By Guest Blogger John Schall, CEO, Caregiver Action Network
Let’s admit it: the Medicare program is complicated. Medicare is never as “easy as ABC.” In fact, the Medicare program has four parts—A, B, C—and D! And no one ever said any of the parts were easy to understand.
No wonder most people over 60 find Medicare confusing. And many people under age 60 just don’t want to think about Medicare at all. If they do think about it, they feel like they have several years before they need to really understand it.
But family caregivers may need to understand Medicare all of a sudden, or at least learn about it very quickly.
At some point, your elderly parents may ask you to help choose the Medicare plan that’s right for them and you may not be prepared. I know I wasn’t.
I have been dealing with broad national Medicare policy issues for 25 years. Even so, when my parents asked for advice on the best plan for them, I got a queasy feeling in my stomach. I kept second-guessing myself. Do I know enough details to give them good advice?
Many baby boomers and other family caregivers are helping aging relatives make Medicare decisions. All too often, these family caregivers don’t have a solid understanding of the Medicare program themselves.
Are you a family caregiver asking yourself, “Do I know enough to give my parents good Medicare advice?” If the answer is no, well, most family caregivers are in the same boat.
How many busy caregivers have the time to sort through the alphabet soup of Medicare Parts A, B, C and D on their own? Where can family caregivers turn to evaluate and choose Medicare coverage that best meets their loved one’s needs?
CAN makes it part of our mission to provide these types of insights on the unique needs of family caregivers. Family caregivers who understand how Medicare works will likely find it easier to help their care recipient locate the coverage that is the best fit for their health needs and budget. We’ll never make Medicare as easy as ABC, but we can make it much simpler to understand. And that can help make it a bit easier for to be a family caregiver.
Editor’s note: Family caregivers can join John and Allsup Medicare Advisor® experts for “True Help with Health Insurance When Disability Strikes,” on Thursday, Aug. 20, 11 a.m. CST. Click here to attend the live event, or access the on-demand version.
