Call the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273). Ashlee Zareczny is the Compliance Supervisor for MedicareFAQ. Some Medicare Advantage plans, which are private insurance alternatives to government-run Medicare plans, offer flex cards, but very few . Educational assistance. first time home buyer programs As a general rule, you should never provide your sensitive personal information online to unknown organizations. If you want to find a Medicare Plan that offers a Flex Card then call us at (800) 783-5901. However, whats covered may vary from provider to provider. As you may know from our previous video on Medicare benefits, Medicare has many parts and is very complicated. This year only certain foods with the $125 and only certain medical on the $500. Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. Buy healthy food online or in person. However, despite the name, Medicare flex cards are not issued by Medicare itself, but are promotional efforts by private health insurance companies to encourage customers to sign up for their Medicare Advantage plans. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. This might include higher deductible payments, larger copayment percentages, or an increase in your average healthcare premium. These optional plans combine Medicare and additional services into healthcare packages tailored specifically for seniors. That includes the Flex Card. In fact, many of the advertisements were downright deceptive and implied . While this could be true under rare circumstances, a licensed physician must deem these items medically necessary. Once you sign up for a plan, your provider will send you your flex card along with information about how you can spend the money. Home / FAQs / Medicare Coverage / What Dental Services Are Covered by Medicare. At best, it will be annoying. legal Flex cards are debit cards loaded with a predetermined amount of money. Millions of Americans could now be eligible to get their "Flex Card" to spend up to $2,880/year free of charge. cash assistance If someone reaches out to you and then asks for your personal information, thats a big red flag. TTY 1-800-952-0450. While some private insurance companies may offer cards that carry balances of several thousand dollars each year, many may fall in the lower hundred-dollar range. Get a personalized Auto Insurance quote now. The senior flex card is usually linked to a Medicare Advantage plan. The senior flex card is usually linked to a Medicare Advantage plan. benefits Posts claiming to provide a spending card for adults over the age of 51 through government programs are a scam. veterans. Phone: (800) 783-5901. medical assistance This is her home that her retirement pays for, which is good because the son has . If the Medicare plan offered $1000 of Dental benefits and the Flex card has a $500 allowance then you would have a total benefit of $1500. The flex card for seniors offer is typically tied to a Medicare Advantage plan. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Its very important to be careful with where you put your information online. This means they are not part of government-managed Medicare plans. For a complete list of available plans please contact 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov. Would be nice if we knew what we can buy. Advertisements that claim or indicate that flex cards are being offered by government agencies are, therefore, patently false. Everything you need to know about flex cards for seniors: what they are, who needs them, and how Medicare can help provide coverage. Qualify [sic] Seniors Can Spend up to $2,880 each year for medical appointments prescriptions and more. While flex cards may be offered as part of Medicare Advantage plans, there is no government flex card for seniors. So you will need to make sure your new plans network covers your physicians. Workers who decide to join the union after the Open Season has ended but before their 60-day anniversary of hire are considered new members. We were unable to find any Flex Cards that actually had the $2,880 that they originally advertised. The main benefit of a flex card is the additional funds to pay for the expenses of medical supplies. Money on the card can be used to pay for specific health services, such as dental or vision care, prescriptions, or even healthy groceries. When your physician or nurse practitioner has referred you for physiotherapy after experiencing: You May Like: Post Office Change Of Address Form. How can you protect yourself from Medicare scams? Money-Saving Benefits for Seniors. Consider a company offering $2,000 flex cards. A lack of reviews, websites, or social media pages could indicate that a company or agent is new to the industry, or it could suggest that theyre not being honest about their business practices. Since then, Nicole has been dedicated to helping low income families in crisis. Hi Theresa. How can you protect yourself from scammers and bad actors? Health care is confusing and its too important to make mistakes on. These are optional plans that bundle various parts of Medicare and other services into health care packages especially designed for seniors. Housing help. In the case of Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare drug plan fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE or1-877-7SAFERX. Private health plans do not advertise their cards. There might be other supplemental benefits included as well in specific Plans such as a benefit for groceries, utilities, and over the counter medications. If you suspect that youve been victimized, the first step is to reduce the amount of damage the scammer