What Is Medicare Part C?

Medicare Part C is a health insurance policy which is one among the few options available in the plan "Medicare." The other sections are Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D.

Medicare is a social insurance program for the senior citizens i.e., citizens who are 65 years and over, citizens with physical disabilities and citizens with some specific chronic diseases, especially renal diseases.

Features under this program are Hospital Insurance, Medical Insurance, Medicare Advantage Plans Part A, Part B and Part C and Prescription Drug Coverage.

Medicare is sometimes confused with Medicaid. But both are different and have unique insurance plans. Medicaid is aided by both federal and state governments of U.S.A. Medicaid eligibility requisite are: low/limited income and certain disabilities. Medicaid is availed by both citizens and permanent residents who fall under certain Medicaid eligibility requisites. These Medicaid eligibility requisites are scrutinized by the government before the citizens are given a definite "Medicaid eligibility" status. Whereas, Medicare is funded by the federal government and it can be availed by all the older citizens, the disabled citizens and citizens with chronic diseases. Few citizens are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid policies.

Medigap:

Medigap is otherwise called as "Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan." These programs do not cover all the health and hospital disbursements for senior citizens, and Medigap comes in to fill the gap of the uncovered medical emergencies. For this reason, most of the senior citizens enroll for both Medicare and Medigap.

Medicare Part C covers both the Medicare Advantage Plans which is Part A and Part B coverage of hospital expenses such as inpatient treatment expenses and medical or doctors' consultations fees respectively. It can also cover Medicare Part D which covers prescription drug expenses for an extra cost.

You can either choose the list of consultants and hospitals subscribed to you in the Medicare Advantage Plans or choose your own doctors and health care institutions of your choice for an extra cost.

Medicare Part C offers about six plans - Health Maintenance Organization, Preferred Provider Organization, Preferred Fee-For-Service, HMO Point of Service, Special Needs Plan, and Medical Service Account Plans.

Medicare Part C cost varies according to the options selected by the subscriber. It depends on the Part A, Part B and Part D premium payments, deductibles, network providers' option, any coinsurance payment, any additional service, any extra Medicare supplemental insurance, frequency of consultations, credit limit, etc.

Aanya is an expert commentator on Medicare and Health Care related information. Her articles have appeared in numerous local publications in the USA.