subject: What You Must Do With Non-medicare Covered Services [print this page] Medicare programMedicare program. The financial component of this program comes from the portion of the payroll paid by workers and their employers. Monthly premiums of member-beneficiaries, which are automatically deducted from Social Security checks, also form part of the payment for this health care program.
There are various health services that are not covered by Medicare. The costs of these services are usually paid by the patient. However, there are private health insurance programs sanctioned by the government which provide alternative solutions. These health insurance programs cover those services that are not included in Medicare.
Some health care services not covered by Medicare include alternative medicine, medical care received outside of the United States, most dental care, cosmetic surgery, custodial care, and non-medical services. Non-emergency use of transportation like hospital ambulance is also not covered unless expressly recommended by the doctor.
If you want to insure some of these services, you can have your own Medicare supplement plan from a private insurance company. Just make sure that you have the right type of supplement policy for your particular need. There are also health insurance policies covering most medical services including preventive care, such as routine physical examinations, and eye care. However, the premium for these kinds of insurance policies is much higher compared to standard Medicare.
You must also keep in mind that Medicare does not pay your total payable in the hospital even if it is for Medicare-covered services. You have to shoulder the rest of the payment as Medicare only pays a portion of your healthcare bills. Unless you have Medicare supplement plan, you will have to pay for the percentage of the cost of medical service (coinsurance), the amount for covered medical expenses before Medicare begins to pay (deductible), and the fixed charge for the medical service (copayment).
Though there are many medical services that are not covered by Medicare, some of these services can be included if the procedure is declared as medically important by your physician. Medical procedures like approved dental surgery, approved home health care, and diabetes screening are some of the medical services that can be covered by Medicare as long as your physician requires them. Any gap in the cost of these services is also covered by your Medicare supplement plan.
