2013 Medicare Part B Assists in covering physician and nursing services; out patient services and procedures; x-rays; laboratory and diagnostic tests; blood transfusions; renal dialysis; limited ambulance transportation; immunosuppresive drugs for organ transplant recipients; chemotherapy; hormonal treatment and medications if administered during an office visit; and Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and prosthetics.
2013 Preventive Services
32.5 million people have benefited from preventive services offered by Medicare Part B, such as the following:
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening (1 per lifetime test if referred)
- Adult immunizations, flu shots, Hepatitis B shots, Pneumcoccal shots
- Annual wellness visit, annual exam and personalized prevention plan
- Bone mass measurements
- Cancer screenings (breast, cervical & vaginal, colorectal, prostate)
- Cardiovascular disease (behavioral therapy)
- Cardiovascular screening
- Depression screening
- Diabetes screening and self-management training and supplies
- Glaucoma tests
- HIV screening
- Medical nutrition for diabetics or renal disease patients
- Obesity screening and counseling
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) & counseling
- Screening & counseling for alcohol misuse (not treatment for alcoholism)
- Behavioral counseling for adults with depression
- Tobacco (if diagnosed with an illness caused or complicated by tobacco use)
- “Welcome to Medicare” initial first year for preventive health education and counseling and annual re-evaluation “Wellness”
2013 Medicare Part B Premiums
First, verify if your premiums are covered by Medicare. If you and your spouse were employed for 10yrs and contributed to social security for 10yrs then both you and your spouse’s premiums will be covered for medicare benefits. If only one has met the requirements then only that individual will be eligible for medicare benefits premium coverage. Your qualifications will also determine if Part B premium is covered within your plan as well. If Part B is not covered, then a $99.90/ea. monthly premium will be added to your monthly Medicare bill.
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Part B has an initial annual deductible of $147 in 2013, then Medicare co-insurance will cover 80% of costs and you will cover 20% of the Medicare-approved charges. There is no out-of-pocket max (OOPM).
Medicare’s Modular Design
Medicare was purposefully designed in Parts, so that the coverage provided could be tailored to each person’s needs. If you’re 65 years of age and receiving medical benefits through your employer or union, then it may be wise to delay Medicare Part B and contact your benefits administrator to find out how your employer’s coverage works with Medicare.
Be aware that COBRA and retiree health coverage is not considered employer coverage. If you enroll in Medicare Part B while COBRA or retiree health is in place, it may put that COBRA or retiree health insurance at risk, so be sure to work with your plan administrator prior to enrolling in Medicare Part B. Otherwise, do not delay enrolling if employment ends, because you only have eight (8) months to enroll without incurring a 10% lifetime penalty.