Danielle Rose, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: Part A: inpatient= Large deductibles and copays in the event of hospitalization.

Part B: outpatient= 20% coinsurance for any of your doctor services.

Answer: The easiest answer is, it can be.

Medicare Part B premiums can vary based on income. Some people pay an inflated Medicare Part B premium due to higher incomes. Some may pay $0 if they have lower incomes.

There can be multiple factors that affect the cost of Medicare. If you visit with a specialist they can give you personalized information on how much you could spend, how you could appeal, and how you can get the best coverage based on your health and prescriptions.

Answer: You can use the services of a professional or you can go onto Medicare.gov and compare the plans yourself. Working with a professional can help you with comparing different brands and generics.

Answer: If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, I would highly recommend it! It can help cover the high out of pocket costs if you are diagnosed with cancer, have a heart attack, or even a stroke. These types of plans cost about the same as a cup of coffee.

Answer: If you have a fixed income and it is on the lower side, you can potentially qualify to get your prescriptions at a discount. They only look at your income and not your assets, which is what sets it apart from the Medicaid program.

Answer: I would always recommend sticking with Original Medicare. You might pay a little more up front, but if you have a medical event you're going to be nearly 100% covered. Medicare Advantage is a pay-as-you-go type of plan.

Answer: Don't provide details over the phone. Sit down with a trusted professional in person. If you are pressured to do something over the phone, don't do it! Better safe than sorry.

Answer: Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement will travel with you. Any doctor that accepts Medicare will take a Medicare supplement. Medicare Advantage plans do not travel well outside of your service area.

Answer: If you are healthy and don't go to the doctor often, a Medicare Advantage plan can be cost effective.

The biggest risk to your assets that Medicare Advantage plans and Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement do not cover is Long Term Care. I

f you want to pinch pennies on the Medical coverage, use those pennies on LTC coverage, because a hospitalization most likely won't cause bankruptcy, but a long term care event will.

Answer: Because you are currently receiving Social Security, you will automatically be enrolled into Medicare Parts A and B.

For the Medicaid portion, you will need to visit the DSHS website and reapply to maintain your Medicaid status. Once that is complete you can enroll into a Medicare plan that works with both Medicare and Medicaid.

Answer: A deductible is what needs to be paid before coverage begins, just like with car insurance. A copay is something that has to be paid and does not count towards the deductible. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan and you are in the hospital for the full 7 days, you will be paying more in copays than with the Part A deductible.

Answer: Neither one is necessarily better or worse. Each one has benefits and drawbacks. I usually recommend Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement, because even if it has a monthly cost, you will have almost complete coverage when you need to use it. Medicare advantage is more of a pay-as-you-go plan that comes with a few extras that are not covered by Original Medicare.

Answer: This one is a tricky situation. It could be that your dad is on a plan that doesn't cover all of his medications, or they could be a Tier 3 or higher. I would recommend having his coverage reviewed and explained to you so that you can better assist your dad.

Answer: A Medicare agents can help you find a plan specific to your situation, health, doctors, prescriptions, etc. Medicare can be a very confusing milestone in a senior's life and a Medicare agent can make it simple to understand and personalized to you.

Answer: If you were married for 10 years or more, you are entitled to their Medicare credits and possibly their Social Security benefits and it will NOT affect their benefits at all. But if you remarried or were married for less than 10 years, you will not be able to access these benefits.