesn’t cover most dental, vision, and hearing care, including hearing aids. It also doesn’t cover most non-emergency transportation or care […]

Preventive care is the care you receive to prevent illness, detect medical conditions, and keep you healthy. Medicare Part B covers many preventive services with no cost-sharing, as long as […]

Did you know that you don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for Medicare? Between the growing number of older immigrants in the U.S. and the unique […]

Fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 and is the time of year when you can make certain changes to your Medicare coverage. The last change you make […]

Common Fall Open Enrollment Notices You can make changes to your Medicare coverage each year during Fall Open Enrollment, which runs October 15 to December 7. Around September, you will […]

Cost Savings Programs Below is information on programs that can help you save on your Medicare costs. To learn more about these programs and receive help with applications, contact your […]

Preparing for Future Health Care Needs Many people assume that their family members would automatically be able to make decisions about medical treatments if they were to become incapacitated. However, […]

New to Medicare Medicare is the federal government program that provides health insurance to those age 65 and older or those under 65 with certain disabilities or chronic conditions. If […]

Whether to enroll in Part B or use FEHB as primary coverage is a personal decision, based on your individual circumstances. You should look at the costs and benefits of […]

Part D is Medicare prescription drug coverage you get through either: A stand-alone Part D plan Part of your Medicare Advantage Plan The cost of your Medicare Part D-covered drugs may change […]

Ending Care Appeals: If you are receiving care in a hospital or non-hospital setting and are told that your Medicare will no longer pay for your care, you have the […]

Part A: Hospital Insurance Part A premium   Free if you’ve worked 10 years or more $278 per month if you’ve worked 7.5 to 10 years $505 per month if […]

Dcember 2023: Part D Appeals Part D appeals at a glance: If your plan won’t cover your medication, you can appeal the decision. The process is the same whether you […]

November 2023: Choosing Doctors and Other Providers Depending on your coverage, you will have different considerations when choosing health care providers like doctors, hospitals, or medical equipment suppliers. Let’s review […]

October 2023: Protecting Yourself from Marketing Violations During Fall Open Enrollment, you will likely experience more marketing from private Medicare plans, like Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D plans. Companies […]

September 2023: Fall Open Enrollment Period Fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 and is the time of year when you can make certain changes to your Medicare […]

August 2023: Medigap Policies Medigap Policies Medigaps are health insurance policies that offer standardized benefits to work with Original Medicare (not Medicare Advantage). They are sold by private insurance companies. […]

July 2023: Medicare and Transportation Services   Medicare covers emergency ambulance services if: It is the only safe way to transport you You are on the way to or back […]

June 2023: How to Lower Your Prescription Drug Costs Cost-saving checklist: Apply for Extra Help You may qualify if you have limited income and assets. Extra Help is a federal […]

April 2023 Speaking to Your Doctor It is important to work with your doctor to get the best health care possible. Below are tips for building an effective relationship with […]

March 2023 What does Medicare Home Health Care cover?  Home health care includes health and social services that you receive in your home to treat an illness or injury. Medicare […]

Medicare Enrollment Periods How to enroll in Medicare Parts A and/ or B Some people are automatically enrolled in Medicare. For example, you should be automatically enrolled in Medicare if you are […]

Part A: Hospital insurance Part A premium   Free if you’ve worked 10 years or more $278 per month if you’ve worked 7.5 to 10 years $506 per month if […]

Medicare and Health Insurance Marketplaces The Health Insurance Marketplaces were created by the Affordable Care Act. The Marketplaces allow people to buy insurance if they do not have insurance or […]

Medicare works with other forms of insurance in different ways, depending on the other insurance. Some people are eligible for multiple types of health insurance, including Medicare and military benefits, […]

Changing Part D Plans Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit, is the part of Medicare that covers most outpatient prescription drugs. Part D is offered through private companies either […]

Medicare Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Part B covers durable medical equipment (DME), which is equipment that serves a medical purpose, can withstand repeated use, and is appropriate for […]

