Be Informed with the Medicare Fully Informed Project
Read moreEach year during Medicare’s Open Enrollment (Oct 15- Dec 7), beneficiaries are inundated with marketing materials from growing numbers of Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans, and materials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). While these materials are supposed to help beneficiaries review current plan changes and make informed choices for...
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Medicare’s Open Enrollment is Here ~ Review Your Medicare Options for 2019!
Read moreMedicare’s Fall Open Enrollment is here! Officially known as the Annual Election Period which runs from October 15 through December 7, this is main time when you can change your coverage. All changes are effective January 1 next year. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch plans or disenroll and return to Original...
Learn Tips to Prevent Medicare Open Enrollment Scams
Read moreMedicare’s annual open enrollment is from Oct 15 – Dec 7. It’s an important time of year to review the changes in your current coverage for the new year and look at your other coverage options. Sifting through your current plan’s coverage changes can be overwhelming to digest, let alone understanding all the other...
Do You Have Your New Medicare Card? Beware of New Scams
Read moreIn California, the new Medicare cards mailing is complete. These new cards help prevent identity theft by no longer using people’s Social Security number as their Medicare number. Now people have a new 11 digit Medicare number that combines numbers and letters and excludes gender identity and signatures. Does this mean the end of...
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Starts Oct 15th ~ Check Your Coverage Options & Your Mail
Read moreMedicare’s annual fall Open Enrollment is almost here! Running from October 15 – December 7, this is an important time to review your coverage and make any necessary changes for your coverage going forward as of January 1, 2019. During the open enrollment, you can join or switch Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and Part...
Time-Limited Equitable Relief for Part B Penalties Extended 1 More Year
Read moreThe Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) extended their time-limited equitable relief from Medicare Part B penalties for one more year. It is now set to expire September 30, 2019. Eligible beneficiaries include people who are in Marketplace plans and missed signing up for Medicare Part B during their Special Enrollment Period following...
CHA & Advocates Nationwide Push for Extended Equitable Relief
Read moreCalifornia Health Advocates, along with many national advocacy organizations nationwide, submitted this letter to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend the existing equitable relief policy for Medicare Part B enrollment penalties. We asked for an extension of at least one year and/or until the agency demonstrates it has sufficiently...
Medicare Cost Plans Ending by 2019 ~ Make Sure Members Know Their Rights
Read moreWhile many people haven’t heard of Medicare Cost plans, those who have often see them as the “best of both worlds”. Cost plans are basically an HMO with the option to opt out of the plan’s limited network of providers and see any doctor using Original fee-for-service Medicare. They are like an HMO with...