Est1 Task 1

Medicare is a federal government administered healthcare program originally implemented on July 1, 1996. Medicare has four parts (A, B, C and D) that provide different areas and differing levels of coverage. All Medicare programs provide coverage for cover healthcare services to qualifying individuals, known as beneficiaries, which includes Social Security beneficiaries over the age 65, people under 65 with certain disabilities, and people of all ages with end-stage renal disease. Each program provides coverage for medically necessary care and services to covered beneficiaries and has deductibles or copays for covered services. Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B and Medicare Part C all provide coverage for medical services. Medicare Part C and Part D provides prescription drug coverage.

These types of care are covered when deemed medically necessary during a benefit period that begins when a patient is admitted as an inpatient in a hospital or skilled nursing facility and ends when they haven’t received care for 60 consecutive days. Each time a patient receives care during a new benefit period, the beneficiary must pay the inpatient deductible and copayments for all services during that beneficiary period. The duration of the benefit period determines the amount of deductibles and copayments and is due by day 60. The benefit period provides coverage up to 90 days, after which, a beneficiary who still needs care can use their nonrenewable lifetime reserve of up to 60 additional days of inpatient hospital care. After a beneficiary has exhausted all of their care days, whether they use the covered 60 days or have exhausted their additional lifetime reserve, they are responsible for all costs associated with additional care for that benefit