If you’re a new catheter user, you may be signing up for Medicare this January in order to get your supplies covered by insurance. If you’re an experienced catheter user and already have a Medicare plan, you may see some changes in deductibles, premiums, and coinsurance costs in the new year.
Whatever the case may be, we’re here to answer your questions about catheter coverage! Read this post to learn more about Medicare plans in the new year and find out if you can get catheter supplies delivered to your home for free with Aeroflow Urology.
Medicare Plans & Start Dates
The General Enrollment Period for Medicare coverage begins on January 1st and runs through March 31st, 2023. Your coverage typically starts the month after you sign up.
You may sign up for an Original Medicare plan or a Medicare Advantage plan.
Original Medicare: This plan includes Medicare Part A and B. Beneficiaries pay for healthcare services as they receive them and pay deductibles. With Original Medicare, you need to pay for Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) separately.
Check Your Eligibility
2 Easy Steps
Discover the catheter supplies covered by your insurance.
Have your insurance card ready!
- Medicare Part B: Covers physician services, outpatient hospital visits, some home health services, durable medical equipment (DME), such as catheters, and other health services.
- Medicare Part A: Covers inpatient hospital visits, hospice, skilled nursing facilities, lab tests, surgeries, and home health care.
Medicare Advantage: These plans pay for Medicare Part D.
- Medicare Part D: Covers prescriptions, vaccines, and immunizations.
Recipients do not pay a premium for Part A (or if they don’t qualify for premium-free Part A, they can purchase Part A separately) and pay a premium for Part B.
Why Might My Coverage Change?
Your coverage for catheters may change for a few reasons.
1. You may be switching to a Medicare Advantage plan.
If you are switching to a Medicare Advantage plan covered by insurers such as Humana, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), etc., your catheter coverage may change from what was covered under your Original Medicare plan.
2. Your Original Medicare plan may change.
Every year, the Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and coinsurance rates are subject to change due to the Social Security Act. For example, 3 years ago, the Medicare deductible was $185, and in 2022, it increased to $233.
2023 Medicare Changes
If you stick with your Original Medicare plan in the new year, you will see a few cost changes that may affect how much you pay out of pocket for catheter supplies. The following changes will occur in 2023:
- Standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B recipients will decrease a small amount from $170.10 to $164.90.
- Annual deductible for Medicare Part B recipients will decrease slightly from $233 in 2022 to $226.
Which Catheters Will be Available Through My Medicare Plan?
We can’t say specifically which types of catheter supplies will be covered for you in 2023 since coverage is different for each person depending on their insurance plan.
However, your Medicare plan may cover the catheter supplies we carry.
These supplies may include:
- Intermittent catheters:
- Straight tip.
- Coude tip.
- Hydrophilic catheters.
- Indwelling / Foley catheters.
- External / condom catheters.
We carry the following high-quality brands:
- Bard
- Coloplast
- Cure
- Hollister
- Rusch
- Lofric
How to Get Catheters Covered by Insurance
Want to find out which catheter supplies will be covered through your Medicare plan so you can save money in 2023? Aeroflow Urology’s experts can tell you quickly- all you need to do is fill out our short Eligibility Form! It takes under 5 minutes to complete. We keep your information private and we’ll determine your coverage right away, taking the confusion out of insurance paperwork.
If you do qualify, we’ll reach out to your healthcare provider for a catheter prescription (if you’d like to receive your supplies faster, let your provider know we’ll be asking for a prescription). We’ll then guide you through which types of our high-quality catheter supplies you can receive through insurance and ship them directly to your home in discreet packaging.
2023 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles 2023 Medicare Part D Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts | CMS. (n.d.). Www.cms.gov. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2023-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles-2023-medicare-part-d-income-related-monthly
Information provided on the Aeroflow Urology blog is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or care from a healthcare professional. Aeroflow recommends consulting your healthcare provider if you are experiencing medical issues relating to incontinence.
