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What is Medicare?

Medicare, as the name sounds, is a program that deals with the medical, or healthcare needs of individuals. Medicare is a federally funded healthcare program that the United States government provides for qualifying citizens, namely those in retirement. Medicare applies to those who are 65 years and up in age. The purpose of Medicare for senior citizens is to ensure that the elderly will have reliable healthcare that addresses their medical needs as they begin a huge shift in their life when healthcare is pivotal in living a healthy life. Medicare is not only limited to seniors 65 and older, but is also reserved for people who are dealing with disabilities or medical conditions that fall under the scope of the medicare health insurance program. 

Medicare is not a one path system, but instead contains several different parts and requirements. It’s not always considered an easy sign-up process or something that comes together seamlessly. Seniors citizens and those with certain medical conditions and disabilities have to be enrolled in the right type of medicare and be able to hold eligibility. There are three parts to Medicare; A, B, and C. In order to be offered enrollment in any of these medicare plans, there are many moving parts to consider. 

If you have health goals as a senior citizen it’s of utmost importance to consider which medicare plan is right for you. Entering the years of being what is considered a senior citizen in the United States, is a time of many changes, and health challenges for many elderly. With the provisions included in the government sponsored program of Medicare, you can continue receiving the proper healthcare for your specific needs.

Medicare Parts

Medicare A is a part of the medicare program that provides hospital insurance or coverage for expenses that you may incur during any stays at the hospital or any hospital visits. Medicare A is also built to pay for the costs of any out of hospital healthcare services like hospice care, home health aide care, and any visits that are related to your hospital stay but occur outside of the hospital.

If you and your spouse paid for medicare during your years of working, the amount came out of payroll taxes and went towards medicare, therefore Medicare A does not require that you pay a monthly premium. The conditions are that you or your spouse must have paid for 40 quarters or more to be eligible to skip the monthly premium. Paying the deductibles are still required in Medicare A as a prerequisite to having any hospital associated costs covered thereafter.

Medicare B-Medicare B is considered or also known as medicare’s medical insurance policy or basically the plan that covers the costs of doctor’s visits and the various facets that may be involved during doctor’s visits and procedures. Lab tests, medical equipment costs, health tests, outpatient services, doctor visits, preventative help, is a majority of what is covered under Medicare B. 

Medicare B requires that you first pay a deductible in order for Medicare B benefits to kick in and cover costs. In order to keep receiving Medicare B, most senior citizens and those with disabilities or specific medical conditions are required to pay a monthly premium. Depending on your income, you may have to pay extra for Medicare B coverage if your income goes above a certain amount. 

Original Medicare is a combination of enrolling in both parts A and B. 

Medicare C– Medicare C is a plan for beneficiaries that go through a private insurance plan that is accepted by Medicare. Medicare C is known as Medicare Advantage because it covers more than the Original Medicare enrollment. Beneficiaries of Medicare C must first be enrolled in Medicare A and B, or Original Medicare. Medicare C covers extra health care costs such as gym memberships, prescription plans, dental services, and vision and hearing services. 

To enroll in Medicare C, you have to pay Part B premium, and you may also have to pay the insurance company that offers your Part C plan and give them a premium as well. The premiums will differ according to what Medicare Advantage plan you are enrolled in. There are additional costs with Medicare Advantage plans that encompass expenses like copayments, deductibles, and other insurance costs. Depending on your Medicare Advantage plan, you may be able to choose any health care provider that accepts Medicare Advantage, or you may have to stay in the network. 

Medicare D– Medicare Care D is a prescription drug plan. There are certain prescription drugs that are covered by Medicare D and some that are not. It’s up to the beneficiary to check what prescription drugs they will be [prescribed and if those are eligible to be paid for under Medicare D. 

The cost of Medicare D usually involves monthly premiums and required deductibles. It all depends on your plan, the cost of drugs, and drugs that are covered by your plan. 

Medicare Eligibility

As previously mentioned, Medicare is a federally funded healthcare program that was created for United State citizens that are above the age of 65 (senior citizens), or people that are younger but have certain medical conditions or disabilities that are met under Medicare requirements.

