By Karon Warren, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ATLANTA — Fall has arrived, and that means open enrollment for Medicare starts Oct. 15. There are several changes for 2024 that you should know before enrolling or updating your Medicare coverage.
Even if you won’t turn 65 for a few more months, now is the time to get to know your Medicare options. Educating yourself now will help you make the right choices once you’re ready to enroll. Several Medicare changes took effect in 2024 to help reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
These include: It’s imperative to review all plans and options before making a decision. You can do a side-by-side comparison of plan coverage, costs and quality ratings at medicare.gov .
Medicare is health insurance offered through the federal government. You must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for Medicare in order to enroll: Medicare coverage includes hospital, medical and drug coverage under three parts: Part A, hospital insurance Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing facility stays, hospice care and some home health care services. Anyone who worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years won’t pay a premium for Part A.
If you have to pay a premium, the maximum monthly premium for Part A in 2024 is $505. The deductible for Part A coverage is $1,632 for each benefit period. Hospital stays beyond 20 days require a copayment.
For skilled nursery facilities, stays beyond 20 days require a copayment; once you reach 100 .
