A private insurance plan will not forfeit your Medicare benefits. The additional coverage may cover gaps in Medicare coverage.
Medicare health insurance coverage is available to totally disabled workers in America. This can be essential in paying medical bills not covered by private insurance. A disabled worker may qualify for Medicare while still being covered by her previous health insurance. A disabled person will not forfeit her Medicare benefits even if she has other coverage. The two insurance plans will work together to pay her medical bills.
Qualify for Medicare
Medicare is primarily offered as health insurance to Americans who are over the age of 65. Disabled persons can also qualify for Medicare if they meet certain conditions. A disabled person qualifies for Medicare if he has been receiving Social Security disability payments for 24 months. To qualify for Social Security disability, the worker must be totally disabled and unable to perform any sort of work. A worker on Social Security disability can qualify for Medicare immediately if he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's) disease.
Medicare Gaps
Medicare has a number of gaps in coverage that a worker must cover herself. Part A of Medicare covers room and board. You are responsible for a number of daily co-pays for hospital and skilled nursing facilities under Medicare. Part B of Medicare covers the fees of doctors and the cost of medical procedures. Medicare pays 80 percent of these costs and you are responsible for the other 20 percent. You must also pay co-pays for your prescription drugs under Medicare. Other health insurance may pay some of these costs.
Other Insurance
You can be covered by other health insurance without forfeiting Medicare benefits. Your Medicare may become a secondary form of health insurance. In this case, your other health insurance will make its payments and then Medicare will pay any remainder according to its payment schedule.
Other Coverage Options
Because of Medicare's gaps in coverage, you need other health insurance after leaving your employer. Medigap health insurance is available from private insurance companies to help cover these costs. A Medigap plan pays a portion of the uncovered deductibles and co-payments from Medicare. More expensive Medigap plans cover all the gaps while less expensive plans still put some responsibility for co-payments on you. These plans may help cover medical costs for a disabled worker once he leaves his company's health insurance.