Medicare Enrollment

Medicare enrollment does not take place as an automatic part of turning 65, or having a medical condition or disability. Enrolling in Medicare requires that beneficiaries initiate the process. There is an initial enrollment period, a general enrollment period, a special enrollment period, and other enrollment periods that are necessary to pay attention to in order to receive the full medicare benefits that will help you maintain your healthcare goals. 

Enrollment services are available to the public and there are advocates who can help senior citizens and those needing medicare services. You do not have to go it alone in the enrollment process as it is a complex and multifaceted system, and there is help available to understand it all.

Many times before an enrollment period begins there will be enrollment specialists stationed at select grocery or chain stores. These enrollment specialists typically sit behind a small desk or kiosk with pamphlets and take the time to explain what is necessary to enroll, and how the entire medicare system works. 

$144 Back from Medicare

Medicare C, or Medicare Advantage is the Medicare program in which beneficiaries have the potential to receive a $144 rebate. As with all of the other benefits provided in Medicare, beneficiaries have to meet certain requirements in order to be eligible for the $144 benefit. If you meet all the specified criteria then you can start receiving $144 for your enrollment. This rebate is called the Medicare Part B giveback benefit. Naturally, as it sounds, you must be enrolled in part B medicare to receive this benefit. Other requirements include that you must be enrolled in both parts A and B Medicare, pay a Part B premium, be enrolled in a medicare advantage plan, and live in an area that qualifies for the $144 benefit program. Other requirements include income requirements that have a cap on income and resource requirement limits. 

Enrolling in the $144 giveback from medicare means that you must research your options to choose the best plan for you in which this benefit is available, but also meets your healthcare needs. There are alot of medicare options and this is where an enrollment specialist can help you navigate the enormous amount of information to process when choosing a plan that offers that giveback benefit from medicare. It’s also important to consider enrollment deadlines. Once those pass, you must wait before another enrollment period begins. 

Receiving the $144 benefit fund from medicare all depends on the method you use to pay your premium. If your monthly Part B premium comes out of your Social Security check, then you’ll receive the amount on your Social Security check. If you don’t use Social Security as a Senior Citizen to pay for medicare premiums, then the amount will simply be subtracted from what you owe medicare every month. 

Medicare isn’t always easy to figure out or understand because of the multiple layers that exist within the program. There are also numerous requirements to be met in order to qualify for the different tiers that exist within this healthcare program. Enrolling in Medicare should be a top priority for those above the age of 65 as there are many important benefits, but there are also drawbacks if you don’t choose the right plan. To avoid these types of challenges within the Medicare system, it’s best to understand the process first and to speak with an enrollment specialist. They can also aid in getting you enrolled in the program that’s the perfect fit for your income and needs and offers rebates like the $144 giveback benefit. 

The simple answer to the question of who qualifies for an extra $144 added to their Social Security, is individuals who are enrolled in Medicare Part B. There are many nuances attached to being enrolled in Part B Medicare that can change the benefits you receive from the plan. While Medicare B is not an engrained provision on Social Security, when you are enrolled in social security, you are also enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, which is also known as Original Medicare. To understand how to qualify for an extra $144, it is important to understand what Social Security and Medicare are as programs offered to Americans, how they work, and ultimately how you can receive extra money added to your Social Security check each month.

What is Social Security?

Social Security is a Federal program offered by the United States government since 1935. It is a program that allows Americans to have security through the different stages of life and continue receiving financial security well into advanced years, or namely the years of retirement. The Social Security system is a way to keep Americans from becoming impoverished especially during the most fragile and vulnerable years of their life. 

The system is established by continuously having working citizens paying their share from their taxes into Social Security, thus securing themselves a stable future. To be eligible for Social Security, one must be of a certain age, or have a disability. Social Security offers many benefits such as retirement benefits, auxiliary benefits, survivor benefits, disability benefits, and supplemental support income (SSI). The Social Security Administration (SSA), has many benchmarks that need to be met in order to qualify for the various social security benefits and all must be met with proof and documentation.

