January 19, 2012 at 11:31 AM in Financial assistance

If I go to work full time how will my insurance be affected?

I am 36 years old and want to go back to work full time. I am currently on Medicare and Medicaid. Can you tell me what exactly I will be eligable to pay for if I don't have insurance at work? I understand that I will lose my Medicaid once I lose my SSI check each month. But will I still be covered by Medicare, and if so, where can I go to find out exactly what it covers?

Asked by  

tlucord

Expert answer

Maureen Y., MSW, LSW replied:

Hello. You are correct: if you return to work full time, you would lose your Medicaid benefits. However, you can return to work full time and still maintain your Medicare insurance coverage, but you will most likely be responsible for paying your Part B premium of Medicare. The Part B premium is approximately $115.00 per month and Medicare would send you a premium bill every quarter for that it. Medicare Part A pays for hospital stays and the Part B pays for outpatient services, such as outpatient dialysis, outpatient testing, etc. Medicare pays for 80 percent of medical expenses. I recommend that you meet with your dialysis center social worker in regards to obtaining a Medicare supplement (which would pay the remaining 20 percent that Medicare does not cover). Your social worker may be able to get you financial assistance to pay for the Medicare B premium as well as the Medicare supplemental plan. If your employer offers you an employee group health plan (EGHP), that may be an option. For additional guidance, follow up with your social worker. Best wishes.

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