Did You Know These Are Not Covered by Medicare?
Approaching retirement? You are quickly learning there is a lot to this Medicare thing. For starters, Medicare is divided in many ways, and each one is significantly different. Then, you must educate yourself on things that Medicare does and does not cover. Keeping it all straight can get confusing. Listed below are six things that, surprisingly, Medicare does not cover.
Long-Term Care
For those needing long-term care, you know that there are several decisions to be made. What kind of care do I need? Where do I need to go to receive it? How much will this cost? Unfortunately, Medicare will not cover long-term nursing care or assisted living. If you are needing assistance with bathing, dressing, or eating and seeking custodial care, Medicare will not pay for this either. However, Medicare will cover skilled nursing care after a three-day hospital stay for the first 20 days. After that, you will pay a coinsurance, and once used for 100 days, Medicare will stop paying. Medicare will also cover things like home health care, if your doctor deems it necessary, and hospice care. If looking for coverage on long-term care, you will need to purchase a separate policy.
Routine Dental Work
Medicare will not cover your routine dental care when it comes to cleanings, fillings, dental visits, X-rays, and crowns. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For instance, if you are needing a jaw reconstruction or have a jaw disease, Medicare will cover a tooth extraction related to the disease or cover restoration costs. Other devices such as dentures or dental plates are also not covered by original Medicare. For coverage on these, you must obtain dental insurance separately.
Hearing Aids
If you find that it is time to think about acquiring hearing aids, do not expect for Medicare to pick up the bill. Medicare does not cover any hearing aids or routine hearing tests. However, if your doctor orders a hearing and balance exam for you, this will be covered under your Part B. Along with dental insurance, you will need to purchase hearing insurance.
Prescription Drugs
While most prescription drugs are not covered by Medicare, there are a limited number of outpatient medications covered by Part B under certain circumstances. Most of the medications that are covered under Part B are treated in a doctor’s office. If you are needing additional coverage for your prescription medications, then you may either obtain a stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage.
Medical Travel Insurance
Toothbrush? Check. Socks? Check. Travel Insurance? If not checked off your list, and you plan to travel out of the country during retirement, you might want to consider obtaining travel insurance. If traveling outside of the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the American Samoa, then Medicare will not cover your health care costs. If on a ship that is more than 6 hours away from a U.S. port, then Medicare will not pay for health care services.
As in most cases, there are some exceptions to the rule, such as, if a foreign hospital is closer to you when a medical emergency occurs, then Medicare will cover inpatient hospital stay, doctor visits, dialysis, or ambulance services. In the case that you live closer to a foreign hospital as compared to a U.S. hospital, then Medicare will pay without a medical emergency existing. If you have a Prescription Drug Plan and are wanting to purchase medications outside of the U.S., it will not be covered.
Chiropractic Services
Needing to know how much specific services will cost you is an important factor before making an appointment. The only chiropractic service that Medicare will cover is manual manipulation of the spine to fix subluxation, which is when your spinal bones move out of position. Medicare will not cover any other services related to your chiropractor such as X-rays or massage therapy.
If after reading this article, you know you will need additional coverage to Medicare or just have questions if something is covered, give us a call at MWG Senior Services! We can not only help you obtain a supplement to Medicare, but we can also help with the gaps in coverage, such as a dental, vision, or hearing plan – or all three in one. Our advisors can assist in helping you purchase a long-term care policy, too. The best part of it all is that our services are completely FREE!
Call us at (877) 759-5760 or email seniorservices@morganwhite.com. It’s that simple!