Part B of Medicare provides qualifying US citizens with outpatient medical insurance, Medicare Part B covers doctors’ services, preventative services, and other forms of outpatient care. You can enroll in Medicare Part B medical insurance three months before and four months after your 65th birthday. Medicare Part B also has a special enrollment period for those who are covered by a group health plan offered by a union or employer.

 

If you are already receiving benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part B the month you turn 65: if your birthday is on the first of the month, you will enroll in Medicare Part B on the first day of the previous month. If you are disabled and under the age of 65, you automatically get Medicare Part B once you receive Social Security disability benefits. Most people must pay a monthly premium depending on their income to ensure Medicare Part B coverage. The Medicare Part B premium is usually deducted from your monthly Social Security payments depending on income.

 

You can chose to opt out of Medicare Part B by sending the Medicare Part B card back when you receive it in the mail: by keeping the Medicare Part B card, you keep Medicare Part B and keep paying Medicare Part B premiums. If you chose not to enroll in Medicare Part B during your initial Medicare enrollment period, you have the opportunity to register during the general Medicare enrollment period that stretches from January 1 to May 1. For every 1 year period that you were qualified to enroll in Medicare Part B, but opted not to your Medicare Part B monthly premium will increase by 10 percent.

 

Medicare Part B provides patients with medically necessary outpatient health care. Medicare Part B fills in some of Medicare Part A’s gaps by providing coverage for doctors in an outpatient setting as well as for Medicare approved medical equipment and supplies when necessary. Physician services, nursing services, vaccinations, cardiovascular and diabetes screenings, lab services, and other preventative services can all be covered by Medicare Part B. Routine physical exams are not covered by Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B will not pay for cosmetic surgery, custodial care, prescription drugs, dental care, or vision care, as well as other services.  However many of these items not covered by Medicare Part B, is included in the free benefits of the AmeriFROG Reward benefits.

 

Medicare does not cover every health-related service or item. You will likely have to pay co-payments and deductibles on services even if they are covered by Medicare. Most copayments will cost around 20 percent of the total cost of the service. If a service you need is not covered by Medicare, you must cover the costs yourself unless you have separate insurance.  You may however be able to eliminate these out-of-pockets non Medicare Part B covered expenses by paying with earned Healthcare Coins from AmeriFROG rewards.