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Many people approaching the age of 65 are asking the question, “What is Original Medicare coverage?” This is a serious question, and these same people are often uncertain whether they are eligible and how to enroll.

Although the Medicare program has evolved since it first started in 1965, Original Medicare is the single payer, Federal health insurance program for U.S. citizens and legal residents age 65 or older. It now also includes coverage for individuals eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, those who have kidney failure, or ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). There is one other Federal insurance payer, the Federal Employees Health Benefits program that covers Federal employees.

Original Medicare coverage includes medical insurance that covers visits to doctors, Medicare supplies and equipment, hospital outpatient care, and many other medical services, such as labs, radiology, and physical therapy. This is the Part B side of Medicare. The Part A of Medicare helps pay for inpatient services. Part A would include coverage for inpatient hospital days, skilled nursing facility stays, and Home Health benefits.

Generally speaking, eligibility is not complicated. If you are a U.S. Citizen or naturalized citizen nearing the age of 65, or disable or have End Stage Renal Disease, you are probably eligible. Eligibility questions can be addressed to the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.

However, if you are already receiving Social Security Benefits prior to your 65th birthday, then you will be enrolled into Medicare Part A and Part B automatically. The way this works is that approximately 3 months before you turn 65, you will receive you initial enrollment packet that will include your Medicare card. If you want to enroll into both A and B, sign your card and keep it in a safe place. If you want to refuse Part B, simply sign the back of the card form that you receive, put an “x” in the box that says you are refusing Part B, and send the card back using the return envelope. After the SSA receives and notes your decision, you will receive a new card listing your enrollment into Part A, only.

If you are approaching age 65 but not yet receiving Social Security Benefits, the procedure is a little different. In this case, you need to initiate the enrollment process yourself by submitting an application with Social Security. You can do this through your local office, or call the number given above for more information. In either case, whether you are already receiving SSA benefits or not, you have a 7 month initial enrollment period to sign up. This includes the 3 months before the month of your birthday, the month of your birthday, and the three months immediately following the month in which you turn 65.

The one stable piece of information to hold onto is that Medicare enrollment is always done through the Social Security Administration. If you are already receiving benefits, your enrollment will be automatic and you won’t need to do anything at all. If you are not receiving SSA benefits by your sixty-fifth birthday, you will need to submit an application through the Social Security Administration. As this is quite an important change in your life, you should not hesitate to seek answers to your questions through the Social Security Administration toll free number, 1-800-772-1213.

Medicare Part D in 2010 may be right for you. Find out today! Heard about Medicare Advantage PPO plans? Free information right here.

Medigap insurance is not the only Medicare-related coverage that may be going through changes during the next few months due to the new health care reforms proposed by President Obama. Medicare Advantage Plans, which are also known as Medicare Part C plans, may also be experiencing change.

Here’s a refresher on Medicare Advantage Plans:

Medicare Advantage Plans are Health Maintenance Organization (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), Private Fee-for-Service Plans, or Medicare Special Needs Plans . To enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you must have Medicare Parts A and Part B, and you may have to pay a monthly premium to your Medicare Advantage Plan for the extra benefits that they offer. Advantage plans are private. You should not be simultaneously enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medigap plan as they counter one another.

Current reports state that Medicare Advantage Plan payments to private health insurers will be limited to 2010 rates for the entirety of 2011. The proposed health care laws stipulate cuts amounting to $130 billion over the next ten years to these plans to prevent government overcompensation to insurance providers.

As next year’s payments will not be able to match rising health care costs, what could occur is that insurance companies will offset the loss of payment increases by the increasing premiums that their customers pay.

Medicare Advantage Plans and prescription drug plan sponsors also must have significant differences between their products due to CMS regulation requiring the elimination of duplicate prescription and health plans. These differences run the gamut from plan types, client out-of-pocket costs, premiums, and formulary offerings.

Beginning in 2014, Medicare Advantage Plans will need to spend 85% of insurance premiums collected on providing health care to their customers as another limiting factor to overcompensation of insurance executives.

Learn more about Medicare supplements. Stop by Richard Cantu’s site where you can find out all about Medigap and what it can do for you.

Finding a Medigap insurance policy can seem complicated. Luckily, there are many great resources out there for people who need to purchase this type of coverage.

Medigap (also known as Medicare supplemental insurance) is available to those that are eligible for Medicare coverage. However, there are some factors to consider that may be a bit confusing….

For example, spouses must have separate policies when applying for Medicare supplemental insurance coverage. This insurance is offered on a standard system of 12 different plans to choose from. They all range in coverage type and amount significantly. Also, each of these policies are offered by many different private insurance companies, which gives you more power in choosing the exact Medigap insurance coverage for your needs.

The way that supplemental insurance works is that you first choose the plan that best suits your needs, based on the existing coverage that you have and what you want. Then, you can comparison shop with the companies that sell Medigap insurance to determine which one has the best rates and service for the plan that you need. All companies who sell supplemental Medicare coverage will offer all 12 plans, so you don’t need to worry about that. All you have to do is choose the one that you like best.

Your reasons for choosing a Medigap insurance provider are allowed to be whatever you choose. You may pick the one with the lowest rate, or the one with the best customer service. You can even pick a company just because you happen to like their website, if that’s what you choose. It is all up to you.

The first step is determining what you need, and also what you can afford. Remember that your coverage will be different if you are healthy than if you have medical conditions or a constant need for visits to the doctor. Make sure that you are asking questions so that you understand everything very clearly before you make any decisions about what you’re going to do or which plan you want.

Medigap insurance providers and policies don’t have to be complicated. If you take things step-by-step and allow yourself to figure things out and learn as you go, it can be a simple process. If all else fails, you can easily find a private insurance company that deals with this type of coverage and get their assistance in choosing the best insurance policy to cover the gaps in your Medicare insurance.

Learn more about Medicare supplements. Stop by Richard Cantu’s site where you can find out all about Medigap and what it can do for you.