In order to be eligible for the HMO plan, what must the beneficiary continue to pay?

For a beneficiary to be eligible for the HMO plan, they must continue to pay their Medicare Part B premium. Medicare Part B covers outpatient care, physician services, and other medically necessary services. Since HMO plans are designed to provide coordinated healthcare and typically serve as a supplement to Medicare Part A and Part B, maintaining Part B coverage is crucial. If a beneficiary does not pay the Part B premium, they risk losing essential coverage, which would hinder their eligibility for an HMO plan.

Medicare Part A, which mainly covers inpatient hospital stays, may not require beneficiaries to pay a premium if they have sufficient work history. The Medicare Part C premium refers to the additional premium for the Medicare Advantage plan itself, which can vary among different plans, while Medicare Part D premiums apply to prescription drug coverage and are separate from Medicare Advantage plans. Thus, while those premiums may also be important for different types of coverage, the ongoing payment specifically related to HMO eligibility is the Medicare Part B premium.