I need to get my eyes checked. After hours on the computer and on my phone, I have blurry vision and I am getting headaches. I put off going to the eye doctor during the busy holiday season and now wish I had fit a visit in my schedule, now I have to meet my insurance deductible. Most insurances have a deductible; a deductible is the amount you pay for covered medical expenses before your insurance begins to pick up any charges. Medicare can have more than one deductible. 

Medicare Part A, which is the in-patient or hospital part of Medicare, has a deductible of $1,364 per benefit period in 2019. What this means for a Medicare client is they pay $1,364 if they are admitted as an in-patient at a hospital. The Medicare Part A benefit period begins when you are admitted to a facility and ends when you have not received inpatient hospital or Medicare-covered skilled care in a skilled nursing facility for 60 days in a row. The benefit period is not tied to the calendar year, and you can have multiple Part A deductibles in a year.

Medicare Part B also has a deductible, for 2019, it is $185. The Part B deductible is for the year and will reset each January. After the deductible has been met, Medicare covers 80% of approved Medicare costs.

Medicare Part D, the prescription part of Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), have varying deductibles based on the plan selected. There is a deductible maximum of $415 per calendar year in 2019, for Part D plans. 

There are programs that can help pay for Medicare deductibles if you qualify. They are based on income and asset levels. For help with the Medicare Part D deductible a couple’s income would need to be below $24,930 a year and assets under $28,720 and a single person with income under $18,450 and assets under $14,390. 

There has been much discussion about the Missouri Property Tax Credit (MO-PTC) also known as the Circuit Breaker. This program is a refundable tax credit for seniors or those who are 100% disabled, it refunds a portion of the paid real estate tax or paid rent.

The amount returned is based on taxes/rent paid and total household income. For renters income limit is $27,500 for a single person and $29,500 for a married couple. If you own your home, the limit is $30,000 for a single person and $34,000 for a couple.

If you have questions or more information, please call Aging Matters 800-392-8771.