Medicare is one of the government programs created to help elderly citizens to pay for medical treatment. Medicare comprises four parts known as Medicare Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D. Each part has a different purpose and a different coverage, and only Part A is free. Medicare Plus is what is mostly known as Medicare Part C.
Identification
Medicare is a type of health insurance for senior citizens. Medicare Plus refers to Medicare Part C, and plans offered through this program are often termed advantage plans. This is a part of Medicare coverage that allows seniors who are enrolled in Medicare to add a private health plan with more complete coverage to their current coverage. Medicare Part C offers all the coverage as Medicare Part A --- hospital fees --- and Medicare Part B --- health care costs --- as well as any other additional coverage that a specific plan might feature.
Features
Unlike Medicare Part A, Medicare Part C is voluntary and isn't free. Seniors can choose whether or not they enroll in Part C, and if they do, they usually need to pay a monthly fee that their private insurer establishes. Whether or not companies charge members depends upon the additional coverage to Part B that's being offered, since members already pay a monthly premium for their Part B benefits.
Enrollment
As mentioned previously, enrollment in Medicare Part C is absolutely voluntary. However, there are specific periods of the year in which enrollment is allowed; these are set by each private company. Plans usually last around a period of a year. If a senior decides to change plans for any reason, he needs to wait until his plan's coverage is over for that year. If the year of coverage is over and he desires continuance, enrollment can be renewed.
Benefits
Medicare Part C helps senior citizens to pay for hospital and clinic costs, doctor visit costs, costs for basic treatments, emergency care and preventive care. Other types of coverage available depend upon the plan that a senior chooses. Certain plans include vision, hearing, dental, and health and wellness programs; other plans include prescription drug coverage. Seniors also have the right to appeal decisions made by the companies with which they've enrolled.
Application
The first step for enrollment in a Medicare Part C plan is to find out which approved companies are available in a specific area. The Medicare website has a list of all approved companies for Part C. After choosing a company and a plan, contact the company, either through the email address provided on the Medicare website or by phone. Fill out all the application forms, send these forms to the company and wait for a notice of enrollment.
Tags: Medicare Part, Medicare Plus, Part Part, additional coverage, approved companies, coverage Medicare, coverage Medicare Part
