Medicare – A Guide to Understanding Original Medicare from Udemy

Medicare is a powerful health insurance program that currently serves over 50 million qualified Americans. In this course, the Instructors begin with the basics of Medicare. Learning some facts and simple strategies to successfully navigate the Medicare maze may well be the best use of anyone’s time.

What you will be able to do at the conclusion of the course:

· Use the information learned to choose and enroll in a prescription drug plan (Part D).

· Know what your current hospital deductible (Part A) is and where to find information for all future changes in the hospital deductible.

· Know what your current annual medical deductible (Part B) is and where to find information for all future changes in the medical deductible.

· Determine the current medical premium (Part B) and know where to find information on yearly changes to the premium.

· Build a strong understanding of “Original Medicare” that allows the course participant to decide whether to purchase additional health insurance coverage through a supplemental plan or a managed care (Part C) plan.

This Medicare course contains over () lectures and () hours/minutes of content.

What makes this Medicare course unique is: (1) the Instructors are not selling health insurance and (2) the Instructors are blunt in their explanations and with the facts that they share.

What's inside

Learning objective

1. about original medicare enrollment periods and how to enroll 2. about original medicare costs including premiums, deductibles and co-insurance 3. how to navigate the original medicare hospital benefit (part a) 4. learn the ins-and-outs of the original medicare medical benefit (part b) as a bonus included with the course are several handy printable pdfâs and website links to more detailed information about medicare. interested students should check out the curriculum for details.

Syllabus

Introduction To Original Medicare

In this video the Instructors welcome the student to the course and provide some intriguing opening facts about Original Medicare.

Here the instructors offer a quick overview of the history of Original Medicare, how it's funded and the basics of how it works.

Test your knowledge of this lecture!

Students will have an in-depth knowledge of enrollment in Part A, the costs of Part A and the types of benefits offered under the Part A - Hospital coverage.

Were you paying close attention in this Lecture? Take this Quiz on Part A - the Hospital Benefit and see!

Don't move on in the course until you have successfully completed this quiz on Part B - the Medical Benefit.

A quick summary and review of all covered in this course on Original Medicare, it's origins, history and how to make the most of it.

Links to more on Medicare, the instructors and what could come next.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores Original Medicare, which is a required heath insurance program for millions of qualified Americans

Taught by Charlene Brash-Sorensen and Peggy Bechko, who are not selling health insurance

Exposes learners to the basics of Medicare, Original Medicare enrollment periods, costs, benefits, and navigation

Delivers simple strategies to successfully navigate Medicare and manage healthcare

Provides printable PDFs and website links for additional information

Advises students to check the curriculum for information on available lectures and content

Reviews summary

Clear guide to original medicare

According to learners, this course is an absolutely essential guide for understanding Original Medicare, particularly praised for its clarity and simplicity in explaining complex topics. Students consistently highlight the instructors' blunt, no-nonsense, and unbiased approach, which is a refreshing change from typical sales pitches. While primarily focused on providing a strong foundation in Parts A and B, some learners noted the course's limited depth on supplemental plans or Part C, suggesting it's best for foundational knowledge rather than comprehensive coverage of all Medicare options. Overall, it's highly recommended for its practicality and ability to empower informed decision-making.

Includes useful printable PDFs and knowledge checks.

"The printable PDFs are a great resource for quick reference."

"I felt the quizzes were a good check for understanding."

"The quizzes at the end of each section are helpful for retention."

Thoroughly covers Original Medicare basics (A & B).

"This course provides a solid foundation for Original Medicare."

"The focus on Original Medicare is a strength, as it helps people grasp the core before getting into supplements."

"My main feedback would be that while it covers Original Medicare thoroughly, it doesn't delve deeply into the nuances of Part C or Medigap."

Appreciated for its honest, sales-pitch-free explanations.

"What makes this Medicare course unique is: (1) the Instructors are not selling health insurance and (2) the Instructors are blunt in their explanations..."

"The blunt approach is refreshing, no sales pitch at all!"

"The instructors are indeed blunt and transparent, which I appreciated."

"Clear, concise, and unbiased. The quizzes helped reinforce the learning."

Complex Medicare concepts are made easy to understand.

"The instructors explain complex topics in a very clear, easy-to-understand manner."

"This course broke it down into digestible pieces. I feel empowered to make informed decisions now."

"It covers the fundamentals effectively without being overly complicated."

Instruction can be dry and less dynamic for some learners.

"The lectures were well-structured, although sometimes a bit dry."

"The information is solid, but the delivery could be more engaging. It felt a bit like listening to a lecture."

"The pace was a bit slow at times."

Doesn't deeply explore Part C or supplemental plans.