can do to your identity or credit history. While flex cards may be offered as part of Medicare Advantage plans, there is no government flex card for seniors. What Is A Seniors Flex Card. For health insurance companies to stay profitable, they need to make money on the products and services they sell. However, theyre not offered by Medicare directly. If they approach you or contact you first, do not engage. Her work has been featured in various print and online publications, including USA Today, The Daily Herald, The Chronicle and more. newly Eligible employees can enroll in FSAFEDS during the annual Federal Benefits Open Season in November and December. In most cases, the flex card is tied to a flexible spending account (FSA). Compare rates side by side with plans & carriers available in your area. Sign Up For Medicare This is a scam. Health Plans have the freedom to create flexible benefit accounts that cover multiple categories to best suit member needs. Last year ,2021, we got 50 and 500 but found out in November we could buy anything. You will probably get a lot of phone calls and contact from insurance companies that have paid for your information. Developing senior leaders in the U.S. Government through Leadership for a Democratic Society, Custom Programs and Interagency Courses. Companies That Offer a Medicare Advantage Flex Card. Social Security Get financial help for seniors from 2,500+ federal, state, and private benefits programs. This large of a . A Facebook post says that senior citizens can get a Medicare "flex card" that pays for groceries and prescriptions. Got questions about the flex card for seniors? Most businesses with a good reputation will ask you to contact them first they will only do something with your permission. At worst, it could result in you being scammed. If you decide to keep Original Medicare, you can purchase a dental plan alongside this coverage to pay for cleanings, exams, and other dental care. In fact, we could not find any plans that offer Flex Cards with a benefit anywhere near that amount of money. The funds can be used to help pay for dental, vision or hearing needs beyond your plan. Always be aware of whats going on around you, and dont let anyone approach you without your permission. A Medicare flex card for seniors is similar to a debit card or credit card that can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses. Scammers will:1. However, if your prospective flex card plan is asking for personal information to provide you with a high-level overview of the plan, this is a red flag. Get a personalized Health Insurance quote now. Therefore, if the Flex card has a $500 allowance and the Medicare plan offers, let's say, $1000 in dental benefits, your total benefit for the year would be $1500. This card, though, has to be linked with a Medicare Advantage Plan that does actually cost money. Cape Coral, FL 33914 Home / Blog / Medicare News / Does Medicare Have a Flex Card for Seniors? Transportation - Receive a certain amount of rides at no cost. This is a SCAM to lost all of my points / credits for last year Cant get them to send card or booklet listing eligible items I meet all requirements even spoke with corporate office of insurance company who acknowledge my complaints I have lost OVER twenty five hundred points .. 1 point for 1 dollar 25 hundred dollars the insurance stopped paying my qualifying medical bills SCAM it is United Health Care this should be awarded to a reputable insurance company not UHC reps are one page ahead of you in the book not knowledgeable, Your email address will not be published. In my experience, the best way to find a trustworthy Medicare counselor is to reach out to your local Area Agency on Aging. If you believe that you have been the victim of a Medicare scam or you see advertisements for flex cards or other plans that seem suspicious, you can report these scams to the government. Federal Executive Institute. But $2800 Flex card for seniors will be considered a health . Thats not accurate at all. They may be advantageous to seniors who have a Medicare plan. Flex Cards are for use to cover qualifying medical expenses only. So, here are 3 ways you can protect yourself from most Medicare frauds. You can also contact Medicare directly via 1-800-Medicare or by online chat at Medicare.gov. Unfortunately, Original Medicare does not cover routine dental care. Claims of free money are meant to distract from other costs, and are a red flag that providers arent being entirely honest. Invitations for applications for insurance are made through Assurance IQ, LLC, a licensed insurance agency, only where licensed and appointed. You may find out that the flex card for seniors is just a distraction from damaging fine print that would put you in a far worse financial situation overall. Even if you do everything right, you could still be a victim of Medicare fraud. