Consumer Guide to Health Care
Medicare
Medigap | Medicare Advantage |
Prescription drugs | More help
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for your information and for the benefit of the general public. The
Department of Health Services does not testify to, sponsor,
or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on externally
linked pages.
Medicare is the main insurance for people 65 and older and also provides coverage for some
people with disabilities. It is the nation's largest health insurance program - covering
49 million Americans in 2012. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which
runs the program, provides lots of information on its
Medicare website. Here is additional
information about the program.
Medigap: Supplemental insurance if you have Medicare
Known as Medigap, supplemental insurance policies cover expenses not paid
for by Medicare. It is important to shop around for a Medigap policy. Under
Wisconsin law all Medigap policies provide certain basic benefits, but
many plans offer various optional benefits as well. In addition, premiums can vary by many
hundreds of dollars even for plans that offer the same basic benefits.
Medicare Advantage: Medicare managed care plans
In some parts of Wisconsin, people covered by Medicare can receive
their benefits through a managed care plan.
- Medicare Advantage Plans in
Wisconsin: This brochure, from OCI, explains options under a Medicare Advantage
managed care plan (formerly called Medicare+Choice).
- Medicare Plan
Finder, on the Medicare website, provides information on plans available in your
area. You can also call Wisconsin's Medigap Hotline at 1-800-242-1060.
Medicare and prescription drug coverage
Beginning November 15, 2005,
people with Medicare can enroll in plans that cover some prescription drug costs. Medicare provides the following
resources to help you choose a Part D plan:
Before deciding to apply for the Medicare drug benefit, you should consider whether Wisconsin
SeniorCare would be a better choice for you.
SeniorCare is a prescription
drug assistance program for Wisconsin residents who are 65 years of age or older and who meet
the eligibility rules.
More help and information
- Medicare Fact Sheets, from the Kaiser Family Foundation,
provide information on Medicare, prescription drug coverage, the
Medicare Advantage program, supplemental insurance, and long-term care.
-
BenefitsCheckUp, a service of the National Council on Aging, can help you find public programs
that may pay for some health-care-related costs.
-
Wisconsin Physicians Service is the state carrier
for
Medicare Part B, which helps pay for doctors' services, outpatient hospital
care, and some other health care such as the services of physical and
occupational therapists, and some home health care.
Last Revised:
March 27, 2013
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