Vaccines covered by Medicare Part B Medicare Part D covers most vaccines and immunizations, but there are certain vaccinations that are covered by Part B: Flu shots Medicare covers one […]

You can make changes to your Medicare coverage each year during Fall Open Enrollment, which runs October 15 to December 7. Around September, you will start to receive notices with […]

Fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 and is the time of year when you can make certain changes to your Medicare coverage. You can make as many […]

Understand your Medicare notices If you have Original Medicare, you typically receive a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) from Medicare every three months. Your MSN is not a bill. To understand […]

If you were denied coverage for a health service or item, you may appeal the decision. There is more than one level of appeal, and you have the right to […]

What is the Medicare Savings Program? Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) are state programs that assist you with paying your Medicare costs. To qualify for a MSP, you must meet your […]

Moving within state If you have Original Medicare, notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) of your move to update your address. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or Part […]

Home health care includes a wide range of health and social services delivered in your home to treat illness or injury. If you qualify for the home health benefit, Medicare […]

Connexion would like to help you to get healthier in 2021 by offering our complimentary online health community, which incorporates principles of the Blue Zones methodology. Our private Facebook Group […]

What is a grievance? A grievance is a formal complaint that you file with your plan. If you are dissatisfied with your Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription drug plan […]

Is this preventive service covered at 100% by Medicare? Preventive care is the care you receive to prevent illness, detect medical conditions, and keep you healthy. Medicare Part B covers […]

Medicare Part B and job-based insurance The Part B Special Enrollment Period (SEP) lets you delay enrollment in Part B without penalty if you were covered by insurance based on […]

 Part A: Hospital insurance   Part A premium   Free if you’ve worked 10 years or more $274 per month if you’ve worked 7.5 to 10 years $499 per month if […]

 Part A: Hospital insurance   Part A premium   Free if you’ve worked 10 years or more $259 per month if you’ve worked 7.5 to 10 years $471 per month if […]

If you are receiving care in a hospital or non-hospital setting and are told that your Medicare will no longer pay for your care (meaning that you will be discharged), […]

What should I know about Medicare’s coverage of skilled therapy? Skilled therapy are services that are reasonable and necessary to treat illness or injury, performed by or under supervision of […]

Fall Open Enrollment We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. We look forward to supporting you during Fall Open Enrollment, which runs October 15 through December 7, and is […]

Over two thousand people in the Northwest have signed up to take the Northwest Connexion Challenge, which starts Tuesday September 1st. We encourage Connexion customers to join because who couldn’t […]

There’s no doubt about it. 2020 has been one challenging year. As we had written about in our newsletter recently, we’ve been thinking a lot about what we can do […]

People with Medicare can get their health coverage through either Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan. Here’s a look at the differences between these two options. Original Medicare: The […]

What is skilled nursing facility (SNF) care? Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care is post-hospital care provided at a SNF. Skilled nursing care includes services such as administration of medications, tube […]

CMS has amended the guidance to reflect additional information and flexibilities regarding Medicare coverage for Coronavirus. Some of these changes are a result of legislation, while others are decisions made […]

During this unprecedented time that the Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted all of our lives, please remember that Connexion is here to support your Medicare needs. Our team of specialists is […]

  Happy New Year everyone! At Connexion, we’re particularly excited for 2020 because we’re working hard on some exciting new projects that will help us serve our customers better in […]

2020 Open Enrollment is Here! Fall Open Enrollment opens today and runs from October 15 through December 7. This is the time of year when you can make changes to […]

Excluded from Medicare Coverage:  Long-Term Care, Dental, and Vision   Long-term care and Medicare Long-term care (LTC), also called long-term services and supports (LTSS), refers to a range of services […]

What are Medigap Plans? Medigaps are health insurance policies that offer standardized benefits to work with Original Medicare (not Medicare Advantage). They are sold by private insurance companies. If you […]