How does Florida Medicare work?
Part A of Original Medicare is the hospitalization medical insurance program that covers inpatient care at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice as well as home healthcare.
It is paid for by your Florida Medicare taxes, so you don’t actually pay for Part A unless you have just come to this country or don’t have enough credits because of not paying enough Medicare taxes over your lifetime, in that case (very rare) you would have a Part A premium.
If you’re ineligible for Part A with no premium, you can always “Buy Into” Part A of Medicare if you meet one of the following requirements:
- If you happen to the over 65 AND if you also have Part B of Medicare and have satisfied citizenship or residency requirements.
- If you happen to be under 65, on Medicare due to a disability and your zero premium Part A coverage ended because you’re back to work. (Tip- if under 65 and disabled you can actually continue to get part a for no premium for up to 8 1/2 years after you go back to work)
Florida Medicare Part B
Part B is an optional Medicare Insurance program offered through the US government that covers medically necessary services like outpatient doctor’s visits, home healthcare services, and a list of other medicals services in addition to some limited wellness benefits.
The “20%” that many seniors hear about, is the coinsurance for a Florida Medicare Part B plan. There is no cap on the 20% that a senior owes, unless you have a Medicare Supplement or Advantage plan in addition to Part’s A and B of Original Medicare.
Premiums for Part B run about $96 to $110 for most Seniors, if you make more than $85k a year you may have to pay an additional premium for Part B that runs from $46 to $253 additionally each month for high income earners.
Also, do not confuse your Part B premium with your Part B deductible of $140-162. The Part B premium is a set amount paid to Medicare every month (usually drafted out of your Social Security check). The Part B deductible of $140, is the amount you need to pay in Part B services each year (like an office visit) before Medicare will pay 80% and you or your Medicare Supplement pays the remaining 20%.
Florida Medicare Part C
Part C also goes by the name of “Florida Medicare Advantage”, it’s a health plan that covers and combines your Part A, Part B and most plans also include the Part D drug benefits as well.
These are similar to individual and family health plans in that they have deductibles, copay’s and networks you need to be aware of.
A lot of Florida Seniors like Medicare Advantage plans because they have low premiums compared to a Medicare Supplement, in fact lot’s of Part C policies in Florida don’t charge a premium, though you are still responsible for your Part B premiums.
Florida Medicare Part D
Part D is a drug plan offered by private medicare insurance companies in Florida.
You can either purchase a Part D drug card on a stand alone basis or you can get your drug benefits by enrolling into a Part C Florida Medicare Advantage Plan that includes drug benefits.
Florida Medicare Carriers
In Florida, there are numerous carriers who offer Medicare insurance products to Seniors such as Part D drug plans, Part C Medicare Advantage plans as well as Florida Medicare Supplement Insurance programs.
The most competitive Medicare Advantage and Florida Medicare Supplement Insurance carriers in Florida are:
AARP UnitedHealthCare
Humana
Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Florida
Gerber
Mutual Of Omaha
There are other carriers but those are the most competitive across the board, and in the case of Medicare Advantage those carriers offer the largest networks in Florida.
