Medicare is a health indemnity program offered past the federal government. It is available to anyone who is age 65 or older, and to or s citizenry under age 65 who meet certain medical criteria.

There are deuce options to choose from when deciding on Medicare plans in Washington state:

  • Original Medicare. This includes Part A and Part B, but you tin also MBD Part D and optional Medicare supplementary insurance (Medigap) coverage.
  • Medicare Advantage. This is also titled Percentage C. These plans bundle the benefits of parts A, B, and sometimes D into a single plan through a private insurance carrier.

Continue reading to find out what each of these plans covers for residents of Washington.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported the following information along Medicare trends in Washington for the 2022 project year:

  • A tot of 1,427,600 Washington residents were listed in Medicare.
  • The intermediate Medicare Advantage monthly premium decreased in Washington compared to last year — from $37.03 in 2021 down to $34.45 in 2022.
  • There are 159 Medicare Advantage plans available in Washington for 2022, compared to 157 plans in 2021.
  • Or s 99 percent of Washington residents experience access to buy a Medicare Reward programme, and 98 percent have access to plans with $0 premiums.
  • At that place are 30 stand-alone Medicare Part D plans obtainable in Washington for 2022, compared to 29 plans in 2021.
  • All Washington residents with a complete Voice D plan have access to a plan with a lower each month premium than they paid in 2020.
  • There are 12 different Medigap plans offered in Washington for 2022.

Original Medicare

Medicare Part A covers hospital stays and hospice, as well as small home healthcare and care at skilled nursing facilities. The costs of Medicare Part A are set annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Medicare Part B covers outpatient charge, such as doctors' visits, preventive screenings, vaccines, annual wellness visits, and some durable medical examination equipment.

Medicare Reward in Washington

Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are those you can choose to purchase singly from master Medicare. One-on-one insurance carriers contract with Medicare to offer the same benefits arsenic parts A and B. Hither are just about additional facts to know about Medicare Advantage plans:

Some of the companies that sell Medicare Advantage plans in Booker T. Washington state include:

  • Aetna Medicare
  • Amerigroup
  • Humana
  • Kaiser Origination Health Project of Washington
  • Premera Blue Cross
  • Providence
  • Regence BlueShield
  • UnitedHealthcare
  • WellCare

Your choice of plans will vary depending on where you live, as non every plans are available in every county.

Medicare accessory plans in Washington

Creative Medicare doesn't have an out-of-pocket maximum p.a., sol Medigap plans can help pay these, including deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

Medigap plans are purchased through private insurance companies and are only available if you have original Medicare. People with Medicare Vantage plans don't characterize for Medigap.

In Washington, many a insurance companies offer Medigap plans. For 2022, some of the companies offering Medigap plans in Washington include:

  • AARP – UnitedHealthcare
  • Garden State
  • Humana
  • Premera BlueCross BlueShield of American capital
  • Sentinel Certificate
  • State Farm

In total, you have 12 polar Medigap plans (including high-topped-deductible versions of plans F and G) that are available to choose from this year if you live in American capital.

U.S. citizens and legitimate residents for 5 or more years are eligible for Medicare when you turn 65 years old. You may also be eligible before years 65 if:

  • you've acceptable Railroad Retirement operating theater Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months
  • you've had a kidney transplant
  • you have end stage renal disease (ESRD)
  • you deliver amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also titled Gehrig's disease

IT's important to sign up for Medicare during the correct enrollment period for your situation.

Initial enrollment period

  • IT starts 3 months ahead you turn age 65 and continues for 3 months after your 65th natal day.
  • Signing up before your birthday means reporting begins the first day of your birthday calendar month.
  • Signing up during your birthday month or afterward means a delay in your coverage start appointment.
  • Contract for parts A, B, C, and D plans and Medigap during initial registration.

Medicare open registration

  • Information technology takes identify October 15 through Dec 7.
  • You rear end make changes to your original Medicare coverage.
  • You can change plans or sign for Depart D.
  • You can electrical switch between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare general enrollment

  • IT takes place January 1 through and through March 31.
  • You hindquarters contract for original Medicare and Set out D if you missed your initial enrollment period.
  • Reportage begins July 1.
  • You English hawthorn owe a penalty for signing up late.

Medicare Advantage open enrollment

  • It takes place January 1 direct March 31.
  • You bottom change your Medicare Advantage plan if you already stimulate one of these plans.
  • You can switch plunk for to original Medicare (and sign up for Part D).

Special enrollment periods

  • These allow you to sign up for Medicare outside of normal enrollment Windows if you lose coverage for a qualifying reason.
  • The distance and timing of special enrollment periods diverge based along the intellect you lost reportage.

  • More than 1.4 billion people in Washington were listed in Medicare in 2021.
  • There are several private insurance companies oblation various types of Medicare Vantage and Medigap plans in Washington.
  • Overall, monthly premium costs have shrivelled for 2022 Medicare Reward plans in Washington.
  • There are also several Medigap plan options if you liveborn in Washington and are looking additional coverage.