COVID-19 Pandemic Highlights Need for Changes in Medicare Enrollment Process
Read moreWe’ve been hearing of some Medicare enrollment challenges for older adults who delayed their Medicare enrollment due to work. Now, with the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), many of these older adults are stopping work and having a hard time enrolling in Medicare due to obstacles created by this pandemic. Many of these people...
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CHA Requests Extension of Medicare’s General Enrollment Period Until Social Security Offices Reopen
Read moreIn the letter below to Social Security Commissioner, Andrew Saul, California Health Advocates (CHA) requests an extension of the General Enrollment Period (GEP) until local Social Security offices reopen. Such an extension would be similar to a previous “equitable relief” measure given to those who mistakenly kept their Marketplace plan, instead of enrolling in...
Medicare & Coronavirus ~ What You Need to Know
Read moreThis article, written by Seema Verma, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), provides tips on how to avoid coronavirus (COVID-19) scams and reviews Medicare’s coverage for COVID-19, including newly expanded telehealth services during this pandemic. Read below for details. Medicare & Coronavirus ~ What You Need to Know By...
CMS Waives 3-Day Inpatient Requirement for Skilled Nursing Care
Read moreThe Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently announced a number of Section 1135 waivers as part of their response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). This includes waiving the 3-day hospital inpatient requirement for Medicare to cover skilled nursing care. CMS is waiving the requirement at Section 1812(f) of the...
Medicare Covers COVID-19 Tests & CMS Issues Guidance to Medicare Advantage & Part D Plans
Read moreAs the coronavirus is spreading nationally and globally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced early in March that Medicare will cover coronavirus testing. All COVID-19 tests ordered by your doctor or other health care provider will be covered under Medicare Part B as a diagnostic laboratory test, and therefore has no...
Beware of COVID-19 Scams & Learn About Medicare Coronavirus Coverage & Guidance from Government Agencies
Read moreScams are already underway regarding the coronavirus. We’ve heard a report of someone receiving a robocall that used COVID-19 as a scare tactic to get the caller to act to “keep your family safe”. Scammers are always looking for new opportunities for fraud, and given the current uncertainty and anxiety people across the country...
House Hearing Highlights the BENES Act ~ Let’s Get it Passed in 2020
Read moreLast week the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing called, “Legislation to Improve Americans’ Health Care Coverage and Outcomes.” In it they highlighted the bipartisan bill, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act (H.R. 2477) which would improve the Medicare Part B enrollment process to help stop people approaching Medicare...
House Passes Historic Bill to Lower Drug Prices & Expand Medicare
Read moreOn December 12th, the U.S. House of Representative passed a historic piece of legislation, Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) by a vote of 230-192. If signed into law, this legislation would significantly reduce the cost of prescription drugs for beneficiaries and Medicare, including authorizing Medicare to negotiate prices for...
While Medicare’s Open Enrollment is Over, Consequences for the Medicare Plan Finder’s Inaccuracies Are Not
Read moreEven though Medicare’s Open Enrollment period is over, the consequences resulting from some of the inaccurate information on Medicare’s Plan Finder (MPF) are not. In fact, they will only start to be realized in the new year when some beneficiaries find out the drug prices, premium information and more that they gathered on the...
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Ends Saturday, Dec 7th
Read moreHave you made your health care coverage choices for 2020? If so, great! If not, now is the time, as Medicare’s open enrollment ends this Saturday, December 7. Each year this open enrollment period, also known as the Annual Election Period (AEP) is from October 15 – December 7. It’s a time where you...