If you’re 65 years of age or older, and are a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident who has been here for five consecutive years, you are eligible to enroll in Medicare Part B insurance. This is true even if you are not eligible for Part A hospital insurance.
Part B medical insurance covers doctor bills for treatment in or out of the hospital, as well as the costs of medical equipment, tests and services provided by clinics and laboratories.
You have to pay for other medical expenses, such as routine physical examinations, medications, glasses, hearing aids and dentures.
Some of the items Medicare Part B insurance pays for include:
You may be able to successfully appeal cases when Medicare denies coverage for procedures that your doctor deems “medically necessary.
Your chances of winning may be good. According to the Medicare Rights Center, 80% of Medicare Part A appeals and 92% of Part B appeals turn out in favor of the person appealing.
While Part A Medicare coverage is free for many people, Part B coverage costs $134.00 ma month in 2018 (and 2017) when an individual has an annual income of $85,000 or less ($170,000 or less for married couples filing joint tax returns).
People with higher incomes pay higher premiums. When Medicare B does cover an item, it generally pays 80% of the amount it approves (after a $183 deductible in 2018 (and 2017) and you pay the remaining 20%. Part B insurance pays 100% of approved charges for home health care, clinical laboratory services and flu and pneumonia vaccines.
For a complete list of services covered by Medicare Part B, or more information on what you pay and what Medicare pays, click here to review the publications on the Medicare website.