b' Wordw w w. w m i m u t u a l . c o mContact us today about ournew Montana Medigap PoliciesBy David Leo, MEDICAREPresident ofand MEDIGAP POLICIESWMI MutualInsurance Company& WMI TPA M is both complicated and confusing. In this article, I attempt to make sense of the Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers nearly 60 million Americans, basic components of Medicare and how it works with Medicare Supplement insurance policies (aka Medigap policies) like the ones offered by WMI Mutual Insurance Company. Much of the information I have presented in this article comes from the publication by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) entitled Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare. If you would like a free copy of this riveting government publication, please contact our office.What is Medicare? PART B (Medical Insurance)This part of Medicare helps Medicare is health insurance for: cover services from doctors and other health care providers, (a) people age 65 or older; (b) people hospital outpatient care, durable medical equipment, and home under age 65 with certain disabilities; and health care. It also covers many preventive services, screenings (c) people of any age with end-stage renaland immunizations. It does not, however, include coverage for disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney fail- prescription drugs (see, Part D below).ure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant).PART C (Medicare Advantage)This part of Medicare is a substitute for Original Medicare that is run by private insurance What are the various companies rather than by the federal government. It includes all Components of Medicare? benefits and services covered under Part A and Part B, and it usu-ally includes coverage for prescriptions drugs (Part D). Medicare PART A (Hospital Insurance)This partAdvantage plans often include other benefits and services at no of Medicare helps cover inpatient hospitaladditional cost (e.g., fitness center access, dental care, eyeglasses care, skilled nursing facilities, hospice andand wellness programs). In exchange for the low premium and home health care. When Medicare Part A isadditional benefits that accompany these Advantage plans, partici-paired with Medicare Part B, the resultantpants must generally accept more restrictive provider access and coverage is known as Original Medicare.limited travel coverage.This is in contrast to health insurance plansPART D (Prescription Drug Coverage)This part of Medicare that are offered by private insurance com- is run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies, and panies known as Medicare Advantage it helps cover the cost of outpatient prescription drugs (including (Part C) plans (see next column). many recommended vaccines). Most Medicare prescription drug 20 www.wpma.com / Autumn 2020'