Medicare Q&A
聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡常見問題
With recent government-approved budget increases and the enrollment period coming up you might begin to have some doubts and questions about Medicare. What's changed? What aspects should I consider? How do my conditions affect my coverage?
隨著最近政府批准的預算增加和註冊期的臨近，您可能會對聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡有一些疑慮和疑問。究竟有什麼變化？應該考慮哪些方面？我的當前狀況對我的保險保障有什麼影響？
In this Q&A we'll answer your most frequently asked questions to help you get the best coverage you can.
在這些常見問題中，我們將為您作詳細的解答，以幫助您獲得最完善的保障。
How do I qualify for Medicare’s Extra Help Program?
我如何有資格參加聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡的額外幫助計劃？
Lower-income Medicare beneficiaries may receive financial assistance through Medicare’s Extra Help program. If you have difficulty paying for prescriptions, the Extra Help program – also known as the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) – can make prescriptions and plan premiums more affordable than they would be with Medicare Part D alone.
低收入聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡受益人可以通過額外援助助計劃獲得經濟援助。如果您在支付處方藥費用時遇到困難，額外援助計劃（也稱為低收入補貼 (LIS)）可以使處方藥和保險保費比單獨使用D部分更實惠。
Your income and resources determine the level of help you receive and the requirements fluctuate year by year. You’ll automatically receive Extra Help if you have both Medicare and Medicaid, the Medicare Savings Program, or Supplemental Security Income.
您的收入和財力決定了您將獲得的幫助程度，而且要求也是逐年變化的。。如果您同時擁有聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡和州醫療援助白卡、聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡儲蓄計劃或社會安全補助金，您將自動獲得額外援助。
To be eligible for Extra Help, your income in 2021 cannot exceed $19,140 for an individual or $25,860 for a married couple living together. In addition, resources must not exceed $14,790 for an individual and $29,520 for married couples (the financial limits are higher if you have dependents living with you or if you live in Alaska or Hawaii).
要獲得額外援助的資格，您2021年的個人收入不得超過$19,140美元，同居的已婚夫婦的收入不得超過$25,860美元。此外，個人財力不得超過$14,790美元，已婚夫婦財力不得超過 $29,520美元（如果您有家屬與您同住，或者您住在阿拉斯加或夏威夷，則財務限額比較高）。
Resources do not include your car or home but do include stocks, bonds, and bank accounts. A recent law excludes some additional resources, making it easier for more beneficiaries to get Extra Help. Life insurance policies don’t count as resources, and financial assistance you receive from friends or relatives to help pay your household expenses is not considered income.
財力不包括您的汽車或房屋，但包括股票、債券和銀行賬戶。最近的一項法律排除了一些額外財力，使更多受益人更容易獲得額外援助。人壽保險單不算作財力，您從朋友或親戚那裡獲得的幫助來支付家庭開支的經濟援助也不被視為收入。
Will Extra Help reduce my out-of-pocket costs?
額外援助會減少自付額嗎？
Enrollees who receive Extra Help in 2021 will pay no more than $3.70 for each generic drug and $9.20 for brand-name drugs. That is a valuable benefit that the Social Security Administration estimates are worth an average of about $5,000 per year.
在2021年獲得額外援助的註冊者將為每種普通藥支付不超過$3.70美元的費用，為品牌藥支付$9.20美元。據社會安全局估計，這是一項寶貴的福利，平均每年價值約$5,000美元。
In addition to having lower copayments, Extra Help enrollees also have their Part D plan deductibles reduced or eliminated (depending on their income). The federal government also pays Part D premiums on behalf of Extra Help enrollees – up to a benchmark amount and eliminates the Part D late enrollment penalty for beneficiaries who would otherwise have to pay it.
除了降低掛號費之外，額外援助註冊人的D部分計劃自付額減少或取消（取決於他們的收入）。聯邦政府還代表額外援助註冊人支付D部分保費——最高為基準金額，並免除原本必須支付的受益人的D部分延遲註冊罰款。
Do I need to sign up for Medicare at 65 if I’m still working?
如果我65歲時還在工作，可以註冊聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡嗎？
Medicare eligibility starts at age 65. Your initial window to enroll is the seven-month period that begins three months before the month of your 65th birthday and ends three months after it. Seniors are generally advised to sign up on time to avoid penalties that could prove quite costly throughout retirement.
聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡資格從65歲開始。您的第一次註冊時間是在您65歲生日前三個月開始，到65歲生日後三個月結束的七個月的期間內。通常建議老年人按時註冊，以避免在整個退休期間可能會受到相當昂貴的處罰。
Can I enroll in Medicare if I have a health savings account?
如果我有一個健康儲蓄帳戶，我還可以註冊聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡嗎？
Once you sign up for Medicare, you’re no longer eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA), so in some cases, it pays to hold off on enrolling.
一旦您註冊了聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡，您就不再有資格向健康儲蓄賬戶 (HSA) 供款，因此在某些情況下，延遲註冊是值得的。
Health savings accounts offer a great opportunity to sock away funds on a tax-free basis to pay for healthcare costs during your working years and retirement. To be eligible to participate in an HSA, you must be enrolled in a high-deductible health insurance plan. HSA contribution limits change from year to year. For 2021, they’re $3,600 at the individual level and $7,200 for families. If you’re 55 or older, you can contribute an extra $1,000 on top of the limit you qualify for.
健康儲蓄賬戶提供了一個很好的機會，可以在免稅的基礎上存入資金，來支付您工作和退休期間的醫療保健費用。要符合參加健康儲蓄帳戶的資格，您必須註冊高自付額的健康保險計劃。健康儲蓄帳戶的供款限額每年都在變化。2021年個人為 $3,600美元，家庭為 $7,200美元。如果您年滿55歲，則可以在正常的限額上額外供款$1,000美元。
In 2022, the same $1,400 (individual) and $2,800 (family) deductible requirements will dictate HSA eligibility. Contribution limits, however, will rise to $3,650 for individuals and $7,300 for families. The same $1,000 catch-up option will remain in place for savers aged 55 and over.
HSA contributions get to grow tax-free once invested, and withdrawals are tax-free provided they’re used for qualified medical expenses. However, if you’re enrolled in Medicare, you’ll no longer be eligible to contribute to an HSA. Therefore, if you’re approaching your 65th birthday and still have access to a group health plan, you may want to hold off on enrolling.
2022年，同樣的$1,400美元（個人）和$2,800美元（家庭）自付額要求將決定健康儲蓄帳戶的資格。但是，個人的供款限額將升至$3,650美元，家庭供款限額將升至$7,300美元。對於55歲及以上的儲戶，同樣的$1,000美元附加選項將繼續存在。一旦開設帳戶，健康儲蓄帳戶的供款就可以免稅增長，並且取出的錢也是免稅的，前提是需要用於合格的醫療費用。但是，如果您加入了聯邦醫療保險紅藍卡計劃，您將不再有資格為健康儲蓄帳戶供款。因此，如果您快到65歲生日並且仍然可以使用團體健康計劃，您可能需要推遲註冊。
Source 資料來源: https://www.medicare.gov/