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Philadelphia Medicare Initial Enrollment Period

Allen Heffler, Medicare advisor in Philadelphia explains Medicare Initial Enrollment Period: It is very important to understand how and when to enroll in Medicare. Medicare has an Initial Enrollment Period that begins three months prior to you turning 65, the month of you turning 65 and three months after you turn 65. It is during this time period that you are able to enroll into Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, based on Medicare’s Initial Enrollment Period. If you are already receiving Social Security benefits, you should automatically be enrolled into Medicare Part A & B. You should not have to sign up for Medicare. You should receive your red white and blue Medicare card approximately three and a half months prior to the first of the month of your 65th birthday. If you are not receiving Social Security benefits and you wish to get onto Medicare you need to be pro-active and enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B during the Initial Enrollment Period. You can do this by going t

Seven Medicare Mistakes to Avoid- Mistake # 6 - Assuming that all Preventive Care is Automaticlly Covered at 100% by Allen Heffler

Assuming that all Preventive Care is Automaticlly Covered at 100%   There are many preventive care services that Medicare covers at 100%, without any deductible or copays out of your pocket. Such servives as screenings cancer, heart disease, diabetes very well might be covered at 100%. However, it would be a mistake to automatically assume that every preventive serice is indeed covered at 100%. Medicare is very strict as to exactly what is covered and not covered. For example, your doctor might want to provide you with extensive testing that goes far beyond what Medicare considers normal Preventive Testing. If that were the case, Medicare would probably deny those claims. Your Primary Care Physician should know the correct billing codes for what Medicare covers, and those tests should be covered under Medicare's Preventive Services. Anything beyond what is normal, well, you might have to write a check for those tests. If you see a doctor or facility other than your Primary doctor

Seven Medicare Mistakes to Avoid- Mistake # 5 - Paying Your Part B Deductible at Time of Service by Allen Heffler

Paying Your Part B Deductible at Time of Service Medicare Part B covers most outpatient services such as doctor visits,  lab and diagnostic, Xrays, etc. In 2017, Medicare Part B has an annual deductible of $183. This means that the first $183 of services for the year- you have to pay for. There are several different Medicare Supplement Plans available; two popular Medicare Supplement Plans are Plan G and Plan N. With these two plans, YOU are responsible to pay your Part B deductible. If you have one of these plans, it is important to follow the following procedure as it related to that deductible.  When you visit your doctor or facility DO NOT pay you Part B deductible at the time of that service. The doctor's office will send the bill to Medicare. and Medicare will pay the bill-except for the Part B deductible. Then, the provider will send you a bill for that deductible. The following is the reason that you don't want to pay the Part B deductible at time of visit. What hap