Medicare programs in Arizona
Medicare is a U.S. government program that provides health insurance coverage for people who are age 65 or older and some disabled people under the age of 65 years old. It also covers people of every age who suffer from end-stage renal disease (kidney failure needing a transplant or dialysis).
Medicare Coverage
Medicare Part A is hospital insurance and covers inpatient hospital stays, nursing facilities, hospice care and some home health care. Medicare Part B covers doctor's care and outpatient services.
Arizona Medicare Supplemental Coverage
Insurance companies that offer Medicare supplement policies, which cover services that Part A does not cover, are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or Medicare. The State of Arizona does not provide state-funded Medicare supplement coverage to its citizens; that coverage is offered by private insurers.
Medicare Special Needs Plans
Medicare special needs plans cover people with chronic or disabling conditions and those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Prescription drug plans available from private insurance companies range from about $11 per month with a $310 annual deductible to about $84 per month with a $0 annual deductible, according to Medicare.gov. Most plans cover generic as well as brand name prescription drugs. Most of the private insurance drug plans do not have coverage for the Medicare prescription coverage gap, sometimes called the "donut hole." Under this gap, people have Medicare coverage up to a certain amount, then they have no coverage until they spend a certain amount out of pocket and their coverage resumes. The Q1 Medicare site says the out-of-pocket expenses that a subscriber must incur are about $3,600.
Under Age 65 Qualified Applicants
According to Medicare.gov, people under the age of 65 years who are disabled, and qualify for Social Security disability benefits or the Railroad Retirement Board for at least 24 months are automatically eligible to receive Medicare Part A and Part B starting with the 25th month after receiving a disability entitlement. Those under the age of 65 can refuse Part B coverage or can elect to have coverage and pay a 10 percent surcharge. People who have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) do not have to wait for 24 months to receive Medicare benefits.
Tags: have coverage, Medicare Part, about month, about month with, annual deductible
