You can also choose to get your Medicare coverage through a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C). This Medicare Private Plan comes with different rules, restrictions, and costs that affect how you receive care.

Medicare Advantage plans in Arizona cover everything offered in Plan A and B, and most even include prescription drug coverage.

Note: You must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B to be eligible for a Medicare Advantage plan.

They also include additional benefits such as dental and vision coverage and care management services that help beneficiaries battling chronic illnesses.

As of 2020, 39% of Arizona’s Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans. Currently, all 15 counties of Arizona offer Medicare Advantage plans, but the availability of these services may vary from one part of the state to another.

These Medicare Advantage Plans are available for anyone who is eligible for Original Medicare. In addition, every fall, from October 15th to December 7th, Medicare beneficiaries can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

Beneficiaries already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan can switch to a new Medicare Advantage plan or drop their current policy and enroll in Original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1st to March 31st.

For more information, contact Arizona Medicare Professionals or one of the trusted insurance companies about your options.

Part D, known as Medicare’s Prescription Drug Benefit, provides outpatient drug coverage. It is important to note that Part D is only offered through private insurance companies that have contracts with the federal government.

In 2021, insurance companies in Arizona are offering 32 Part D plan options with monthly premiums starting from $7 to $106.

As of September 2020, 478,065 Medicare Arizona beneficiaries had stand-alone Part D coverage, and 553,704 had Part D coverage as a part of their Medical Advantage plans.

Are you still unsure about your eligibility for Medicare in Arizona? Let us help you clear that up!

Over 1.3 million people in Arizona are eligible for Medicare coverage. You qualify if you are:

• A legal U.S  citizen or resident who has resided in the United States for more than five years
• 65 years or older
• You or your spouse have worked for ten years and paid Medicare taxes

However, if you’re below 65 years, you qualify for Medicare if you meet the following criteria:

• You have been receiving Social Security disability benefits for at least 24 months
• You have been diagnosed with Lou Gerhig’s disease
• You receive a disability benefits pension from the Railroad Retirement Board
• You have an end-stage renal disease that requires dialysis or kidney transplant

Contact us to find out if you qualify for Medicare Services. Get in touch with an IPA Medicare Insurance Specialist today!

Medigap plans, also known as Medicare Supplement plans, help Medicare beneficiaries cover their out-of-pocket costs.

Medicare supplement plans are issued by private insurers but they are standardized under government rules. There are ten different plans differentiated by the letters A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N.

These plans differ in price, coverage levels, and customer service experiences, but the benefits are uniform regardless of the insurer offering the coverage.

There are about 69 insurers who are licensed to offer Medigap plans in Arizona. An analysis conducted by Business Insider revealed the average cost of Medigap Plan F, which is the most popular plan in 2016, was around $143 in monthly premiums.

With Medigap insurance coverage, the government allows a 6-month guaranteed issue period that starts when an individual already enrolled in Medicare Part B reaches the age of 65.

Unfortunately, the government doesn’t issue an open enrollment for Medigap in Arizona if an applicant is below the age of 65, even if they are enrolling due to a disability.

Several Medicare Arizona beneficiaries receive financial assistance along with the cost of Medicare premiums, prescription drug coverage, and other services not covered by Medicare. In Arizona, Medicaid is referred to as AHCCCS (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System).

For Medicare Beneficiaries that are considered low income, there are programs available that will help reduce the cost of your Part B premium and the cost of your prescription drugs. Contact us to see if you qualify for these programs. We are experts in this area.