The holiday season is “the most wonderful time of the year,” but that doesn’t mean it’s emergency-free.
This was a focal point of the monthly Medicare Minute on KVOE’s Morning Show with Certified Senior Health Insurance Counselor of Kansas (SHICK) Karen Mayes noting it is a reality that the holiday season can place additional physical stress on retirees.
So this leads to the question of what kind of emergency care Medicare would pay for if it were to develop. Mayes says that really depends on the severity of the emergency, which people will have to determine before seeking care.
Mayes says should if an individual seeks attention at an emergency room and later finds themselves hospitalized, their Medicare coverage will be determined by the way that they are admitted. She explains that if an individual is under observation or is an outpatient, Medicare Part B will cover expenses; however, if you are admitted as an inpatient, the cost will fall to Medicare Part A, which does have a deductible of $1,676 through the end of 2025 which will increase to and then $1,736 at the start of the new year that must be paid by you or your supplement insurance.
If the emergency is serious enough that it requires transportation, Mayes says Part B will cover the cost of an ambulance trip if traveling by any other vehicle could endanger your health and if you need medically necessary services from a hospital or other medical facility.
KVOE’s Medicare Minute airs every month in the 8 am hour during the KVOE Morning Show. In January, Mayes will join us to discuss changes that occur to Medicare at the start of the new year.
For more information on Medicare coverage or to speak with a SHICK counselor, contact the Emporia Friendship Center by calling 620-340-8001.
