Women:  75% of the current over-65 nursing home population is comprised of women. Women live an average of 5 to 7 years longer than men and are more likely to need long term care services for an extended period of time.

Aging Parents:  Children of aging parents might want to consider long term care insurance for their parents. If long term care services are ever needed, it can enable children to ensure quality care for their parents as well as avoid the time, cost and emotional demands of caring for their parents themselves.

Family History of Illness:  People with a family history of debilitating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or strokes should consider purchasing a long term care policy, for obvious reasons.

The most important thing to remember is this: the longer you wait to purchase a long term insurance policy, the more expensive it will be. Procrastination is your enemy.

Speak with a Medicoverage agent today at 1 888 285 MEDI. Don’t wait until you need long term care because by then it will probably be too late.

Understanding Long Term Care

Sometime in the future you may need non-medical assistance in your home. This is usually the case when you become injured or very old. You may need someone to assist you in performing the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) such as eating, using the toilet, bathing, getting out of bed, dressing, etc.

These services can be administered by a non-medically-trained caregiver but are still very expensive.  Additionally, these services are not always covered under your traditional health insurance plan, and when they are, such benefits are often limited to a certain number of days.

Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance is designed to help pay for the high cost of home care. In 2010, roughly 9 million US seniors will need long-term care services.  While most recipients are 65 and older, over 40% currently receiving LTC are aged 18 to 64 years old.

Is LTC right for you and your family?  Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page and then contact us to speak to one of our agents.

Medicare-Eligible Dental Insurance Basics

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to Medicare-Eligible dental insurance.  We address the main dental issues in the three points below.

1) Medicare or Medigap Dental?

Neither Medicare nor Medigap supplemental insurance plans will cover dental services. If you are Medicare-Eligible and want dental insurance, you will have to buy a separate policy.

2) Medicare-Eligible Specific Dental Plans?

Some companies, like Delta Dental, offer special plans designed for Medicare-Eligible citizens, while other companies allow them to purchase the same coverage as those under 65.

3) Do You Need Dental Insurance?

Older people who haven’t had a history of dental problems still need to see a dentist. Medicare-Eligibles have the highest rate of oral cancer and dentists often spot the disease first.


If you are eligible and are interested in a dental plan, visit our Senior65 contact page to get in touch with a agent who can steer you in the right direction.

Frequently Asked Questions about Medigap Health Insurance

We have just launched a new site called Senior65.com that is dedicated to helping you understand and sign up for Medicare Supplement Insurance.  Please visit the website for all your frequently asked questions.

Available Medigap Plans

Most state offer plans based on standardized lettered plans such as Medigap Plan F or G.  In Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin, Medigap plans are standardized in a different way so make sure you check you local laws if you live in one of the three states listed.

Which Plan Should I Select?

Now it’s time for you to learn the best way to find the Medigap plan that’s right for you. Our suggestion is to weigh your monthly budget, your current needs, and more importantly future needs, before you choose a Medigap plan. Currently the majority of our clients who select Medigap go with Plan G because it offers good benefits at usually a fair price.

You can also visit our new site www.senior65.com that clearly shows what Medigap benefits go with each plan.

Or if you’d prefer, you can move right into getting some quotes by visiting our Medicare insurance quote engine.

How to Select a Medigap Plan

Identifying the best Medigap plan depends on your individual medical needs and your budget.  To pick the one that’s right for you, we recommend that you first review the available plans page to see what each plan covers and compare their offerings to the benefits you care about.

• Do you have a chronic health care condition that frequently lands you in the hospital?
• Do you travel overseas often?
• What is your family health history?  Has anyone in your family required hospice care?
• Would you like to have your preventative care covered?

Medicoverage has recently launched a new site dedicated to senior health insurance that offers a easy way to compare Medigap plans. Check it out.

Now it’s time for you to learn how to win the Medigap pricing game.  Visit our “Getting the Best Price” page to learn how.

Or if you’d prefer, you can move right into instant Medigap quotes..

Medicare Overview

It is easy to get confused between Medicare and Medigap.  Both have the prefix “Medi” and both have different versions that are identified by letters such as Medicare PART B or Medigap PLAN B.  Let’s get it straightened out right here. 

What is Medicare?

Medicare is Federal health insurance for people age 65 or older, or for people of any age that have certain disabilities or end-stage renal.  Medicare covers many health services that are considered medically necessary, but there many health care related services that it does not cover.  We will address how to address these “gaps” in coverage later below.

