Medicare in South Carolina
Medicare in South Carolina - By the Numbers
Medicare provides health insurance coverage for people age 65 or older, or for those under age 65 who suffer from specific medical disabilities. Consider the following Medicare statistics from South Carolina:
Percentage of South Carolina residents enrolled in Medicare - 16%
South Carolina residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage - 122,920
South Carolina residents eligible for Medicare Part D - 727,130
Data provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation:
Medicare Enrollment as a Percent of Total Population, 2008
Total Medicare Advantage (MA) Enrollment, 2009
Medicare Beneficiaries with Creditable Prescription Drug Coverage by Type, as of February 2009
Health Care Reform and Medicare
In 2010, the President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which includes the following changes to the Medicare program:- Phasing out the "Donut Hole" - More than 8 million seniors in 2007 hit the "donut hole", which is the gap in prescription drug coverage in Medicare Part D. In 2010, beneficiaries who hit the donut hole will receive a $250 rebate. Beginning in 2011, the Act institutes a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs in the donut hole, and the Act will completely close the donut hole for all prescription drugs by 2020.
- Improved Preventive Care - Eliminates deductibles, copayments, and other cost-sharing for preventive care in Medicare, and provides free annual wellness check-ups starting in 2011. Today, seniors must pay 20 percent of the cost of many preventive services and office visits.
Data provided by the US Senate:
"Strengthening Medicare for Our Nation's Seniors" available at
http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill91.pdf
South Carolina Medicare Resources
South Carolina seniors and those eligible for Medicare can also refer to the following resources for additional information on Medicare within South Carolina.
South Carolina Medicare Savings ProgramsSouth Carolina residents can save money on Medicare each year through savings programs for people with limited income or resources who pay some or all of Medicare's premiums and may pay Medicare deductibles and coinsurance.
South Carolina State Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (SHIP)Provides information to South Carolina residents about Medicare including assistance on understanding your Medicare rights/protections and how to submit a complaint about medical care or treatment.
South Carolina Medicare Insurance Providers
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Humana
- Omaha Insurance Company
- Standard Security Life
- WellCare
How Healthy Is South Carolina ?
South Carolina is the twenty-fourth most populous state in the U.S. and ranked as the 45th healthiest state to live. South Carolina's strength as a healthy state is helped by its low prevalence of binge drinking as well as high immunization coverage. Two challenges facing South Carolina are its high prevalence of obesity as well as a high prevalence of diabetes.
Source:
America's Health Rankings.org
- Plan Ratings are assessed each year by Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and may change from one year to the next.
- Not every plan is available statewide or in all service areas.
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