Archive for the ‘Medicare Card Replacement’ Category

The most common form of malignant brain cancer in adults, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), has 4 distinct molecular subtypes, according to a new study. The finding may lead to more personalized approaches to treating GBM patients.

GBM is a fast-growing type of tumor. In recent years, 3 of every 100,000 Americans have been diagnosed with GBM—the highest incidence rate among malignant brain tumors. Most patients die of the disease within 14 months of diagnosis.

Like most cancers, GBM is believed to arise from changes that accumulate in cells’ DNA over the course of a person’s life. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network, launched in 2006, is a comprehensive and coordinated effort to explore the genomic changes involved in human cancer. It consists of more than 150 researchers at dozens of institutions across the nation. The network is funded by NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

TCGA scientists previously published a detailed view of GBM genomic changes. In the new study, they built on those findings and determined that GBM appears to have 4 distinct molecular subtypes. As reported on January 19, 2010, in Cancer Cell, the scientists associated 2 previously identified subtypes with specific genetic changes and identified 2 additional subtypes. The researchers also found that response to aggressive chemotherapy and radiation therapy differed by subtype.

The evidence suggests that the different GBM subtypes arise from different kinds of cells. This finding has potential clinical significance, since determining the types of cells that form GBM is critical for establishing effective treatments.

“The ability to differentiate GBM tumors based on their altered genetic code lays the groundwork for more effective treatment strategies to combat this deadly cancer,” says NHGRI director Dr. Eric D. Green. “These findings demonstrate the power of using a cancer’s genome to unravel the molecular changes that occur in the various cancer types.”

“These new findings offer critical insights into stratifying patients based on the unique molecular characteristics of their disease,” says NCI Director Dr. John E. Niederhuber. “As we learn more and more about the genetic underpinnings of cancer, we hope to achieve a similar level of molecular understanding for all cancers and eventually to generate recipes of highly targeted therapies uniquely suited to the individual patient.”

Dental Fears: I have large dental fears so I can not go to just any general dentist since even for just a cleaning I need to have a specialist knock me out. Because of my dental fears, I have to pay more money for my dental services which my current dental insurance will not cover, since they will only cover me on UCR for general dental prices. Where can I get a dental insurance that will insured for specialist? I try explaining to my dental insurance that I do not see a specialist just to have it cost more but they state it does not matter it is up to me where I go and the coverages are what I get if I go to a specialist for my fears.

Reply: You may want to review a dental discount plan. With a dental discount plan you will save at least 20% off the cost of any plan specialist. Compare the benefits you current receive and see if that is better or worse then saving 20% with a dental discount plan. You also may want to try weaning your self off of going to a dental specialist all the time. There are great general dentist that deal well with people that have dental fears. At least may be get the simple things done at a general dentist.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Assistant Attorney General Tony West today highlighted the Obama Administration’s work to fight Medicare Fraud and released new tips and information to help seniors and Medicare beneficiaries deter, detect and defend against Medical identity theft. Medical identity theft occurs when someone steals a patient’s personal information, such as his or her name and Medicare number, and uses the information to obtain medical care, to buy drugs or supplies, or to fraudulently bill Medicare using that patient’s stolen identity. The new tips and a printable brochure were produced by the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and are available now at www.StopMedicareFraud.gov and www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/idtheft.

“When criminals steal from Medicare, they are stealing from all of us. That’s why fighting Medicare fraud is one of the Obama Administration’s top priorities,” said Secretary Sebelius. “Preventing medical identify theft is an important part of our work to stop Medicare fraud, and these tools will give seniors important information about how to deter, detect and defend against ID theft and fraud.”

“This Administration is committed to guarding Medicare against fraud and abuse,” noted Assistant Attorney General West.  “The Department of Justice (DOJ), in collaboration with our partners at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will continue to protect the integrity of the nation’s public health programs and vigorously pursue those who seek to take advantage of our most vulnerable citizens.”

