By Andrew L Hibbard

@WNYMrMedicare

Originally Posted: 23 JAN 2023

Edited & Updated:

A little education first. 

Medicare Part A is considered “Hospital Coverage,” but that can be misleading. It actually covers many services outside of a hospital.

To keep things as simple as possible, just remember any “inpatient” services will fall under the category of Part A.

Inpatient services being anything you do, or receive, which requires you to stay overnight more than 24 hours.

Of course, if you are taken to the hospital by ambulance, for a heart attack, and they keep you 3 days...that’s an obvious hospital setting and spent more than 24 hours.

However, modern technology, robot surgeries, and better / faster recovery times have changed the traditionally post-operation plan.

What used to require overnight stays, may now allow discharge from the hospital within 24 hours, but send you to a skilled nursing rehab facility, not home.

Well, when you are admitted to a skilled nursing rehab facility, that’s more than a 24 hour stay, usually, and is covered under Part A (even though it’s not a hospital – confusing, right?)

Any ongoing out-of-pocket expense will vary greatly based on what type of private Medicare insurance plan you pick. Too much variation to get into here. For this SmartStart Answers article we are just focusing on fundamentals.

So, the next question to ask would be...

How much does Medicare Part A cost living in WNY?

If you satisfy the work requirements, you’ll likely pay $0 for Medicare Part A. (Work requirements are considered to be 40 quarters, or 10 years).

This is considered “premium-free Part A.”

That’s right, most folks, who have been working for that amount of time, and contributing their fair share, get Medicare Part A for free – they will pay nothing when they sign up.

But, the key words are “when they sign up.”

As the truth-teller and bearer of bad news, you pay nothing for Medicare Part A when you sign up, because you’ve already pre-funded paying for it the last 40 years out of your paycheck and FICA deductions.

How nice for the government to seemingly give you something for free, after they’ve taken so much of your money.

If you don’t qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A, you may be able to buy it.

In 2023, you’ll either pay $278 or $506 each month for Medicare Part A, depending on how long you, or your spouse, worked and paid Medicare taxes from a paycheck.

Key things to remember if you have to buy Medicare Part A:

- You also have to sign up for Medicare Part B, to be eligible to buy Part A

- If you do not buy Medicare Part A when you are first eligible (usually at 65), you might pay a penalty if you want to buy it later in life.

Ok, there’s a lot to deal with, right? I get it.

And as an active adult in WNY, who’s always on the run, you need a smart solution to cut through all the clutter. 

If you want some light shed on your situation, your hand held the whole way, and making your move to Medicare simpler, easier, seemingly stress-free and almost effortless, I can do just that. Here's how...

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HAVE MORE MEDICARE QUESTIONS?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew L Hibbard is a prominent name when mentioning Medicare in WNY, but one you may have never heard of. Working behind-the-scenes, he is a best-selling author, expert advisor and successful agency owner. Focused on educating first, Andrew prides himself on being considered “the only advocate in WNY fighting for better and more reliable Medicare resources, free from insurance company conflict of interests.”

To take away the stress of trying to tackle Medicare alone and feeling forced to figure it all out by yourself --- Andrew created the WNY Medicare SmartStart Program; a free, step-by-step plan, that holds you by the hand to sign up and start Medicare smartly. (More than 850+ people have gone through the program and call it “the lazy way to get Medicare done for you without costing you dime”).

**SPECIAL FREE GIFT**If you want to see how hundreds of WNY'ers each year are doing things different with Medicare, and getting it all done in record time, you can request a special "Medicare SmartStarter Info Kit” at no-cost to you, Andrew will give it to you as his free gift. It will prove, without a doubt, why his Medicare SmartStart Program is widely considered the most popular and preferred way to sign up and get started with Medicare in WNY, Guaranteed! Simply click HERE right now, and everything will be rushed to you right away. It's that easy!