HealthInsuranceFinders.com News and Information Center today covered the topic “Not everybody on Medicare has the same coverage”. In fact the goal of the Medicare reforms that have been enacted over the past decade or so have been to give seniors more options. Many believe these changes in the system have tended to over complicate things. On the other hand, the large variety of Medicare plans, and Medicare Supplement plans now available, ensure that seniors are only paying for the coverage they want and need.

Among your options with original Medicare and Medicare Supplement Insurance are Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D. Medicare Part B and D can be combined to give you very comprehensive coverage for medications.

Medicare Part B is your “out patient” medical coverage, in other words, it pays for doctors visits, home healthcare to a degree, durable medical equipment and some forms of medications. Things that are technically medication that could be covered under your Part B benefit include, vaccines, flu shots, allergy injections, Immunosuppressant drugs and some oral cancer treatments. For the most part however, Part B is not designed to pay for regularly taken prescription medication. That is where Part D comes in.

Even if you have one of the lettered Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance plans (with the exception of some of the older plans issued before 2002 which are no longer sold) – you still will require Medicare Part D to receive a prescription drug benefit from Medicare.

Medicare Part D will cover all of the following medications:

* Any approved doctor prescribed medication taken regularly for a chronic condition.
* Any approved doctor prescribed medication for a short-term condition.
* Inhaled nebulizers.
* Vaccines, even those that are not prescribed as a result of injury.
* Hepatitis B vaccines.
* Oral anticancer drugs that may have been prescribed for reasons other then cancer treatment.
* And many more types of medication.

Independent health insurance companies sell Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans. What drugs they cover and how much they pay for medications does vary depending on the type of Part D plan selected. If you are soon to enroll in Medicare, or are currently enrolled and your prescription drug needs are changing – discuss all of your medications with a Medicare Supplemental Insurance specialist, he or she will help you find the right combination of Medicare and Medicare Supplemental insurance that will work best for you.

Via EPR Network
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