Session 2 provided an overview of health and health care in the U.S. and in North Carolina, as well as the intricacies of Medicare and reimbursement for health care. The U.S. spends more on health care than most other developed nations, and gets worse outcomes. Most nonelderly people with insurance get coverage through their employers, Medicaid, or CHIP. North Carolina’s breakdown is similar. North Carolina is one of 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid, though a majority of North Carolinians support it. Almost all older adults in the U.S. have Medicare, which has four parts: hospital insurance, medical insurance, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Part D Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. In North Carolina, some older adults experience decision paralysis from Medicare choice overload.
Medicare Basics 2020
