Washington Senior Health Insurance
Explore Your Options
Many know Washington for its rain, but true Washingtonians know that there is so much more than the rain. There is beautiful scenery such as trees, lakes and mountains. This is among many reasons why people grow up here, raise their families and eventually retire in Washington. Washington offers a variety of options when you are becoming Medicare eligible. There are Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap), Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) and Medicare Advantage plans. To find out what option would work for you call a Senior Health Specialist at MySeniorHealthPlan.com to help make your decision easier.
Medicare Supplement Plans are state specific and can range from Plans A-G with varying benefits. They allow you to use your Plan’s benefits state to state as long as you see a provider that accepts Medicare. If you travel out of state frequently this may be something that you want to consider.
Because Medicare Supplement Plans (or Medigap plans) do not include Prescription Drug coverage they are often paired with a Prescription Drug Plan. Prescription Drug Plans are stand-alone plans that offer different levels of coverage depending on the prescriptions you are taking. Not taking any prescriptions? Most people still sign up for a PDP to avoid the penalty for not having drug coverage or to make sure they are covered should they need to take prescriptions in the future. If you need Extra Help paying for your prescriptions, please visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/medicare/prescriptionhelp/ to learn more about the penalty please call My Senior Health Plan or visit http://www.medicare.gov/part-d/costs/penalty/part-d-late-enrollment-penalty.html.
Your next option is a Medicare Advantage Plan. These plans are county specific, therefore some of these plans that might be available to you, may not be available to a friend or loved one because of the county in which they reside. There are options of HMO or PPO plans. Most Medicare Advantage Plans come with the Prescription Drug coverage built right into the plan, but in some situations they do not. It is extremely important that you know what type of Medicare Advantage Plan you are signing up for. A specialist at MySeniorHealthPlan.com can work with you to discover what plan option will fit your needs and ensure that you feel comfortable about your decision.
Medicare benefits are available to those who are 65 and older or who have been disabled for 2 years even if they also receive Indian Health Services. The relationship between the Federal Government and Native American tribes constitutes various rules to follow. However, CMS has made Medicare & Medicaid healthcare services accessible to all Native Americans who are eligible. For more information visit http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/American-Indian-Alaska-Native/AIAN/
Senior Resources:
Indian Health Services: http://www.ihs.gov
Medicare: www.Medicare.gov
Washington Department of Human Services: www.dshs.wa.gov
