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Overview
AARP Supplemental Health Insurance is designed for those who are sixty-five years old and older, and is meant to cover some of the costs that Medicare will not cover. Some people who are not yet old enough for Medicare but meet the criteria for it due to having a disability can also get the supplemental insurance through contacting AARP and verifying their situation.
Function
The function of the AARP Supplemental Health Insurance is to provide coverage for things that Medicare does not address or that Medicare will not fully cover. Many seniors find that they do not have enough coverage through Medicare because there are still many aspects of their health care that are not fully addressed. Some of the costs of these treatments, examinations and medications can run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars, and many older people are on fixed incomes and do not have the funds to cover these things.
Time Frame
The time frame is very important with the AARP Supplemental Health Insurance because people have to be old enough to qualify. if they are not yet sixty-five years of age they have to wait and cannot purchase this coverage. There are some special exceptions, however, for people under age sixty-five who already get Medicare because they are disabled. These people can talk with a representative about getting coverage at an earlier age.
Misconceptions
A common misconception with AARP Supplemental Health Insurance is that it can be used before or in place of Medicare, but this is not true. It is only designed as a supplement to the Medicare system and is only used after Medicare has covered all of the costs that it will pay for any procedures or treatments that are required. The bills that are left over after Medicare pays its share can then be submitted to AARP to see how much the Supplemental Health Insurance will pay. Very often there is still some out-of-pocket costs that have to be paid by the insured individual.
Benefits
The main benefit of the AARP Supplemental Health Insurance is that it helps seniors to pay some of the expenses that they would otherwise not be able to handle. When someone is on a fixed income, something like a medical bill can cause serious difficulties. Many older people do not have much in the way of savings, and they have to be careful as to how much they spend on various items. If they want to eat and pay their electric bill, they cannot have a lot of medical bills coming in. This is where the AARP Supplemental Health Insurance provides the most benefit for seniors.
Warning
It is important to understand what this insurance is actually for and how it works. Seniors can end up swindled if they are not careful and they can buy coverage that they do not need and will not use, while not having coverage for things that they actually need to address. The AARP is not in the business of swindling seniors, but no matter what company a person is dealing with it pays to be careful. Understanding the coverage that a person will get though the AARP Supplemental Health Insurance plan is vital to making sure that a senior is making the right choice for his or her health.