“Medical identity theft can disrupt your life, damage your credit rating, and threaten your health if inaccurate information ends up in your medical records,” added HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson. “OIG’s special agents frequently uncover fraud schemes that involve the sale and use of stolen Medicare identification numbers. We’re cracking down on these schemes and working to help stop medical identity theft before it happens.”

The materials released today include practical steps to help “deter, detect, and defend” against medical identity theft.  Beneficiaries are reminded to beware of offers of free medical equipment, services, or goods in exchange for their Medicare numbers. Beneficiaries are also encouraged to regularly review their Medicare Summary Notices, Explanations of Benefits statements, and medical bills for suspicious charges and to report suspected problems.

The effort to help prevent medical identity theft is one part of the Obama Administration’s work to crack down on Medicare fraud. In May, Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary Sebelius announced the creation of a new interagency effort, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), to combat Medicare fraud.  The HEAT team includes senior officials from DOJ and HHS. HEAT team efforts include the expansion of joint DOJ-HHS Medicare Fraud Strike Force

teams that have been successfully fighting fraud in South Florida and Los Angeles to additional cities including Detroit and Houston.  Established in 2007, these teams have a proven record of success using data analysis techniques and community policing to identify, investigate and prosecute on-going fraud.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has undertaken other steps to fight fraud and protect beneficiaries who buy durable medical equipment or rely on home health services.  On October 1, all durable medical equipment suppliers across the nation, except for pharmacies, must be certified by Medicare, a requirement that assures beneficiaries that their suppliers are valid businesses and meet Medicare’s financial and quality standards.

At today’s event, Sebelius also highlighted the SMP programs and was joined by SMP volunteer Joanna T. Gibson of Felton, Del. Formerly known as Senior Medicare Patrol programs, the SMP programs are funded by HHS’ Administration on Aging and help Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries prevent, detect, and report health care fraud. Because this work often requires face-to-face contact to be most effective, SMPs nationwide recruit and train nearly 5,000 volunteers every year to help in this effort. Most SMP volunteers are both retired and Medicare beneficiaries and thus well-positioned to assist their peers.

“We all have to pitch in and do what we can to prevent our Medicare dollars from being wasted on fraud,” said Gibson.  “And we can start by learning more about what Medicare covers, reading our Medicare statements, and reporting provider charges that just don’t seem right.”

To learn more about stopping Medicare fraud, visit www.StopMedicareFraud.gov. To report suspected Medicare fraud call the Inspector General’s toll-free Hotline at 800-447-8477 (800-HHS-TIPS). The toll-free TTY number is 800-377-4950.

I do not have any major issues with my teeth. However, just to have a dental check up, X-rays and cleaning without insurance is costing me over $200.00 I am just looking for a cheap low cost dental insurance plan for an individual. Something that will pay for my office visit, X-rays and cleaning’s 100 percent. The rest I do not care about since I take really good care of my teeth. I really do not see me worrying about having to have any need for major dental work.

Reply: You have a few options, you may want to review an HMO dental insurance plan. Dental HMO plans are normally the lower cost dental insurance option ranging around $10.00 – $20.00 a month for and individual. Most dental HMO plans offer preventive care such as two cleaning a year, office visits and X-rays for free. With and HMO dental insurance plan you will need to choose a dentist within their network of providers. However, if you are wanting to keep your current dentist, there are lower cost PPO plans that only offer preventive services or preventive services and fillings coverages. However it is important to note buying this type of plan, it will not provide benefits beyond check ups, x-rays, cleaning’s and in some cases fillings. Therefore if you where to have larger dental care needs you will not have any coverage.

 

Metabolic Network Finds Disease Links

By building an extensive computer network of molecular relationships, researchers have been able to uncover links to diseases they never before suspected. The genes that cause many diseases have been discovered. However, subtle shifts in the complex network of molecular interactions in the body can also cause disease. Some diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, or Gaucher disease and Parkinson’s disease, tend to affect people at the same time and are considered risk factors for each other, showing how extensive and interconnected this molecular network is.

