The best time to think about your parents' Medicare is when they're healthy. Medical care becomes a bigger part of life as we age and having a Plan B for managing that care is necessary to ensure your parent or loved one gets the care they need.
So, suppose a medical event incapacitates them or they are unable to manage their care due to a cumulative decline in their physical and/or mental health. In that case, they will be looked after by a trusted family member or loved one. However, access to medical information and one's Medicare account is highly regulated and is generally off-limits to anyone except the patient, unless they give explicit permission. The same goes for decision-making authority.
