Medicare is a public health insurance program, but it is not necessarily free. There are many costs associated with maintaining coverage, and it is important to understand these costs before you enroll. Here is some more information about the most common costs that Medicare enrollees are subject to.
Premiums
The premium payments you make to Medicare are monthly costs that must be paid to maintain coverage. Although Part A can be acquired with a $0 premium, this is only an option for individuals who have paid into Medicare taxes for the required amount of time. For Part B, there is no premium-free option, so all members must pay the full premium every month.
Deductibles
Most insurance policies have some deductible attached. The deductible is an amount that must be paid out-of-pocket before the policy will pay for covered services. Deductibles for Part A and Part B are different every year, so make sure you review your policy annually to catch any changes. As of 2023, the deductibles for Part A and Part B were $1,600 and $226, respectively.
Coinsurance
Coinsurance is the portion of your policy that dictates whether you are required to pay for a portion of the medical expenses associated with covered health care services. Medicare typically offers an 80/20 coinsurance policy, which means Medicare pays 80%, and you pay 20% out of pocket.
Copayment
Copayments are mostly associated with Part A of Medicare. Copayments involve set agreements that dictate when you will be required to pay out of pocket for hospital services. For example, someone who needs inpatient hospital stays for up to 60 days can use Part A to pay nothing but the deductible for those days. Beyond 60 days, a $400 copayment is necessary for each day of care, and the rest of the cost is covered. Beyond day 150, all costs are your obligation.
Learn More About Medicare Costs
There are other Medicare costs that you should know about as well. To find out what they are, reach out to The Benefit Link. One of our agents will gladly help you figure out how to minimize your costs and provide you with insight into the different costs that may arise.
Call us at 817-539-0626 to get started.