The age that most Americans begin receiving Social Security benefits is the age of retirement, which is at 66 or 67 years old, depending on when your date of birth. If you retire earlier, the earliest being 62, you cannot receive 100% of your benefits. If you retire at retirement age, you are eligible to receive the full benefits of Social Security. There are many ways to maximize the amount you receive, and one such pathway is to retire at 70, which allows you to receive a higher percentage of benefits compared to early retirement or regular retirement. 

Medicare and Social Security

So how does Medicare connect with Social Security? In short, Medicare is a part of the Social Security Act, except that it was formed much later in 1965. If you are enrolled in Social Security, you are eligible to enroll in the differing available Medicare plans. When enrolled in Social Security, you are also enrolled in Original Medicare which consists of Medicare Part A and Part B. 

What Is Medicare?

Medicare is a health insurance program that was founded by the federal government of the United States in 195. Its main purpose is to allow those who are 65 and older, also known as senior citizens, to have stable healthcare that is affordable. Medicare is also offered to individuals who have certain disabilities and medical conditions. 

As a nationwide health insurance system, naturally, the program is multifaceted and made of many parts. This means that in order to be considered for Medicare benefits, there are numerous requirements that must be met, just as with receiving Social Security benefits. 

Parts of Medicare

Medicare is made of Medicare A, B, and C. There are combinations of these medicare parts that offer their own specific plans. 

Medicare A is known as hospital insurance. Part A Medicare covered the costs incurred during hospital visits and hospital stays. The expenses covered by Medicare A include hospital visits, nursing care, home health care, hospice care, and other hospital services that are provided inside or outside of the hospital. 

If you and your spouse paid towards medicare through payroll taxes during your years of employment, then typically there is no monthly premium for Medicare A. That said, you are required to have paid for at least 40 quarters to be able to forgo the monthly premium charge. 

Medicare B is best known as medical insurance. This health insurance plan covers the expenses of doctor’s visits and many other procedures typically prescribed by doctors such as blood labs, health tests, outpatient services, preventative healy, and medical equipment costs. 

To receive the benefits of Medicare B, one must pay deductibles and pay a monthly premium. These factors are determined by your income. Whether you are disabled or not, as a senior citizen the monthly premium is a requirement of Medicare Part B. 

Medicare C is also called Medicare Advantage because it goes beyond what is offered in Medicare A or B. This type of plan is set up through a private insurance company. Medicare C, or Medicare Advantage covers the costs of extra health expenses such as dental services, vision and hearing services, prescription drug plans and health club memberships.

To qualify for Medicare C, beneficiaries must first be enrolled in Medicare A or B. In order to enroll in medicare C, you have to cover the cost of Part B premiums alongside paying the private insurance company their own required premiums. 

Medicare D is simply a prescription drug plan that covers the expenses of certain prescription drugs that are prescribed to the beneficiary. There is a list of prescription drugs that are covered by Medicare. If prescribed a drug that is not on that list, then the beneficiary must pay out of pocket.

Original Medicare is Parts A and B, and when enrolled into Social Security, you are also enrolled in medicare A and B. 

Medicare Eligibility and Enrollment

To be eligible for any of the above mentioned medicare plans, you must be 65 years or older, or have a disability or medical condition that is met under Medicare. 

In order to enroll in medicare as a senior citizen, you must be aware of enrollment periods for all of the plans. Enrollment periods are not open on a rolling basis and have certain start and end dates every year. Those wishing to become beneficiaries have to know when the enrollment dates are, and which enrollment applies to there. Enrollment periods consist of initial, general, and special enrollment dates. There are also other enrollment periods that are particularly important to be aware of in order to enroll on time and receive benefits.

So what about $144?

Under the Medicare Advantage program, or Medicare C, there is a rebate program that offers beneficiaries a $144 rebate from Medicare. Of course there are certain qualifiers that need to be met in order to receive this benefit. Once met, beneficiaries can receive a $144 giveback from Medicare each month. This specific benefit of Medicare is called Medicare Part B giveback benefit. 

