Best Cheap Medicare in Arkansas

When it comes to getting Medicare in Arkansas, you may feel mystified by the sheer number of options and choices available to you. From the alphabet soup of Medicare plans to understand the difference between Medigap plans and Medicare Advantage plans, it can certainly feel confusing. 

Fortunately, at Benzinga, we’ve done the work of researching a variety of top Medicare options in Arkansas to help you decide on the best choice for your health and well being. 

Quick Look: The Best Medicare Insurance in Arkansas

• Best Overall: Humana
• Most Affordable: UnitedHealthcare
• Best for Healthy Individuals: BCBS

Best Medicare Insurance Providers in Arkansas

As you’ve seen, Medicare insurance providers in Arkansas can vary greatly between the types of plans they offer and the coverage options included in those plans. To get the best possible coverage, we encourage you to get a direct quote on Medicare coverage from the companies we’ve reviewed below.

1. Best Overall in Arkansas: Humana

With a variety of affordable plan types to fit nearly any budget or healthcare coverage need, Humana’s plans are flexible and accommodating.

Although the out-of-network, out-of-pocket maximum is higher than competing plans, the Humana network encompasses a wide range of doctors, specialists and hospitals across Arkansas.

2. Most Affordable in Arkansas: UnitedHealthcare

For sheer affordability, it’s hard to beat UnitedHealthcare.

If your primary care physician is part of the HMO network, you’ll save a considerable amount of money when compared to a PPO plan.

You’ll still need a referral from your doctor to see a specialist, but it’s a small price to pay when you add up all the savings you get by going to local doctors and medical providers. 

3. Best for Healthy Individuals: Blue Cross and Blue Shield

If you simply want a plan that covers the basics, take a closer look at BCBS of Arkansas. Low copays for doctor visits and specialists, low deductibles and a low plan premium make this a solid choice for a no-frills plan. 

What is Medicare?

Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers a variety of expenses related to healthcare. It is designed for individuals 65 and older.

Like Social Security, Medicare is something that most U.S. citizens pay into over time. Generally, this money comes out of their paychecks before they receive them, so their contribution is automatic. Medicare is divided into parts, commonly known as Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D. 

Part A: Part A covers inpatient hospital care, as well as a limited amount of care in a specialized nursing care facility. It also covers limited home health care and hospice care. Like other forms of health insurance, Medicare doesn’t cover the full amount of your hospital bill. You’ll have to pay a percentage of the cost as well as a deductible before Medicare covers the rest. 

Part B: Medicare Part B is medical insurance. It covers expenses not related to a hospital stay, including doctor visits, x-rays, blood tests and outpatient hospital care. You typically pay a monthly premium for this part. Just like with Part A, you’ll pay a deductible until your Part B benefits become active. You’ll typically pay 20% of the bill if you go to doctors who accept Medicare.

Medicare pays the full cost of a majority of lab tests ordered by your doctor. 

Part C: Also known as Medicare Advantage, this is a type of insurance that includes each type of Medicare as well as additional benefits. Part C is typically offered by private insurance companies as an alternative to original Medicare.

You aren’t required to enroll in an Advantage plan, but it may be much more cost-effective while offering a number of other benefits, including things that original Medicare doesn’t cover, like eye and hearing exams, dental care, and healthcare when traveling outside the U.S. 

Part D: Medicare Part D plans cover prescription drug coverage. It is a standalone program offered through private insurance companies and enrolling in Part D is optional. Depending on the plan you’re enrolled in, you may have to pay a deductible and a flat copayment amount or a percentage of the full cost of the drug, known as coinsurance. Remember, your Part D plan is changing each year with drug prices and governmental guidelines.

Legalities of Medicare in Arkansas

Medicare is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which itself is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare is funded by the Social Security Administration through the taxes that we all pay.

You pay 1.45% of your earnings into FICA, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Your employer pays another 1.45% which brings the total to 2.9%. 

Although Medicare coverage starts the day you turn 65, you don’t have to wait until your birthday to sign up. Your initial Medicare enrollment period starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after.

Types of Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare Advantage plans are health insurance plans offered by private insurers that contract with Medicare to provide your Part A and B benefits. Like insurance plans, the majority can be divided into HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans and PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans.

HMO: With an HMO plan, you generally must receive care from doctors and hospitals within your network. You will likely also need to get a referral from your primary doctor to see a specialist. The exceptions are emergency care, out-of-area urgent care and out-of-area kidney dialysis.

Prescription drugs are generally covered in HMO plans, and if for some reason your doctor leaves the plan, you’ll be notified and can choose another doctor. If you receive healthcare outside of the network, you may have to pay the full cost.

PPO: Like an HMO, a Medicare PPO Plan charges you less if you use doctors within their network but you can still see any doctor, healthcare provider or hospital. You’ll pay more if you go outside of the network, but you have greater flexibility than with an HMO. Unlike an HMO, you don’t need to choose a primary doctor and you generally don’t need a referral to see a specialist. Prescription drugs are usually covered in PPO plans. 

PFFS: A “private fee-for-service” plan is another type of Medicare Advantage plan. Unlike HMOs and some PPOs, a PFFS plan doesn’t require a referral to see a specialist. The plan negotiates the rates that it pays to healthcare providers.

If your doctor or hospital accepts a PFFS plan’s treatment terms for one treatment, it doesn’t mean that they’ll automatically accept all future payments for other services that they provide to you. Be sure that your doctor accepts the plan’s payment terms before you move ahead with service. 

Medigap Plans 

When you purchase Medicare plans, they don’t always cover everything you need. This is where a Medigap plan can come into play, offering supplemental coverage for seniors who need it. When you handle this coverage gap, you can protect yourself if you need specialized care or experience conditions like kidney failure, require extensive outpatient care, must apply to nursing homes, require experience hospital insurance, extended prescription drug coverage or need other Medicare plan options that are not always available.

How to Sign Up for Medicare in Arkansas

There are several options available for signing up for Medicare in Arkansas. Remember, too, that you may qualify for the Arkansas Medicaid program if you’re under 65. Keep in mind that signing up for Medicare is not the same as signing up for a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Medicare has very specific enrollment time frames that depend on when you turn 65 and the circumstances surrounding this milestone.

• If you’re already collecting Social Security benefits or Railroad Retirement Board benefits when you turn 65, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A.
• If, at the time you signed up for retirement benefits, you also enrolled in Medicare Part B, you’ll also automatically be enrolled in this part of Medicare. 
• If you live outside of the U.S. or D.C. (for example, if you live in Puerto Rico or elsewhere), you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A but will need to manually enroll yourself in Part B. 

Although in most cases, enrolling in Medicare Part A is automatic, there are some instances where you may have to enroll yourself manually:

• If you aren’t receiving retirement benefits and are within your enrollment period, you can enroll in Medicare only and defer your retirement benefits to a later time. 
• If you’re not eligible to receive retirement benefits, you will not be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B. However, you can still sign up for them during your enrollment period. You may have to pay a premium.

Average Cost of Medicare Advantage Plans in Arkansas

The amount you pay for a Medicare Advantage plan will depend upon whether you want to include a Part B premium, how much of a deductible you want to pay, and more. 

Getting Comprehensive Medicare Coverage in the Land of Opportunity

In Arkansas, the Land of Opportunity, getting Medicare insurance coverage doesn’t have to be complicated. Get estimates from the companies profiled here to find the deal that works best for your needs.

Seniors require a range of services like care in a nursing facility, home care, extra Medicare drug coverage health equity services and more.

But you have to act quickly before the enrollment period ends, or else the opportunity to enroll and save will slip right through your fingers! 

Frequently Asked Questions