Medicare Parts and Kids?
Children can be covered by any Medicare part. But, the method used to qualify for the coverage must be considered. For example, children between 20 and 22 that qualify for Medicare can apply for any part. Medical is the only exception to this method of qualification. In some cases, a Medigap company may sell Medigap plans to only Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 years. Some companies will sell to every beneficiary, irrespective of their age. Children might need one or more Medigap plans to apply for Medicare in some states, like Florida, Connecticut, Texas, Oregon, New Jersey, New York, and others.
Children who qualify for Medicare through an ESRD diagnosis can only enroll in Parts A, B, and D. Each of these parts has rules that you must follow to maintain your coverage.
- Part A: Medicare Part A is mainly for people admitted to the hospital. It is also called hospital insurance. This part covers services that children with ESRD [4] will need in the hospital, such as cancer [5], and kidney transplants.
- Part B: Medicare Part B is medical insurance. It covers outpatient services like medical tools, visits to your doctor’s office, and outpatient dialysis treatments.
- Part C (Medicare Advantage): Part C plan is a combination of Part A and B. Some changes were made in 2021 to allow children with ESRD to apply for a wider variety of Part C plans.
- Part D: Medicare Part D covers prescribed medications. Children with ESRD can enroll in Part D plans to buy prescription medications.
- Medicare supplement (Medigap): Children can enroll in Medigap plans to buy the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare. Children with ESRD do not qualify for Medigap.