If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you may be wondering what to expect when you call 1-800-Medicare. Well, wonder no more! In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of calls that you may receive when contacting Medicare. We will also provide some tips on how to best navigate the system and get the help that you need. So, whether you are just starting on your Medicare journey or have been using it for a while, this post is for you!
When calling 1-800-Medicare
You will get a voice prompt guide that offers you several options for the phone call. Like questions about your premiums. When to expect your monthly payout?
The prompts are very easy to follow. Here is a list of some of the options you will get at 1-800-Medicare
- 1 for Claim Status
- 2 for premiums
- 3 for Preventative Exams
- 4 for Deductibles
- 5 for Coverage and Benefits
- 6 for anything else related to your coverage or to speak with an agent. (voice prompts “something else” or “speak with an agent”)
For the hearing impaired call -1-877-486-2048
Social Security 1-800-772-1213
Virtual Assistant
There is also a virtual assistant where you can ask questions. This function is great for people that are computer savvy and will save you tons of time. You will only have to wait a few seconds for the conversation to take place. the majority of the questions you have can be answered there. The hold time to speak with someone at 1-800-Medicare can be very lengthy. Some people just simply do not have the patience nor the time to sit on hold for 20 to 30 minutes.
Go direct to medicare.gov
Going directly to medicare.gov takes you right to the source of all your questions. You have several tabs to choose from. With medicare.gov you can:
- Create an Account
- Start a medication list
- View your Medicare letter
- Retrieve your MBI number
- Apply for medicare
- File Claims
- Request new ID cards
- Look up drug plans
- As well as many other things
The most efficient way to do things with medicare is by far being able to go online and go direct to the source. If you are a little intimidated by computers you can always reach out to a family member or one of our agents can walk you through the process.
Premium Payments
Questions about your medicare premiums are always best answered by speaking with an agent. They can explain any changes in your payments as well as go over other options that may be available to you. Medicare Part B for the majority of people will be $170.10 this year. Unless you made it above a certain threshold. That will be adjusted by IRMAA. Medicare Part A is usually a $0.00 Premium for most unless they did not work enough years in the US.
What is IRMAA?
IRMAA is an income-related monthly adjustment amount. If your modified adjusted gross income as reported on your IRS tax return from two years ago is above a certain amount, you’ll pay higher Part B and Part D premiums.
There are have several options when it comes to paying for your Medicare premiums. You can choose to have it deducted from your social security benefits. You can also set up a direct debit from your checking or savings account. Or if you prefer, you can mail in your payments each month.
Is Part A Premium if you didn’t meet the minimum requirements?
Part A Premium for those that didn’t meet the requirements is $499.00 a month. This is sometimes too hefty of a cost for someone that didn’t work. Sometimes in this situation, you can see if you qualify for Medicaid which helps you get benefits if you can’t pay for part A.
Deductibles for Medicare?
The part A deductible for this year is $ 1566.00 per benefit period and part B is $233.00 per year. The good news is there are several options for offsetting these particular costs.
What Percent Coinsurance Does Medicare pay?
Medicare Part A and B both cover 80% leaving you responsible for the 20% coinsurance. This is where we can come in and help. You can look at medicare advantage or medicare supplemental plans to see which makes sense for your budget and your overall needs.
We realize that these numbers can get people overwhelmed so we can break things down in a way that will make it easy for you to understand. Please give us a call and we can walk you through the entire process.