You have two timeframes to enroll in Medicare 1) Initial Enrollment Period and 2) The Special Enrollment Period. Medicare is divided into 4 sections or “parts” that cover many health care services and supplies.  These parts are explained below.

The 4 Parts of Medicare

Medicare Part A

This is basic hospital insurance.  It helps cover inpatient care in hospitals. It also covers the costs associated with skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and even some home health care.

Medicare Part B

This is general medical insurance. It helps to cover many doctors’ services and outpatient care. It also helps to cover some costs associated with preventive care and services.

Medicare Part C

This is where you will find Medicare Advantage Plans. Medicare Advantage plans are federally approved private health insurance options that cover include, at a minimum, equivalent benefits to Medicare Part A and B above as well as additional benefits such as prescription drugs.

Medicare Part D

Part D is Medicare’s prescription drug coverage option where private insurance companies cover some or all of the cost of prescription drugs.

Once you understand the above, you will have a pretty good understanding of Medicare.  And it’s important to understand Medicare first so that you can make an informed decision whether Medigap insurance to fill in the gaps left by Medicare is right for you..

What is Medigap Insurance?

Medigap is a nickname for Medicare supplemental insurance plans.  Medigap plans are private health insurance plans that are designed to help cover the “gaps” in coverage in Medicare. Examples of these gaps would be co-insurance, deductibles and certain medical care not covered under Medicare. While Medigap does address many of the shortcomings of Medicare, Medigap plans currently sold do not cover long-term care, dental, vision or private nursing.

It’s also important to understand that Medigap policies are different from the Medicare Advantage Plans mentioned above. Medicare Advantage replaces original Medicare with equiviilanet or better coverage where as Medigap supplements the “gaps” not covered by Medicare. .

Medigap Plans are Standardized by the Federal Government

Even though Medigap plans are run by private companies such as Blue Cross or Humana, every Medigap policy must offered standardized core benefits according to Federal and state laws.  The plans are labeled the different Medigap plans by letters “A” through “L.”  There are multiple Medigap plan G’s plans offered by multiple insurance companies, but each will offer the same core benefits. This makes it easy to compare Medigap G plans between two companies since they are the exact same core benefits but not necessarily the same price.

Next Steps

We get so many visitors researching Medicare, Medigap, Medicare Advantage or Part D drug coverage that we have just launched a new site dedicate to Medicare Insurance. It’s called Senior65.com and it offers clear information and instant quotes without adding any personal information. http://www.senior65.com here.

An Introduction to Medicare Insurance

Medicare is the Federal health insurance program covering eligible persons age 65 or older and those under 65 with certain disabilities or end-stage renal. Medicare can help pay much of your health care cost, but it will not cover not all costs.

Medicare will not pay for deductibles, coinsurance, or prescription drugs. That is why there are other Medicare health plans available, such as Medicare Supplement health insurance (Medigap). Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. 

How to Finally Understand Medicare Insurance

Below is a quick step-by-step guides to help clarify the often complicated landscape of Medicare insurance.

STEP 1:  Understand Original Medicare.
You want to know what Original Medicare covers, doesn’t cover, and its limitations of coverage before you decide which Medicare insurance might be right for you. Click here read How Medicare Works.

STEP 2:  Learn the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medigap.

Medicare Advantage Plans (MA) can have $0 to low monthly premiums and added perks like drug coverage, dental, and vision. Depending on the plan you select, they can limit their network of doctors and hospitals.

Medigap plans do not cover prescription drugs and generally have higher monthly premiums. They can cover most or all of the out of pocket Original Medicare costs and offer extras like 365 additional hospital days and foreign emergency healthcare.  Standard Medigap plans work with Medicare’s nationwide network so if a doctor accepts Medicare, they should accept your Medigap plan.  Once you become familiar with the benefits offered under by MA and Medigap plans, you should seriously consider which are most important to you.  This free online tool will help you learn more and decide between Medigap and Medicare Advantage.

STEP 3:  Learn whether or not you need a stand-alone drug plan.
If you go with a Medicare Advantage plan it may include presciption drug benefits. In that case, you will not need to enroll in a stand-alone drug plan. However, if you stay with Original Medicare and/or enroll in Medigap, you’ll want to consider a Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plan.


Ok It’s time to get some Medicare Insurance quotes. If you would prefer to have personalized help at any time, feel free to visit our Senior65.com site dedicated to seniors or contact one of the licensed agents who are ready to assist you at 800-930-7956.