If you are only eligible for Medicare because you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and your condition improves, your Medicare coverage may end. Your ESRD Medicare coverage will end if: You no longer need dialysis. Your Medicare coverage will end 12 months after the month of your last dialysis treatment.
The benefit period
Benefit periods measure your use of inpatient hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. A benefit period begins the day you are admitted to a hospital as an inpatient, or to a SNF, and ends the day you have been out of the hospital or SNF for 60 days in
Increases in Part B premiums and the hold harmless provision
Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set the following year’s Part B premium. In 2018, the Part B base premium will be $134. If you paid $134 in 2017, your premium will remain the same. If you paid less than $134 in 2017, your premium will
Qualifying for premium-free Part A based on your spouse’s work history
If you do not have at least 40 calendar quarters of work during which you paid Social Security taxes in the U.S., but your spouse does, you may be eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A based on your spouse’s work history when you turn 65. Note, however, that if you
Eligibility for premium-free Part A if you are under 65 and Medicare-eligible
If you are eligible for Medicare due to a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), you are eligible for premium-free Part A. If you return to work, you can keep your Medicare coverage indefinitely as long as you remain medically disabled. For the first 8.5 years
Original Medicare costs
Original Medicare costs Part A cost Eligibility for premium-free Part A if you are over 65 and Medicare-eligible Eligibility for premium-free Part A if you are under 65 and Medicare-eligible Qualifying for premium-free Part A based on your spouse’s work history Part B cost Part B costs for those with
Eligibility for premium-free Part A if you are over 65 and Medicare-eligible
Medicare Part A is free if you: Have at least 40 calendar quarters of work in any job where you paid Social Security taxes in the U.S. Are eligible for Railroad Retirement benefits Or, have a spouse that qualifies for premium-free Part A You may also be eligible for premium-free
Coverage of immunosuppressant drugs and vitamins for people with ESRD
After you get a kidney transplant, you will need to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of your life to prevent your body from rejecting the donor organ. Medicare covers these drugs differently depending on your circumstances. Time-limited Part B coverage If you receive a kidney transplant in a Medicare-approved
What to do if a Medicare card is lost, stolen, or damaged
If your red, white, and blue Original Medicare card is lost or stolen, or you can no longer use it because it is too faded or damaged, you can replace it by contacting the Social Security Administration. You can also apply for a new card online or go to your
How to compare plans using the Medicare Star Rating System
Part D drug plans and Medicare Advantage Plans vary greatly in terms of costs and coverage. Each January, plans can change their coverage and costs for the new calendar year. This means that each fall, you should review your plan’s coverage and compare it with other plans in your area