How to Apply for Medicare in Johnson County, Missouri

Medicare eligibility in Johnson County Missouri begins during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which surrounds your 65^th birthday. The Initial Enrollment Period includes the three months before your birthday, the month of, and the three months after your 65^th birthday. When you reach your Initial Enrollment Period you are eligible to enroll in Medicare programs if you have been a U.S. citizen for at least five consecutive years. If you meet these eligibility requirements, the federal government will automatically enroll you in Medicare Parts A & B, which most people also know as Original Medicare.  There may be some special circumstances, like disability or specific medical conditions, which make you eligible for Medicare before the age of 65.

What Does Medicare Cover?

Medicare Part A and Part B make up Original Medicare, and you are automatically enrolled in both, if you have met the minimum eligibility requirements.

What is Medicare Part A? The first part of Original Medicare is Part A, which is a healthcare program provided by the federal government which includes inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing services, hospice care, certain blood transfusions, and impatient mental health. If you have paid into Social Security for a minimum of 10 years, part A does not require you to pay monthly premiums. If you have not paid in for that full time period then Part A will have monthly premiums. Your monthly premiums could also be higher if you do not enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period.

What is Medicare Part B? Part B has the same rules as Part A for eligibility and pays for:

• Necessary doctor visits and services
• Outpatient hospital visits, mental health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy
• Ambulance
• Laboratory services
• Durable medical equipment including wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, etc.
• Some preventive care, diagnostic screenings, and skilled nursing
• Dental, vision, and hearing only in certain limited situations

Part B, unlike Part A, does have monthly premiums, which are based on yearly income. Enrolling outside of your IEP can also cause these premiums to be higher. All monthly premiums are automatically deducted from your Social Security benefits. There is no maximum out-of-pocket for Part B, but there are situational coverage limits that you should discuss with a Medicare insurance expert.

We have a Medicare page, which you can explore to investigate any specific costs that will affect your Johnson County Missouri healthcare coverage for Part A and B. To enroll and to sign up for Medicare Part A, you can contact your local Social Security office if you have not paid into Social Security long enough. Enrolling in Medicare Part B should be done during your IEP or the Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which is annually from October to December.

Additional Medicare Coverage Options from Private Companies

Medicare Part A and B does not provide complete or comprehensive coverage and there will be out-of-pocket costs. To mitigate these costs, you can purchase Medicare Supplemental Insurance, Medicare Part D, or Medicare Advantage from private companies to help cover additional healthcare costs in Johnson County Missouri. The Medicare plans available include:

• Option 1: Medicare Supplemental Insurance, which covers some or all of the costs that are not covered by Parts A& B and/or Medicare Part D which covers prescription drug costs.
• Option 2: Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, which combines Parts A & B to provide additional benefits. Most Part C plans cover prescription drug costs.

Adams Insurance Services, LLC provides these Medicare plans through the many Medicare providers we work with. Our personalized service and face-to-face consultations ensure we will find the perfect plan that meets your needs.

Our Johnson County, Missouri Medicare Insurance Providers

Here are the many Medicare providers in Wichita we work with to provide Medicare Part D plans, Medicare Advantage plans, and Medicare Supplemental plans.