Healthcare is complex to navigate for just about everybody. However, it can be particularly tricky for those who are aging with chronic conditions. These are health-related burdens that many people simply don’t have to factor in, and they can affect insurance options and coverage.
Granted, most who would fit into the “aging” category will have the option of signing up for Medicare. Even here though, things can be a little confusing or complicated. So to make it all a little easier, we want to highlight a few things people with chronic conditions should know about Medicare.
1. Most chronic conditions are covered
A lot of people have a perfectly logical concern that opting for a blanket, universal healthcare option like Medicare may leave them without coverage for specific issues or conditions. While there’s some logic to this however, Medicare is meant to be fairly comprehensive, and does cover most chronic conditions. Per the National Council On Aging, the most common chronic conditions in aging adults include things like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, arthritis, and dementia. Others would broadly list neurological conditions. And all of these — in addition to mental health issues, cancer, lung disorders, and more — are covered under Medicare. There need not be much concern about a chronic condition not being part of your coverage.
2. Different plans contain similar coverage
Beyond worrying about certain conditions being covered, some may also balk at the fact that there are different specific plans under the Medicare umbrella. When you really dig into them though, these plans are differentiated by fairly small details, whereas broad coverage remains the same. Kelsey Care Advantage does a nice job of laying out a number of similar but slightly different plans, and showing that each of them includes Part A (hospital visit coverage) and Part B (medical appointments and basic coverage), in addition to other features. In short, you won’t choose a plan that specifically excludes coverage for your chronic condition.
3. Multiple conditions can be covered at once
Others still have understandable concerns about multiple chronic conditions. We tend to think of insurance as something that can “run out” or be stretched too thin, and thus some wonder if they will be supported for more than one regular need. The good news is that this too is unlikely to be a problem under Medicare. Additionally, there is specific coverage called Medicare Chronic Care Management that exists for this reason. Healthline describes this coverage as being “for members with two or more chronic conditions.” It allows you to have medications, appointments, and services all managed under a single healthcare provider.
4. Medicare is often up for debate
This point is not meant to be scary, nor to leave any lingering uncertainty. These days though, it should at least be noted that there are consistent challenges and protections swirling round Medicare. Just recently, The Hill wrote about the need for action to fund and preserve Medicare, and with the two major political parties seldom agreeing on matters of healthcare, this kind of thing can be a difficult. To be clear, Medicare is exceedingly unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon. But those exploring this care should be prepared for peripheral political drama and suggested changes from time to time.
Hopefully this has helped to address some common questions and concerns regarding Medicare for people with chronic conditions. And for more information and assistance of all kinds regarding day-to-day life with such conditions, we hope you’ll keep coming back to Barby Ingle!