To be able to receive the $144 monthly rebate, you must be enrolled in Medicare B, hence the name Part B giveback benefit. There is also a requirement that you must also be enrolled in Parts A and B, pay your Medicare B premiums, and be a beneficiary in a Medicare Advantage or part C plan. There are also specific qualifications that must be met based on where you live, and income cap limits that qualify or disqualify you for the $144 giveback benefit. 

If your Medicare Part B premium is deducted from your Social Security, then you will acquire the rebate on your Social Security check. If you are not utilizing Social Security as a means to pay for your medicare premiums, then your rebate will come in the form of paying $144 less each month on what you owe for Medicare. 

Knowing What to Do

The most vital aspect of getting any amount added to your Social Security check, is to recognize the need to understand all of your options when it comes to choosing your personal Medicare plan. As important as exploring all your opinions, it is even more crucial to make the most fiscally appropriate plan for your own personal health and retirement goals in order to have a stable and secure future medically and financially. To maximize the benefits that you may potentially receive, it’s important to stay up to date on enrollment periods and procedures and discuss your options with a medicare specialist. Speaking with a specialist will ensure that you are able to optimize your Social Security benefits to the fullest and receive benefits in any area possible, including the $144 giveback benefit from Medicare. 

What is Social Security?

Most people don’t think about social security on a daily basis, and many Americans just know that they need to know their social security number. But Social Security is more than just a memorized number or little card that needs to be kept on file, social security is exactly as it sounds; a program to ensure stability over the course of your lifetime and especially into your elderly years. Before dissecting how to receive the $1628 Social Security bonus, it’s vital to understand the Social Security system. 

Social Security was started in 1935 as a federal program that the United States offers to American citizens to help everyday Americans secure financial security in their lives, especially during retirements. Social Security also helps those who are disabled and have other needs. Without Social Security, there would be severe poverty threatening the lives of everyday families and children within the United States. The social Security program was enacted for this reason to counteract poverty and loss of financial assets as one ages. 

The Social Security system is dependent upon everyday citizens paying their share towards securing their financial future in the program. This is done by paying to Social Security through taxes that come out of your payroll. The benefits of social security are typically acquired in retirement years to help you continue living a sustainable quality of life. 

Social Security Benefits

There are several different types of Social Security benefits including retirement benefits, disability benefits, survivor benefits, and supplemental security income, otherwise known as SSI. These benefits all have specific requirements and benchmarks that must be met in order to receive the social security benefits provided in that tier. All benefits, no matter the category, are based on factors such as income, disabilities, age, and many other qualifications. 

Retirement benefits from Social Security are the most well known of all the benefits, as a majority of working class citizens in the United States are working towards retirement. Retirement usually happens after the age of 65. Once you reach the age of retirement you can begin receiving 100% of your retirement benefits. 66 or 67 is the official retirement age depending on the year of your birth. If you retire earlier at around age 62, which is the earliest you can opt to retire, you will not be eligible to receive your full social security retirement package. If you retire even later past the age of retirement, you can receive up to 124% of your social security benefits if you retire at 70 years of age. 

Disability Benefits (SSDI), are benefits that are extended to people who cannot go to work because of a long-term or critical disability inhibiting their ability to work. The Social Security Administration has specific standards for what qualifies as a legitimate disability in order to receive social security benefits. You also have to have worked for a certain amount of time before receiving benefits. In some cases, family members and minors can receive the benefits that come from SSDI depending on the situation, the disability, age, number of years worked, etc. 

Survivor’s Benefits are benefits that families, including children, spouses, and other qualified family members can receive if a worker in the family is deceased. The purpose of these social security benefits is to help survivors of the deceased worker continue receiving financial aid in order to help curb living costs. Survivors can be appointed benefits in one payment, or receive a monthly payout. It all depends on a family member’s connection to the deceased worker, their ages, and the total lifetime income of the deceased family member.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI), is a benefit program to help those who are elderly, visually impaired, or have disabilities in combination with low income. This type of Social Security benefit was not built around earning history or years worked, but instead is based on helping those who cannot meet the usual standards but need the help. These costs can help those who are struggling with everyday living costs when it comes to food, clothing, housing, and other basic necessities. This is a provision for those who are not able to provide for themselves because of certain obstacles as mentioned. 

