Learning Center

Medicare: Who Pays First?
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Medicare: Who Pays First?

Who Pays First If I Have Other Health Coverage? If you have Medicare and other health coverage, each type of coverage is called a “payer.” When there’s more than one payer, “coordination of benefits” rules decide who pays first. The “primary payer” pays what it owes on your bills first, and then your provider sends the…

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Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program

What is a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program? The QMB program is a state program that helps covers the cost of Medicare premiums, deductibles and coinsurance that Medicare beneficiaries usually pay. You may be eligible for the QMB program if you are entitled to Medicare Part A coverage, and have…

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How to Pay for Nursing Home Care

You may never need to move into any type of assisted living facility, but life can be unpredictable. Even though there are government programs that might be able to help you pay for some of the costs incurred by long term care, such as Medicare, Medicaid or VA benefits if…

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What is the Medicare Donut Hole?

Did you know some Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs) or Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage (MA-PDs) have annual coverage limits? If you reach the annual coverage limit, you enter a temporary coverage gap, called “the donut hole.” During this period, you begin to pay a higher percentage for…

What Happens If I Start Collecting Social Security After Retirement?

A Bigger Check After Full Retirement Age What happens if you start collecting social security after full retirement age? You’ll likely get a bigger check every month. However, how much bigger depends on the year you reach full retirement age, and how long you postpone collecting benefits. If you were…

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What Is Medicare Advantage? 

Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance coverage for individuals over the age of 65, individuals under 65 with certain disabilities, and those diagnosed with ESRD. It’s divided into four parts; Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) are one of several options…

How to Organize Your Medical Information in 5 Easy Steps

Physicians and health care providers keep medical records to better understand a patient’s prior care and to help inform their decision for treatment plans. Developing your own system for organizing medical information, or creating a personal health record (PHR), will help you stay on top of doctor’s visits, medications, and…

The Health Benefits of Pumpkin

After you have finished carving up the pumpkin for Halloween fun with the family, you might want to chop up another one to create some delicious and nutritious meals and snacks. And don’t throw away the pumpkin seeds! These orange plants are a lot more than just a jack-o’-lantern nightlight…