What is Medicare?

Medicare is a federal program to help people of age 65 and over (or under 65 for those who qualify) cover health care costs. It currently consists of four different coverage parts labeled with letters: A, B, C, and D. Let’s start with reviewing each of the Medicare parts and add-on options, outlined below:

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The parts of Medicare coverage:

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Additional Coverage Options

Original Medicare is not free and may not cover all your health-related needs. Additional add-on options or a Medicare alternative is available to help give additional coverage and provide savings on medical expenses.

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Medicare Supplement Insurance

Since Medicare wasn’t designed to cover all health care expenses, you can purchase a Medicare Supplement plan (also known as a Medigap policy), in addition to Original Medicare.

How Medicare supplement insurance works

When you have a Medicare Supplement insurance policy, it helps fill the gaps that Original Medicare doesn’t. Different policies are identified by letters in the alphabet. Each policy has a different level of gap coverage.

What BlueCross Medicare Supplement plans offer

• No doctor or hospital referrals
• $0 hospital copay on most plans
• Nationwide coverage
• No-cost gym membership or at-home fitness kits
• $0 hearing exams and up to $2,000 in savings on hearing aids
• Coverage from a South Carolina-based company
  

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Medicare – Part D – Prescription Drug Coverage

Part D prescription drug plans (also called PDPs) help people with Medicare to more easily afford prescription drugs. This coverage can help reduce your costs for medications and is available only on private companies like BlueCross. This is a separate drug plan that you purchase in addition to original Medicare.