Resources for Kūpuna

Medicare

·       Medicare is federal health insurance

·       Available to those mostly 65 years and older and those under 65 with certain disabilities 

·       Entitlement for Medicare is done through the Social Security Administration (they may look at former/current spouses and others if you do not qualify on your own)

·       Medicare has 4 parts -  

o   Medicare Part A – usually premium free and covers acute hospital stay, skilled nursing care on a limited basis (PLEASE stress that Medicare is NOT a long-term care insurance program!), Home health care (again a limited benefit) and hospice care for individuals who have a diagnosis, that if it runs the normal course, have less than 6 months to live

o   Medicare Part B – this costs everyone something but for individuals with higher incomes (like Donald Trump) will pay higher monthly premiums.   For most people in 2015 it is $104.90 per month and is taken directly out of your Social Security check.   Part B covers; physician services, labs and x-rays, durable medical equipment like wheelchairs and walkers and preventive services (for example -screenings for heart disease and diabetes)

o   Medicare Part C – is also known as Medicare Advantage plans.  These are private companies that contract with Medicare to provide all your A & B benefits and can include extras like prescription drug coverage, routine vision, dental and hearing and some plans also pay your membership at a health club as a preventive benefit.  The plans on O’ahu are; Akamai Advantage by HMSA, Humana Health plan; Kaiser Sr. Advantage, Ohana Health Plan and AARP Medicare Complete by UnitedHealthCare.  AlohaCare also has a plan for individuals with Medicare AND Medicaid 

o   Medicare Part D – is prescription drug coverage and can be offered several ways-  through a Medicare Advantage plan or retirement plan or through individual companies.  We have 13 individual companies in Hawaii offering Part D plans.   These plans and all the Medicare Part C plans are found in the back of your Medicare & You 2015 handbook.  When choosing a Part D plan it is important to look at the medications you take and the pharmacy you want to go to as the plans will differ

o   Where can I find more information?  Medicare is available 24 hours per day at 1-800-633-4227 (except New Years Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas).  You can also go to www.medicare.gov or you can call your Hawaii SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) at 586-7299 or www.hawaiiship.org.  The Hawaii SHIP is a volunteer based program, so please leave your name, zipcode and phone number and a counselor will return your call.