"It focuses strictly on Original Medicare, which is fine, but I was hoping for more on Part C or supplemental plans..."

"While it covers Original Medicare thoroughly, it doesn't delve deeply into the nuances of Part C or Medigap, which are also crucial for many."

"I already knew some of this information, so it wasn't groundbreaking for me."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Medicare – A Guide to Understanding Original Medicare with these activities:

Discuss Medicare with a friend or family member

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Engage in conversations about Medicare to clarify concepts, share knowledge, and gain different perspectives.

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Identify a friend or family member who is knowledgeable about Medicare or is also interested in learning more.
Set aside time to meet and discuss specific Medicare topics, such as enrollment, benefits, or costs.
Take turns asking questions, sharing information, and providing support.

Compile a personal guide to Medicare resources

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Create a personalized reference tool to simplify future Medicare-related tasks by gathering and organizing relevant resources.

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Gather information from the Medicare website, reputable organizations, and your notes from this course.
Organize the information into categories, such as enrollment, benefits, costs, and support services.
Create a binder, folder, or digital document to store the compiled resources.

Show all two activities

Career center

Learners who complete Medicare – A Guide to Understanding Original Medicare will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Insurance Agent

An Insurance Agent is a professional who advises clients on insurance coverage and sells insurance policies, including health insurance. Someone who is interested in selling Medicare or advising on it may find this course very useful for building a strong foundation in how Medicare functions and its different components.

See salaries and explore the career path for Insurance Agent

Insurance Underwriter

An Insurance Underwriter evaluates insurance applications and assesses the level of risk associated with insuring an applicant, including those applying for Medicare plans. To learn the ins-and-outs of Original Medicare as well as premiums, deductibles, co-insurance, and more, this online course could be very helpful for becoming an Insurance Underwriter.

See salaries and explore the career path for Insurance Underwriter

Health Policy Analyst

A Health Policy Analyst researches, develops, and analyzes health policy. They may work in government, the private sector, or non-profit organizations. To learn the basics of Medicare and how it functions, taking this course would be helpful for building a foundation to enter the field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Policy Analyst

Healthcare Consultant

A Healthcare Consultant advises healthcare providers and organizations on how to improve their operations and efficiency. This course would be very useful for building a strong understanding of Original Medicare, including costs and enrollment periods, which would be critical knowledge for someone working as a Healthcare Consultant.

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Medical Assistant

A Medical Assistant performs administrative and clinical tasks in a healthcare setting, including insurance billing. This course would be very helpful for building a strong foundation in understanding how Medicare works, which is often a large part of insurance billing in healthcare.

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Actuary

An Actuary analyzes and assesses financial risks and uncertainties, including those related to health insurance. By understanding the basics of Medicare, including premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance, this course would be somewhat helpful for an Actuary.

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Certified Financial Planner

A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) helps clients manage their finances and plan for their future. This course may be helpful for a CFP to learn more about healthcare costs and insurance, which would be important for financial planning.

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Insurance Claims Adjuster

An Insurance Claims Adjuster investigates and settles insurance claims, including health insurance claims. By understanding how Medicare works, this course would be somewhat helpful for an Insurance Claims Adjuster to handle Medicare claims.

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Market Researcher

A Market Researcher conducts research on consumer behavior and market trends, including those related to healthcare and insurance. This course would be somewhat helpful for a Market Researcher to learn more about Medicare and how it functions within the healthcare market.

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Pharmacist

A Pharmacist dispenses medications and provides advice on drug use, including those covered by Medicare Part D. This course may be somewhat helpful for a Pharmacist to learn about Medicare Part D and the role it plays in covering prescription drug costs.

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Physician

A Physician provides medical care to patients, including those covered by Medicare. This course may be somewhat helpful for a Physician to understand the basics of Medicare and how it functions, which may be helpful for billing and patient care.

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Registered Nurse

A Registered Nurse provides nursing care to patients, including those covered by Medicare. Like Physicians, this course may be somewhat helpful for a Registered Nurse to understand the basics of Medicare and how it functions, which may be helpful for billing and patient care.

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Social Worker

A Social Worker provides support and resources to individuals and families facing challenges, including those related to healthcare and insurance. By understanding the basics of Medicare, this course would be somewhat helpful as some clients may be on Medicare.

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Financial Advisor

A Financial Advisor helps clients manage their finances and plan for their future, including retirement planning. This course may be somewhat helpful for a Financial Advisor to better understand Medicare and how it fits into retirement planning.

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Accountant

An Accountant prepares and examines financial records, including those related to healthcare and insurance. This course may be somewhat helpful for an Accountant to learn more about Medicare and how it functions within the healthcare system.

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