If you’re suffering from a spine ailment like scoliosis, you know how frustrating it can be to get proper coverage. Often, your insurance company is finicky when it comes to chiropractic care, your insurance doesn’t cover it, or your insurance agent is less-than-cooperative.
For adult scoliosis that requires physical therapy or any procedures that require a surgeon, it can be a headache to get your insurance company to assist you. However, with your income level, you qualify for Medicare. So you wonder, can Medicare help with your scoliosis?
Scoliosis and Surgery
As you likely know, scoliosis is when your spine is curved in a way that it shouldn’t be. Often, the cause of scoliosis in adult scoliosis has its roots in your childhood, stemming from spine problems that were never properly addressed by your health insurance. Too often, treating issues like chronic idiopathic scoliosis requires invasive techniques that require you to visit a physical therapist.
While spinal surgery is usually reserved for severe cases, many spine surgeons are seeing an increase of chiropractic medical advice that suggests surgical procedures. Indeed, spine procedures are often called “special surgery.” Health insurance plans often have restrictions on special surgery that help them avoid paying for health care.
The Scoliosis Research Society only recommends surgeon intervention in specific cases. According to the Scoliosis Research Society, surgery may be advisable if non-surgical techniques haven’t worked, your chronic pain disables you or significantly impacts your quality of life, or you can’t handle many basic activities. Luckily, even if your scoliosis is so severe that it necessitates special surgery, a Medicare health plan may be able to cover part or all of the cost.
Medicare and Scoliosis
From Original Medicare to the Medicare Advantage Plan, there are several ways that Medicare can assist with special surgery and general scoliosis treatments. First, you need to get started with a Medicare Supplement application. This will require general information like your name, zip code to determine your service area, your email address, and your phone number. The particulars will be listed on the contact form portion of an online quote request.
Often, the online quote request is located on the Health Insurance Marketplace website but sometimes you can do an online quote request through your primary care physician depending on your specific needs. You’ll need to provide a complete listing of your information to receive an appropriate Medicare Supplement quote.
Quotes for Medicare will vary if you will be adding Medicare beneficiaries or enrolling in a prescription drug plan to help with costs. Companies like Easy Medicare let you avoid the Health Insurance Marketplace website and receive Medicare supplement insurance quotes, senior insurance services quotes, and prescription drug plan information within a user-friendly platform. Depending on your responses, you may be contacted by a licensed sales agent or Medigap policy sales agent to determine whether you need Medicare supplement insurance or Medicaid services. Easy Medicare also lets you compare a complete listing of plans and is often referred to as the best company when it comes to reviewing Medicare supplement plans.
Once you’ve accepted a Medicare supplement quote or enrolled in a Medigap plan, you’ll be able to review the best scoliosis doctors in your service area and determine where you should seek care. Online quotes won’t always tell you about prescription drug coverage and you may need to review third party materials or contact a health care provider to determine eligibility via a Healthmarkets insurance agency.
A Complex Diagnosis
While scoliosis, whether it’s adult scoliosis or adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, is a difficult diagnosis to navigate, the positive news is that Medicare supplement insurance can assist with treatment if you qualify. Do your research based on available data and learn about qualified health plans to help you make an informed decision about both Medicare and Medicaid Services.
