Check-In: Understanding Medicare Options During Annual Enrollment

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) ends on December 7th. It’s important to check your options and make sure you have the right coverage. If you have COPD, you might use different parts of Medicare. Your doctor visits, medications, and medical equipment all have different coverage needs. Knowing how the parts of Medicare work can help you make better choices.

• Medicare Parts A and B cover most medical costs. These can include:
  • Hospital stays or emergency visits
  • Visits to the doctor
  • Equipment like oxygen tanks and nebulizers
  • Vaccines and medicines for nebulizers
• Medicare Part C is also known as Advantage Plan. Private insurance companies offer these insurance options.
  • Many Advantage Plans combine hospital, outpatient, and medication coverage.
  • The out-of-pocket costs can be different from traditional Medicare. Each plan has its own premiums, co-pays, and coinsurance.
• Medicare Part D helps pay for prescription drugs. Private insurance companies sell these plans.
• Medicare supplemental (Medigap) plans help pay for costs that you have to cover yourself. These plans also come from private insurance companies.

Picking the right plan can be hard. You need to find a balance between the coverage you want for medicine, treatments, and doctor visits and the costs of monthly payments, extra fees, and out-of-pocket expenses.

Learn about your insurance options in our recorded webinar COPD and Medicare Made Simple: Preparing for the Annual Enrollment Period. The COPD Foundation held a one-hour online event to help people with COPD understand insurance. Medicare expert Emily Whicheloe talked about these important topics:

• An outline of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D.
• Choosing a Part D plan for prescription drugs.
• Making sure important COPD treatments are covered.

You can learn about Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage options, and ways to save on medicine costs. Check out these resources to help you choose the best insurance for you.

• For guidance on choosing Medicare plans, visit the Medicare Rights Center helpline: www.medicarerights.org/counseling-and-advocacy
• For more Medicare learning resources, visit their education center: www.medicareinteractive.org

Resources

Parts of Medicare. Medicare.gov. Accessed November 13, 2024. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/medicare-basics/parts-of-medicare