Key Takeaways
Medicare in Kansas is health insurance for all legal U.S. citizens aged 65 and older. It’s a federal program that’s partially funded by taxes.
Original Medicare’s Parts A and B help cover hospital, medical and preventive costs. Medicare Advantage in Kansas replaces Original Medicare but offers the same Part A and B benefits. It also often includes other services like prescription drug coverage (otherwise known as Part D ).
The price of Medicare in Kansas is based on standardized costs but is adjusted based on personal details, including income and work history.
Whether you’re in the Great Plains, Kansas City, or anywhere between, making sure you get the most out of your health care is part of living in The Sunflower State. When you’re 65 or older, that usually means enrolling in Medicare in Kansas.
If you’re approaching 65 or already there, it’s essential to answer some crucial questions. What is Medicare? How much does it cost? Can you enroll in Medicare Advantage in Kansas?
To help find the answers you need, here is GoHealth’s guide to Medicare in Kansas.
Find a local Medicare plan that fits your needs
How Do I Sign Up for Medicare in Kansas?
There are several ways to sign up for Medicare in Kansas, including:
- By calling the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 1-800-772-1213
- Online through the SSA website
- At a nearby SSA office
What Conditions Qualify for Medicare?
Generally, Medicare plans in Kansas are for individuals aged 65 and older who are U.S. citizens or have been in the country for five or more years. You may qualify for Medicare if you’re younger than 65 and:
- You’re living with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- You’ve drawn benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), or disability-based Social Security benefits, for 24 months
Are you eligible for cost-saving Medicare subsidies?
Is Medicare Required When You Turn 65?
You are not required to enroll in Medicare in Kansas when you turn 65. You may be able to delay your Medicare initial enrollment if you or your spouse are working and receive health insurance through that employer’s plan when you turn 65. If so, a Special Enrollment Period will open when that coverage ends.
If you don’t have coverage, enrolling on time can save you a headache in the long run. The Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) exists for first-time enrollees.
Some individuals are automatically enrolled into Medicare Parts A&B. If you aren’t, missing your IEP could mean some steep enrollment penalties when you sign up. By neglecting your IEP, you may have to pay more for:
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
- Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D)
When to enroll in Medicare in Kansas
Whether you want to sign up, change or drop your coverage, there are specific Medicare enrollment periods you’ll want to know. Want to keep up-to-date on your Medicare in Kansas? Circle these dates:
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
This seven-month window includes your birth month, plus the three months before and after. However, for those born on the first of the month, your IEP window starts four months before your birth month and ends two months after. If your birthday is June 2-30, your IEP opens on Mar. 1 and closes on Sept. 30. Discover when is your Medicare initial enrollment with our date checker.
Medicare Part C & D Annual Enrollment Period
Medicare beneficiaries in Kansas can enroll in Medicare Advantage plans or drug plans. The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year.
Medicare General Enrollment Period
If you missed your IEP and didn’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, your first chance is held each year from Jan. 1 to Mar. 31.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
Beneficiaries who were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage on January 1st can swap Part C plans or switch back to Original Medicare from Jan. 1 to March. 31.
What Are the Qualifications for Medicaid in Kansas?
Eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas is based on several requirements, including income, household size and more. Medicaid is not the same as Medicare in Kansas. Medicaid assists low-income children, adults and families.
What extra benefits and savings do you qualify for?
Do Seniors Have to Pay for Medicare?
Yes, most seniors will have to pay something for their Medicare. There’s a popular misconception that you can get Medicare at no cost when you turn 65. The root of this Medicare myth is that many people qualify for certain parts of Medicare at no cost if they meet specific requirements. The reality is that there are various costs and other factors that will determine how much you’ll end up paying for Medicare in Kansas.
To help you budget, here’s what you can expect to pay for 2022:
Medicare in KS: Part A
Premium:
- Typically $0 if you or your spouse worked 10 or more years
- You or your spouse worked between 7.5 and 10 years: $274 a month
- You or your spouse worked fewer than 7.5 years: $499 a month
Deductible:
- $1,556 each plan period
Copayments & coinsurance:
- Hospital stays: $0 copay for Days 1-60 following deductible payment; Days 61 and after: daily charges
- Skilled Nursing Facility: $0 Days 1-20 each plan period; daily charges for Days 21 and after
Medicare in KS: Part B
Premium:
- $170.10 monthly and up (income-based)
Deductible:
- $233 for each plan period
Copayments & coinsurance:
- Most preventative services: $0
- Medicare-approved services: 20% coinsurance
Medicare in KS: Part D
Premium:
- Varies by plan and can be Income-based
Deductible:
- Not to exceed $480 in 2022
Copayments & coinsurance:
- Based on specific plans and drugs
What Are the Different Medicare Plans Available?
