The Medicare Support Center

The following guide is designed to help you navigate the Medicare system with the best information and resources that helped others who have faced the same challenge.

TSC has scoured the Internet and assembled links to the very best Medicare resources: articles, blogs, forums and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional and other challenges that you face.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this Medicare Guide even more helpful to survivors like you.   

JUST FOUND OUT 

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Medicare

• Medicare.gov
• Medicare.org
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

The Big Picture   

Medicare is a specific type of health insurance, provided by the government to help the elderly. It is a federal health insurance program that covers most people age 65 and older. It may also provide coverage for people under that age who are disabled or who have End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure).

• Medicare.gov: Medicare Eligibility Tool
• WebMD: Medicare Eligibility & Enrollment - How to Enroll in Medicare

Your Medicare

Because Medicare offers a variety of plans, you may want to look at them all before you make your choice:

• Medicare.gov: Search Medicare Health Plans
• Medicare.gov: Find & Compare Plans
  

Your World

After reaching a stage in your life where you or a loved one becomes eligible for Medicare, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the wide range of options that comes with choosing a Medicare plan. For help navigating the tangled web, visit

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Medicare Myths

• Medicare is only for those over 65
  
• Medicare is only for people with terminal illnesses
  
• Medicare does not cover prescriptions
  

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

• Medicare.gov: Find Answers
• MedlinePlus: Seniors' Health
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Overview

Creating a Support Circle

• Set up your TSC Survivor Profile
• Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own
• Interact and provide updates on your profile or our forums

Insurance Matters

To find out how your current insurance can work with your Medicare coverage, visit:

Medicare.gov: Find Answers

Health-care Providers Who Can Help

Most health-care facilities have experience treating and processing patients with Medicare insurance; they can usually help you submit claims and determine benefits. Some facilities, like senior centers and assisted living homes, as well as specialists in geriatrics, are especially adept at providing Medicare help and information, as are some pharmacies.

Resources to Find Doctors

• Health Finder: Find Services
• Medicare: Healthcare Professional Directory
  

The Emotional Roller-coaster

Figuring out the ins and outs of the Medicare system can be overwhelming, and can take an emotional toll. Minimize your stress, and get the answers to your questions, by learning from the experts. The authors of the below books can help guide you through the Medicare system.

Books Survivors Recommend

• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security and Medicare, 2nd Edition
  
• Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies
• Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Pensions
  
• The Social Security and Medicare Handbook: What You Need to Know Explained Simply  
  

What Survivors Wish They’d Known

Communicating with Your Health-care providers

• Bring a friend or family member with you to your appointments not only to provide support but to lend an extra ear to understand everything your health-care provider has to say and to think up any more questions you may not realize are important at the time.
• Don't be afraid to ask any questions you feel you need the answer to, even if you may be concerned about the answer. The time to find out what your benefits are is before a health crisis, not after one.
• Write down any questions you may have ahead of time and the answers to those questions as your health-care provider walks you through them.  Don't be afraid to ask for clarification on anything.

Dealing with Medicare: Information for Co-Survivors      

How you can help

• Assist your friend or family member with choosing the Medicare plan that is right for them
• Involve your friend or family member in the decision-making process

What to say   

• "I will support you in the Medicare plan you choose, and I will help you find out which doctors and hospitals to go to."
• Tell them how much you care about them.

What not to say

• "Don't worry, there’s plenty of time before you need to do that."
• "Maybe you don’t need insurance at your age/with your condition.”

How to build a support network

• Set up your TSC Co-Survivor Profile
• Create a support group for your friend or family member.
• Interact and provide updates

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the options provided by Medicare, know that you’re not alone. Many people have transitioned to Medicare coverage, and they have navigated the system successfully. By filling out forms when they are due and by providing health-care professionals with accurate, up-to-date information, you can make the process that much easier.

Give Back

What helped you while you were dealing with the transition to Medicare coverage? Take a look back at your journey and share with others what helped you and what you wished you would have known/done during your Medicare experience. You can create a profile, reach out to other survivors, join support circles or share your story by following the links at TheSurvivorsClub.org.

If you find out your claim for Medicare has been denied, fill out a form for an appeal or contact a Medicare professional that can help you get your Medicare coverage back on track:

Medicare: Medicare Appeals Information
   
For advice on overcoming challenges related to Medicare from both a survivor and a co-survivor perspective, whether they be emotional, physical, spiritual or legal, read through the WebMd Medicare health center guide:

WebMD: Medicare Health Center