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Author: Unadilla, New York. We can help find the right Medicare plans for you today. Medicare Flex Cards are debit cards offered by private Medicare Advantage providers and insurance companies. Depending on the advertisement, some claimed these cards could be worth $2,880 or more! No. Seniors expect to have to provide sensitive personal information, like their name, Social Security Number, Medicare information and even bank information during this process, so its even easier than usual for scammers to get this information. The new card will not affect Medicare benefits. In some instances, this fraud is carried out by individuals who provide misleading or false information to insurance providers as a means to access services at reduced costs or by using someone elses identity. For instance, you could be taking advice from an insurance agent who is getting a commission from making a sale. 4706 Chiquita Blvd S. Suite 200-415 Seniors can get their "Medicare Flex Card" for a limited time. The goal of the senior flex card is to get seniors to sign up for new Advantage plans during the time span of the open enrollment period. Limitations and exclusions may apply. Be especially careful with people who approach you without you asking or who push particular plans. Never give someone who says they work for Medicare your address, name, bank account information, Social Security number, Medicare number, or any other information that could be used to find you. Benefits.gov is home to a range of information on senior related resources offered by our Federal Partners. When you visit the doctor or need to purchase medical supplies, you simply swipe the card to pay for the purchase. What conditions are part of the Medicare Advantage plan that goes along with the card? Please contact Medicare.gov or 1800MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your options. Sample Disclosures Of Management Why Corporate Governance Matters: Board Diversity Citizen Complaints Against Police Officers, United States Post Office Change Of Address Form, How To Report Harassing Text Messages To The Police, a recent illness, injury, accident or surgery that led to a decline in function or movement, a flare-up or worsening of symptoms from a previous fall, accident, surgery, or chronic condition that led to a decline in function or movement. Spending more than necessary for healthcare is frustrating. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has allowed private insurance companies to offer a new benefit-like-debit card (flex card). 2. You can take advantage of many senior discounts when you are as young as 50. What is a seniors flex card? Our agents are ready to help you review your options and find the most cost-effective plan for your needs. We also have written an article on whats a flex cards for seniors? Required fields are marked *. Several attendences from government funded agency were sent, but they would take advantage of his situation. Medigap plans are a direct extension of Original Medicare, available through private insurance companies. Benefits Counselors are available Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 9:00pm eastern time. Diagnostic devices (blood sugar test kits, etc. You simply need to swipe your card at the providers location and select the credit/credit card option from the drop-down menu in order to avoid having to pay any transaction fee or enter a PIN. For example, you might see an offer for a flex card with a $1,000 balance but if the insurance plan tied to the card comes with a $25 per month increase over your current Medicare Advantage premium and doubles your deductible from $500 to $1,000, you could end up paying more each year even with your flex card. The new Medicare card is free. However, the costs for these plans vary and not all seniors are eligible for them. What are the costs of premiums and deductibles on the flex card plan compared to those without a flex card option? Compare Plans and Get Quotes The average SNAP benefit for seniors is $105/month A common myth about SNAP is that it only gives $16 worth of benefits per month. For example, one plan might offer a flex card with $2,000 pre-loaded on the card at the beginning of each year that is then topped up to $2,000 every year thereafter. In this article, were going to answer your most important questions, including: Starting in late summer 2021, advertisements started to appear everywhere offering a senior flex card. This is a scam. If the Medicare plan offered $1000 of Dental benefits and the Flex card has a $500 allowance then you would have a total benefit of $1500. Expanded Nutrition Assistance for Low-Income Seniors. Christmas These include: Currently in circulation are advertisements for Medicare-supplied flex cards from various carriers. Another might offer $2,000 but spread that amount out over an entire year by adding $500 on the card in January, $500 in April, $500 in July, and $500 in October. So, below we compare the costs for the same medical bill through Medicare Supplement Plan G and a typical Medicare Advantage HMO plan. When you sign up for Medicare during the General Enrollment Period, your coverage goes into effect on the first day of the following month. So it is important to know these programs very clearly and get started for application. Private Medicare Advantage plans distribute the cards in these ads not Original Medicare. students These flex cards are only available from a select few private insurance companies and only with a limited number of plans. Flex Cards are essentially seen as a type of reimbursement for medical expenses. free food The Flex card is not going to be free but you may need to pay an additional premium to the Medicare advantage plan offered by the company. You cant use the Flex card for seniors by spending on anything you want. Many of the flex card offers I found were only available for enrollees in specific states. Start with some basic research by searching for the company or agents name online and seeing what comes up. So, we are here to clear the air about one product the flex card for seniors on Medicare. You should be eligible for Original Medicare before signing up for a Medicare Advantage plan. It is best to contact your insurer directly to inquire if your plan offers this benefit. Although some major carriers offer plans with flex cards, they are not