Auxiliary Benefits are simply benefits that family members such as spouses, minors, children, adult children, and adopted children who are dependent on retirees can receive. These benefits come with many qualifications and eligibility standards as well. These benefits also depend on age and earnings. 

Enrolling in Social Security

Enrolling in Social Security doesn’t happen automatically at birth, although you are assigned a social security number, there is an enormous amount of paperwork that goes behind actually being enrolled in the federal benefits program. 

If you are new to enrolling in Social Security you will need documentation to prove your qualifications. These documents include a social security number/card, birth certificate, USA citizenship certificate, and W-2 forms.

Make sure you are familiar with the specific program that you will enroll in whether it be survivor benefits, retirement, or disability benefits. These distinct programs require that you provide further documentation in order to receive benefits. 

You may also be asked to provide bank information if you are going to opt to receive your benefits in the form of a direct deposit or check.

Enrolling in Social Security can be completed online at the Social Security Administration’s website. Here you can create an account that will give you access to all of your social security benefit information and documentation. You can also call the Social Security Administration and enroll via contact with a Social Security Representative. Lastly, you may also meet with a Social Security employee at your appointed Social Security office. This requires scheduling ahead of time in order to complete the application. 

Once you have submitted all your documentation the Social Security Administration will begin processing your paperwork. Sometimes additional supplemental documentation and proof is required, and you will be notified if that is the case. After all documentation steps are completed, you will receive notice of approval and can begin receiving benefits at the appointed time depending on your eligibility status. 

What is the $16728 Social Security Bonus?

While there is no concrete or guaranteed $16729 Social Security bonus benefit that is offered to those enrolled in the social security system, there is a possibility for receiving up to or more than this amount depending on various factors. As with every benefit or bonus in the Social Security program, most requirements stem from age, earnings, and work history, even for those who are receiving disability benefits. In regards to the $16728 Social Security bonus, that same criteria apply, and more. 

It’s important to note that every year there is a maximum amount for how much you can receive in benefits and it changes depending on certain factors set by the Social Security Administration. There are various rates involved in setting maximum benefits amounts that are also determined by earnings, age, and work history.

To work towards acquiring a $16728 “bonus”, there are some things you should consider or can do in order to accrue higher bonuses in the social security program. This includes things like not enrolling in early retirement, and even better waiting until 70 to retire. Also, it’s important to work as much as you can and fit in as many work years as you can before your age of retirement. You must have worked at least 35 years to begin maximizing the amount you can receive in social security benefits. Having a job with a higher salary also helps in optimizing the amount of bonuses you can receive from social security. 

The $16728 bonus is not a lump sum provided by the federal government but is instead a lifetime amount that you can work up to if you set the right goals towards the amount you want to receive. Your work history, earnings, and age are going to set your trajectory to receiving up to $16728 in social security bonuses over your lifetime. Additionally, it’s crucial to understand when and how to claim specific benefits and have the right timing in order to maximize your benefits. 

Gaining a $16728 bonus is not a guarantee from the Social Security Administration, but it is a monetary figure that you can work on attaining through wise and planned out financial decisions. 

How Much is Amazon Prime for Seniors?

What is Amazon?

Amazon is currently ranked as the largest online retailer offering not only products but services, different technologies, and subscriptions. It was started by founder and owner Jeff Bezos, who is currently one of the richest men in the world boasting a net worth of over 200 billion. The ecommerce site was started as a simple way for consumers to buy and sell books but has since rapidly morphed into a wildly successful ecommerce business and cloud service provider offering digital streaming, computing services, AI technology services, and more. 

Currently, you can log onto Amazon and find virtually any product you need and it can be delivered to your door in a matter of days. From clothing, food products, home essentials, plants, computers, phones, toys, and almost anything else you can imagine, Amazon hosts sellers providing these products to consumers. This is what Amazon was primarily built for but has since developed into a major technology sector in the online industry. Now, millions of households now use Amazon for their digital streaming services in entertainment and use Amazon’s technology for their households such as the Amazon Alexa. The Amazon Alexa AI smart service allows you to purchase in most basic terms a virtual assistant that lives in “the cloud” and can answer questions for you, make calls, schedule meetings, set timers, check who’s at your doorstep and so much more.

