Rehabilitation hospitals are specialty hospitals or parts of acute care hospitals that offer intensive  inpatient  rehabilitation therapy . This kind of care is intended for patients  recovering from a serious illness, surgery, or injury and requires a high level of specialized care that generally cannot be provided in another setting. Common conditions which may qualify for care in a rehabilitation hospital include ; stroke spinal cord injury brain injury.  Hip or knee replacement is not covered by Medicare, especially if you  have no other complicating condition. Medicare -covered services offered by rehabilitation hospitals include: Medical care and rehabilitation nursing Physical, occupational, and  speech therapy Social worker assistance Psychological services Orthotic and prosthetic services To qualify for a Medicare-covered stay in a rehabilitation hospital, your doctor must state that this care is  medic...

There are  90 days of  inpatient  hospital care coverage on Original Medicare for each  benefit period , In addition, you also have an additional 60 days of coverag e , called LIFETIME RESERVE DAYS .   These Lifetime Reserved Days  can be used only ONCE, and you will pay a  coinsurance  for each of it. To have a better understanding of it, let’s imagine an individual who had a 120-day  Medicare -covered inpatient stay, this means that they used 30 lifetime reserve days. After they have been out of the hospital for 60 days in a row, they will be eligible for another 90 days of hospital coverage because they will be in a new  benefit period . However, if they need  inpatient care  beyond the benefit period maximum, they will only have 30 of their 60 lifetime reserve days remaining. The above example illustrates that lifetime reserve days do not have to be applied to the same hospital stay. If you need to stay in the hosp...

The benefit period is the length of time during which a benefit is paid. It   measures your use of  inpatient  hospital and  skilled nursing facility (SNF)  services. This  begins the day you are admitted as an inpatient, or to an SNF, and ends the day you have been out of the hospital or SNF for 60 days in a row. After you meet your  deductible ,  Original  Medicare  will pay in full for days 1 to 60 that you are in a hospital. The remaining days, 61-90 , you will have to pay a  daily coinsurance. If your 90 days of hospital coverage has been consumed but you need to stay longer, Medicare covers up to 60 additional lifetime reserve days and yo u will also have to pay a daily  coinsurance . These days are nonrenewable , meaning you will not get them back when you become eligible for another benefit period. If you run out of days during your benefit period, Medicare will stop paying for your in-patient related ho...

If you are in a  nursing home  or another qualified institution  and receive   long-term care , you should know how your   prescription  drug   coverage may be affected. Different rules will apply as to when you can switch plans and how you can access drugs. Note: During a  Part A -covered nursing home stay, prescription drugs are covered by Part A, not  Part D . The information below is only applicable to Part D coverage of drugs in a nursing home setting. Nursing homes work with specific pharmacies , thus you should choose your plan wisely. If your plan does not work with your nursing home’s pharmacy because it is out of  network  or not preferred , you may end up paying higher costs for prescriptions. If you are in a nursing home, you can switch your drug coverage outside regular  enrollment  periods.  Specifically, you  can make plan changes when; You enter a nursing home Once a month while ...

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are accounted for individuals with high- deductible  health plans. As long as these will be  used to pay for qualified medical expenses,  these funds contributed to an HSA will   not be taxed when you put it into the HSA or when it is taken out.  Your employer may oversee your HSA, or you may have an individual HSA that is overseen by a bank, credit union, or insurance company. Also, if you have an HSA and will soon be eligible for  Medicare , it is important to understand how enrolling in Medicare will affect your HSA. High-deductible health plans In order to qualify to put money into an HSA, you must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan . These high-deductible health plans have large deductibles that members must meet before receiving coverage which means they have to pay in full for most health care services until they reach their deductible for the year. Afterward, the plan covers all the member’s costs ...

Wondering if your Medicare coverage can be used outside your state or even outside the country, let's say during a business trip or a vacation perhaps? Your Medicare  coverage and how you will receive your benefits will depend on where you travel. Travel within the U.S. You have coverage anywhere in the U.S. and its territories if you have  Original Medicare.  This includes all 50 states , the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Most doctors and hospitals take  Original Medicare . If you have a  Medicare Advantage Plan , your plan may or may not cover care outside of its  service area . Some plans may cover providers that are  out of your service area, but with higher cost-sharing (copayments, coinsurances) . Your plan may also impose other rules or restrictions like  prior authorization . Contact your plan to see what rules and costs apply when you travel within...

Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic diseases.  The virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and delivery, as well as through contact with blood or other body fluids.  It can be prevented by vaccines that are safe, available, and effective. Eligibility Medicare   Part B   covers the hepatitis B vaccine if you are at medium or high risk for hepatitis B. Medicare considers you at medium or high risk if you: Have  End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Have hemophilia Live in the same household as a hepatitis B  carrier Have unprotected sex with multiple partners or with someone who has hepatitis B Use certain federally prohibited substances Are health care professional in frequent contact with blood or other body fluids during routine work Note: If you are at low risk for hepatitis B, the shot will be covered under  Part D . Hepatitis C Hepa...