part of most available plans. Wellcare Visa Flex Card? Fact Checked. Health insurance is complicated enough without worrying about these bad actors, but its something we have to always be vigilant about. Dont Miss: Government Money Market Fund Spaxx. disability Beneficiaries often save more money in total health spending with a Medicare Supplement plan than with a Medicare Advantage plan. Dont waste money on expensive hearing aids! Benefits for Seniors Through SSA It has two parts. Some would half do the work, ask for money or take money . Here are three techniques to guard against the majority of Medicare frauds. Part A is hospital coverage. We Are Medicare Experts. Jan 10 2012. Social Security Retirement Benefits, USA Medicare Plan The Medicare Flex Card is not an insurance policy, and it does not replace Medicare coverage. So, why does the Center for Medicare & MedicaidMedicaid is a public health insurance program that provides health care coverage to low-income families and individuals in the United States. Companies offer additional benefits to make the policies more attractive to consumers by balancing these high costs. . Get a Life Insurance quote today. Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of most medically necessary healthcare services. As a senior who has qualified for Medicare, you must choose a Medical . This card would allow beneficiaries to use funds from the private insurance carrier for medical services. You cant use the Flex card for seniors by spending on anything you want. school supplies In 2022, this amount is$3,050 per year. Additionally, Flex card is believed to be issued by Medicare plans, but Medicare does not provide Flex cards to seniors. These cards, issued by private insurance companies, are only available on specific plans. Thats far less than the $2,880 that I originally saw advertised. Its also worth noting that theres no set amount for flex cards. * Average time of receiving a Medicare plan recommendation is less than 15 minutes from start of conversation, 2019-2021. Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement. Most legitimate organizations require you to reach out first; they wont contact you unsolicited. We got $125 each for food and $500 for medical. There is also news on promoting free flex cards for seniors worth $2800. The blog notes that the cards are distributed by Medicare Advantage plans and says they are not available in every state and are not available with every carrier. These ads usually include a multitude of misleading or false claims. Going forward, I am happy to know he will be my contact person. Does any of this value roll over to the next year? Medigap plans work in lockstep with Original MedicareOriginal Medicare is private fee-for-service health insurance for people on Medicare. It can be almost impossible to differentiate between the paid agents and the legitimate unbiased experts. Our popular Dental Plan includes Vision and Hearing options. coinsurance, you basically already have a Flex Card for all Medicare-approved expenses. Never give out your name, address, Medicare number, Social Security number, bank information or other identifying details to someone who claims to be a Medicare sales representative. jobs The top 3 Medicare Supplement plans for 2020 include Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N. Find out which ones you're eligible for here. Boca Raton, Florida. The Flex Card Is Linked to a Medicare Advantage Plan. The flex card for seniors offer is typically tied to a Medicare Advantage plan. Much of the advertising about Medicare flex cards boasts that recipients can enjoy a starting balance of up to $2,880 in their accounts. As a senior, it is important to note that Medicare coverage is a complex issue and you need to discuss it with an unbiased health counselor before changing any health care plan. These optional plans combine Medicare and additional services into healthcare packages tailored specifically for seniors. Author: Nicole Smith Created Date: 11/1/2021 2:59:08 PM . Even with the flex card benefit, the Medicare Advantage HMO plan still produces higher out-of-pocket costs than the Medicare Supplement Plan G. In fact, a recent study by the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance shows that a higher number of people are enrolling in Medicare Supplement Plan G to help save money on out-of-pocket costs. The whole point of the flex card for seniors is to lure seniors into enrolling in new Medicare Advantage plans while its open enrollment season. Every flex card is different . Supplemental Security Income (SSI) SSI is a federal government program that provides a monthly cash benefit for the elderly (age 65 and over), blind, or disabled of any age who have extremely low income and very few resources. They are offered by private health insurance companies as an additional benefit to their members. For example, money may be added in a lump sum each year or in smaller amounts each quarter. There is a lot of government department and platform to provide free government money for seniors over 50. This card, however, must be linked to a Medicare Advantage Plan, which is a paid service. If you are having difficulty covering your health care expenses on your own, there are legitimate Medicare resources that can provide assistance. Its offered through private Medicare Advantage plans and only available in specific areas around the country. Senior Flex Card. 2. You can even add a flex card to your Amazon account for eligible purchases. So for that reason I say stick it in your ear thank you very much. Over-the-counter benefits - Receive a certain amount of money each .