March Newsletter

ExploringMedicare
Mar 1, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Mar 4, 2022

Greetings !

Now that we are a few months into the new year, I thought it would be worthwhile to send out a few general Medicare updates.

Did you make changes?

If you made any changes to your Medicare plan during the Annual Enrollment back in the fall, you should have received your new insurance cards in January. If you have not received those, please call the customer service number for your plan and request new ones be sent.

If you changed your primary care doctor or are going to change your primary you may need to inform your insurance carrier, especially if you have an HMO Advantage plan. If a doctor is listed on your insurance card, then the carrier will usually update their system and your card. Again, the simplest way to confirm or change doctors is by calling customer service for your company.

Lastly, if you plan on moving to a new home this year in a different zip code, we should review your plan options for the new location. Plans & costs vary by county, and if you are on an Advantage plan the provider network also varies.

Medicare Part B

For 2022, the Medicare Part B monthly premium is now $170.10 per month, which is usually deducted from your Social Security checks. Higher income households may be required to pay more than that and should consult an accountant for strategies if they are in that situation.

The annual deductible for Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $233 in 2022, an increase of $30 from the annual deductible of $203 in 2021. Some plans cover this deductible for you, so depending on your coverage you may not notice the deductible.

Does Medicare cover foreign travel?

This question is one of the most common I get asked here in South Florida. With life slowly getting back to normal this year, families are beginning to reschedule their cancelled vacations. The short answer according to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services is:

"Medicare generally does not cover health care while you’re traveling outside the U.S.”
There are exceptions (possibly if you have a Medigap supplement) as mentioned in the webpage links at the bottom of this post.
Fortunately, some insurance companies offer alternative short-term policies designed to cover only foreign travel.