These endending advanced features and services of Amazon are what make it a unique and unbeatable ecommerce business. Amazon has many subsidiary company contracts and even boasts its very own brand Amazon Essentials that sells products like clothing and home decor and much more, at a lower cost than many brand name offerings. Amazon is a company that has so much to offer to consumers, business owners, and really anyone looking for a particular service, that it’s only growing bigger and accruing more members into their Prime program.

Amazon’s Start

The humble beginnings of Amazon’s start is truly remarkable as it was created by Jeff Bezos as a book selling company in his company headquarters, his own garage. Bezos wanted to lure customers with the unusual and unique name to get customers attracted to his business and give them the sense that his company was going to grow very large, somewhat comparing Amazon to the Amazon River, the world’s largest river. 

As previously mentioned, Amazon has since quickly transformed into a giant of a company that is staying on trend with technology and paving the way for AI. 

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is the use of Amazon for members who pay a monthly or yearly fee and get more benefits out of their Amazon account, one of the biggest being free two-day shipping on most products and even same day Amazon Prime delivery on select products. There are also countless other benefits such as Prime Try Before You Buy, which allows customers to try on apparel at home before being charged for a purchase. Membership costs $14.99 per month, or $139 a year. There are also other charges that you can incur with Amazon Prime membership depending on the platforms you subscribe to such as Prime Video which is set at $8.99 per month and digital music streaming services also cost extra fees. There is an Amazon Prime Student membership that only costs $69 a year or $7.49 a month.

Consumers using EBT, Medicaid, or receiving other government assistance can file to enjoy membership at a lower cost of $6.99 per month. You must verify your eligibility to do so. 

Signing up for Amazon Prime is a quick process and they offer a free trial to get you started. Once the free trial is over you will automatically begin getting charged monthly for your Prime Membership if you do not cancel. If you are a Prime Member you will automatically get charged monthly for membership, unless you choose to pay yearly then your yearly subscription is charged automatically. 

Prime Day

One of the most awaited days of the year on the Amazon shopping site is Amazon Prime day. On this day, Amazon slashes the cost of many products offering them at lower than usual prices. Many customers are able to snag deals on cooking appliances, home appliances, computers, outdoor products, and much more. 

Amazon Technology

Amazon is a cloud service that provides endless technology products and subscription services. Here are some examples:

• Amazon Kindle- an E-reader and online bookstore through Kindle 
• Amazon Fire Tablet- a tablet similar to an ipad, offering different services for kids and parents
• Amazon Fire Tv- a video content service streaming shows and movies

There are many more examples and can be viewed on the Amazon website. Amazon Alexa, Echo, Echo Dot, and more are some of the most popular Amazon virtual assistant technologies being used worldwide.

Amazon for Seniors

Amazon does not offer Seniors an automatic discount based on age, but there are ways for Seniors to enjoy the Amazon Prime membership depending on their eligibility status. To qualify for the discount you must be on some form of government assistance or be receiving Medicaid, Snap, or SSI. 

Amazon offers an Amazon Prime Access Discount which Seniors can apply for which only costs $6.99 per month, cutting the price in half. With the Prime Access Discount, you receive the same benefits as a regular Amazon Prime Member. In order to enroll in the Amazon Prime Access membership circle, you must provide the proper documentation and submit it to Amazon for review. Taking advantage of these discounts can prove to be a great help for Seniors and can help you get groceries and other necessities delivered to your doorstep, even medications. 

Amazon Prime is useful for all members regardless of age and offers benefits that beat other ecommerce websites in numerous ways. There are always deals to look out for on Amazon and flash deals that can help ease the financial burden of paying full price for a product. Amazon is the go to for most of the world when it comes to online shopping and Amazon Prime Membership is the fast track to enjoying all the benefits they offer.