Why am I confused about Medicare, folks?

Question

My grandmother will be 65 3/08, and we're getting info about Medicare. I handle these things for her, and took the intro book home to read. Honestly, I don't know where to begin! Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, Med Advantage vs Med Orginal...OMG! She does currently have a healthcare plan, which I know she'll need to keep after signing up with Medicare. I will be speaking with a Medicare specialist, not til next week, so, I'd love to hear any experienced voices with this! What is the first step in deciding what to do? My gram and I appreciate the feedback, folks!

Awesome, Lea! Thank you much!

Answer 1

Part A has no premiums, and it covers hospital stays. It has a confusing deductible structure. Part B's monthly premium is about $96 per month for 2008. It covers doctor's visits. It uses a 20% coinsurance. Part D covers outpatient medication, and its average monthly premium is $26. You can choose your plan. You can go to http://www.medicare.gov and use the search engine. You have 63 days after turning 65 to choose your plan without penalty. It has an initial deductible of $275, and than a second deductible after you spend about $2500. However, some plans do not have a deductible, and some cover generics in the doughnut hole.
Part C is Medicare advantage. It is a managed care insurance plan. It combines Part A, B, and D. You will have a list of doctors to choose from. Some plans do cover dental. I've heard some bad things about this option.
There are some odd little quirks about medicare. For instance, routine immunizations, except for pneumococcal and flu, are covered by Part D. That means to get the best deal, you have to go to your pharmacist not your doctor for those immunizations.