AHIP 2023 Q&A

Ms. Moore plans to retire when she turns 65 in a few months. She is in excellent health and will have considerable income when she retires. She is concerned that her income will make it impossible for her to qualify ...

Ms. Moore plans to retire when she turns 65 in a few months. She is in excellent health and will have considerable income when she retires. She is concerned that her income will make it impossible for her to qualify for Medicare. What could you tell her to address her concern? Ans- Medicare is a program for people age 65 or older and those under age 65 with certain disabilities, end stage renal disease or Lou Gehrig's disease, so she will be eligible for Medicare. Mr. Schmidt would like to plan for retirement and has asked you what is covered under Original Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare? What could you tell him? Ans- Part A, which covers hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice and home health services and Part B, which covers professional services such as those provided by a doctor are covered under Original Medicare. Mr. Hernandez is concerned that if he signs up for a Medicare Advantage plan, the health plan may, at some time in the future, reduce his benefits below what is available in Original Medicare. What should you tell him about his concern? Ans- Medicare health plans must cover all benefits available under Medicare Part A and Part B. Many also cover Part D prescription drugs. Mrs. Raskin is a widow who will attain aged 65 and enroll in Medicare in just a few weeks. She concerned about having prescription drug coverage. Which of the following statements provides the best advice? Ans- Prescription drug coverage can be obtained by enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Part D coverage. Mrs. Willard wants to know generally how the benefits under Original Medicare might compare to the benefit package of a Medicare Health Plan before she starts looking at specific plans. What could you tell her? Ans- Medicare Health Plans may offer extra benefits that Original Medicare does not offer such as vision, hearing, and dental services and must include a maximum out-ofpocket limit on Part A and Part B services. Mr. Meoni's wife has a Medicare Advantage plan, but he wants to understand what coverage Medicare Supplemental Insurance provides since his health care needs are different from his wife's needs. What could you tell Mr.Meoni? Ans- Medicare Supplemental Insurance would help cover his Part A and Part B cost sharing in Original Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare as well as possibly some services that Medicare does not cover. Mrs. Chen will be 65 soon, has been a citizen for twelve years, has been employed full time, and paid taxes during that entire period. She is concerned that she will not qualify for coverage under part A because she was not born in the United States. What should you tell her? Ans- Most individuals who are citizens and over age 65 are covered under Part A by virtue of having paid Medicare taxes while working, though some may be covered as a result of paying monthly premiums. Mr. Bauer is 49 years old, but eighteen months ago he was declared disabled by the Social Security Administration and has been receiving disability payments. He is wondering whether he can obtain coverage under Medicare. What should you tell him? Ans- After receiving such disability payments for 24 months, he will be automatically enrolled in Medicare, regardless of age. Mr. Davis is 49 years old and has been receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration for 12 months. Can you sell him a Medicare Advantage or Part D Prescription Drug policy? Ans- No, he cannot purchase a Medicare Advantage or Part D policy because he has not received Social Security or Railroad Retirement disability benefits for 24 months. Ms. Henderson believes that she will qualify for Medicare coverage when she turns 65, without paying any premiums, because she has been working for 40 years and paying Medicare taxes. What should you tell her? Ans- In order to obtain Part B coverage, she must pay a standard monthly premium, though it is higher for individuals with higher incomes. Mr. Diaz continued working with his company and was insured under his employer's group plan until he reached age 68. He has heard that there is a premium penalty for those who did not sign up for Part B when first eligible and wants to know how much he will have to pay. What should you tell him? Ans- Mr. Diaz will not pay any penalty because he had continuous coverage under his employer's plan. Mrs. Peňa is 66 years old, has coverage under an employer plan and will retire next year. She heard she must enroll in Part B at the beginnin