There are two main ways to receive Medicare in Kansas: Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Each is made up of various parts of Medicare. Here’s an overview of how they work:
Original Medicare (Parts A and B)
With Parts A and B, you get some hospital coverage, medically necessary, and preventive services. You can see any doctor that accepts Medicare, but costs are typically high. You’ll need separate policies for dental, hearing, vision and prescription drugs.
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Part C replaces Original Medicare (Part A & B) but offers the same Part A & B benefits or coverages as Original Medicare. Along with receiving Part A & B benefits, Medicare Part C often bundles additional services like dental, hearing, vision and prescription drug coverage.
If you have Original Medicare in Kansas, there are ways to cover some of those out-of-pocket costs and get needed services that aren’t covered. To do so, you’ll want to learn more about Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) and Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap). Here’s how they work:
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D)
Part D is a stand-alone prescription drug policy sold by private health insurance companies. You’ll need to add Part D separately if you have Original Medicare; Medicare Advantage in Kansas often includes Part D coverage.
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
Another resource for Original Medicare in Kansas, Medigap helps pay for copays, coinsurance and deductibles associated with Parts A and B. Like Part D, Medigap is sold by private insurers and must be purchased separately.
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What Is the Most Common Medicare Supplement Plan?
The truth is — popularity doesn’t matter when it comes to which Medigap plan you choose. It’s much more important to understand details such as:
As an overview, Medigap is a group of policies that provide different levels of coverage. Some offer a little financial support. Others cover almost all your out-of-pocket costs for Original Medicare in Kansas. To see which Medigap plans are available in your area, give GoHealth a call. Our licensed insurance agents will listen to your needs and see which Medicare Supplement policies can bridge the gap between what you get from Original Medicare and what you need.
What Is a Medicare Stand Alone Plan?
The term “stand-alone” plan generally refers to any health insurance plan that you can purchase on its own, apart from Original Medicare. Stand-alone plans can include Part D and Medigap or policies that provide other dental, vision, and hearing services.
Get the health benefits and savings you’re entitled to.
What Is the Downside to Medicare Advantage Plans?
The answer here really depends on you; what others consider a downside may not factor into your decision. To give you a better idea of what both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage have to offer, here are some resources to show you the differences — and upsides — of each:
- Medicare Star Ratings: see what other policyholders think of their plans
- Pros & Cons: See how Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage in Kansas stack up
- FAQs: See what others are asking about Medicare
- HMOs vs. PPOs: See Medicare Advantage options and how they work
- Medicare Myths: Clear up any confusion about Medicare in Kansas
- Talk to an agent: At GoHealth, our licensed insurance agents will offer impartial guidance and honest answers you need
Medicare in Kansas by the Numbers
Thousands of older adults enroll in Medicare every day across the United States. The latest CMS data shows that 517,825 people are enrolled in Medicare Part A and B in Kansas. The total number of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage Increased from 106,411 to 123,699 year over year. Medicare Advantage participation in Kansas went from 21.01% to 23.89% year over year. If you’d like to dive deeper into how Medicare in Kansas breaks down across the state, we provide a glance at who is using Medicare and how.
Medicare
Kansas
517,825 Beneficiaries with Part A & Part B
123,699 Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries
23.89% Meducare Advantage Participation Rate
54.93% Female
45.07% Male
90.03% Non-Hispanic White
3.21% African American
3.19% Hispanic
3.58% Other/Unknown
12.19% Eligible for Medicaid
0.94 Average HCC Score
$10,077.92 Actual Per Capita Costs
16.02% Hospital Readmission Rate
27.25% of Beneficiaries with an Emergency Department Visit
106,411 Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries, Previous Year
Increased Medicare Advantage, Year over year
21.01% Meducare Advantage Participation Rate, Previous Year
See more +
Table reflects the latest Beneficiary Demographics Data: Medicare Geographic Variation – by National, State & County
Average HCC Score: The Hierarchical Condition Category score gauges a population’s overall health. The score is based on a value of 1.0. Populations with an HCC score of less than 1.0 are considered relatively healthy. The score can be used to estimate health costs.
Are you paying extra for dental, vision and hearing benefits?
Kansas Medicare Resources & Contacts
Beneficiaries spend an average of $10,077.92 each year on Medicare in Kansas. To be sure you are not leaving anything on the table, give us a call. A GoHealth licensed insurance agent can assess your coverage or explain which Kansas-based resources, like these, may be able to help:
Nationwide Resources
Medicare Learning Guides
Healthcare is personal. So is choosing insurance. If you are new to Medicare, a beneficiary researching options, or a caregiver, we have tailored Medicare Guides for you.
Medicare guide
Before 65 Guide
Understanding health insurance before age 65, especially when considering early retirement
Medicare guide
Medicare Plans Guide
Costs, coverage and enrollment details for each Medicare plan
Medicare guide
Medicare Beneficiary Guide
For those currently enrolled in Medicare
Medicare guide
Low Income and Medicare Guide
For individuals with a qualifying income status
Medicare guide
A Caregiver’s Guide
For individuals with a qualifying income status
