b'Associate Member News AFewImportantMedicare Caveats. By David Leo,President ofDont Delay Pick Up Travel WMI MutualInsurance CompanyMedicare Drug Insurance Coverage When Leaving & WMI TPA(even if you dontthe U.S. need it)! In most cases, Medicare For two years I had beenwont pay for health care telling a friend of mineservices or supplies when who was new to Medicare to make sure to subscribeyoure outside of the U.S. to a Medicare Part D drug plan or else he would beand its territories. There are some Medicare Supple-penalized when he finally did. Despite my repeatedment policies that cover these medical services at advice, he delayed signing up for even a cheap plan80% up to a maximum of $50,000, but a medical because he didnt use many prescriptions and whenemergency in a foreign country can easily blow he did, they only cost him $4.00 per fill so he didntthrough that cap and leave the member holding the think it was necessary. When he finally got around tobag for the excess charges. Case in point, WMI enrolling in a Part D drug plan, he learned the hardhad an insured in Montana who suffered a medi-way the importance of enrolling when first eligiblecal emergency while traveling in Canada. He was because Medicare dinged him with a permanenthospitalized for ten days and incurred a hospital bill late enrollment penalty (currently $0.347 per monthof $72,259.28 USD. WMI paid the maximum benefit times the number of months of non-enrollment). under the policy, but the insured was left with a bal-In his case, this worked out to about $100 per ance of more than $22,000! 2yearforever! Lesson: Because Original Medicare generally Lesson: Unless you carry other creditable pre- doesnt cover medical expenses incurred outside scription drug coverage, enroll in a Medicare Partthe U.S. (and Medigap plans have a lifetime maxi-D prescription drug plan when first eligible evenmum of $50,000 or exclude coverage altogether), if you dont think you need it. There are manyit may be wise to enroll in a travel insurance plans that are almost free so in order to protectpolicy that covers foreign medical care due to yourself from a permanent late enrollment pen- emergencies while traveling abroad. If you have questionsalty, choose and enroll in a Medicare drug plan asCorollary Lesson: Medicare Advantage Plansabout Medicare and soon as your Medicare becomes effective. usually do not cover any medical treatment whenMedigap policies or traveling internationally; however, some planswould like a free copy of cover certain medical care under limited condi- the federal governments tions while traveling so carefully review yourMedicare handbook, policy before departing. Although Medicare please visit our website Advantage plans usually cover emergency and at wmimedigap.com urgent care while traveling in the U.S., theseor contact our office at plans have very strict requirements and limita- (801) 263-8000 .tions even while traveling domestically.2I should note that WMIs Medicare Supplement policies are the same as the Medicare Supplement policies sold by other insurance carriers. The federal government develops the Medigap templates and all insurance companies must ensure their plans follow the required policy language and pay the required benefits even if itSmeans not all out-of-country medical costs are fully covered.WPMA News / Spring 202457'