That’s why researchers have broadened the way they look at disease over the past few years, moving beyond single genes to consider multiple genes or proteins at the same time.

A research team led by Dr. Albert-László Barabási at Northeastern University, Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis at Harvard Medical School and Dr. Zoltan N. Oltvai at University of Pittsburgh set out to look at the relationships among metabolism-related diseases. They chose metabolic diseases because high-quality molecular interaction maps already exist for human cell metabolism, and earlier attempts at linking these diseases based on shared genes proved disappointing. The task was daunting: The cell’s metabolism involves thousands of molecules in a complicated network of biochemical reactions.

The researchers, funded by several NIH Institutes, pulled together information from 2 databases of known metabolic reactions and the molecules involved in them. They then related these to known gene–disease links from another database. Two diseases were considered connected if the products of their associated genes were involved in metabolic reactions with a common molecule.

In the July 22, 2008, issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists reported that over 300 of the 1,437 disorders from the gene–disease database are related to at least one metabolic reaction. On average, a disease is connected in the metabolic disease network to about 5 other diseases. Most diseases have links to only a few others, but some appear as “hubs,” with links to many others. Hypertension, for example, has links to 27 other diseases.

To see whether the links in the metabolic disease network could predict which diseases occur together, the researchers analyzed the Medicare records of over 13 million elderly patients in the United States. They had a total of over 32 million hospital visits over the period 1990–1993. The scientists found that 31% of the diseases whose reactions are coupled in the network showed a statistically significant tendency to occur together—3 times more than the average for all diseases.

These results demonstrate how taking a broader approach to disease can give scientists a deeper understanding of the complex molecular shifts behind disease. The metabolic disease network uncovered a total of 193 pairs of diseases that are metabolically linked and tend to occur together. The network can expand as researchers identify more disease–gene associations and help uncover the metabolic origins of other diseases.

 

Research: Findings May Further Our Understanding of How Language Evolved

Your ability to make sense of Groucho’s words and Harpo’s pantomimes in an old Marx Brothers movie takes place in the same regions of your brain, says new research funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the National Institutes of Health.

In a study published in this week’s Early Edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers have shown that the brain regions that have long been recognized as a center in which spoken or written words are decoded are also important in interpreting wordless gestures. The findings suggest that these brain regions may play a much broader role in the interpretation of symbols than researchers have thought and, for this reason, could be the evolutionary starting point from which language originated.

“In babies, the ability to communicate through gestures precedes spoken language, and you can predict a child’s language skills based on the repertoire of his or her gestures during those early months,” said James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., director of the NIDCD. “These findings not only provide compelling evidence regarding where language may have come from, they help explain the interplay that exists between language and gesture as children develop their language skills.”

Scientists have known that sign language is largely processed in the same regions of the brain as spoken language. These regions include the inferior frontal gyrus, or Broca’s area, in the front left side of the brain, and the posterior temporal region, commonly referred to as Wernicke’s area, toward the back left side of the brain. It isn’t surprising that signed and spoken language activate the same brain regions, because sign language operates in the same way as spoken language does — with its own vocabulary and rules of grammar.

In this study, NIDCD researchers, in collaboration with scientists from Hofstra University School of Medicine, Hempstead, N.Y., and San Diego State University, wanted to find out if non-language-related gestures — the hand and body movements we use that convey meaning on their own, without having to be translated into specific words or phrases — are processed in the same regions of the brain as language is. Two types of gestures were considered for the study: pantomimes, which mimic objects or actions, such as unscrewing a jar or juggling balls, and emblems, which are commonly used in social interactions and which signify abstract, usually more emotionally charged concepts than pantomimes. Examples include a hand sweeping across the forehead to indicate “it’s hot in here!” or a finger to the lips to signify “be quiet.”

While inside a functional MRI machine, 20 healthy, English-speaking volunteers — nine males and 11 females — watched video clips of a person either acting out one of the two gesture types or voicing the phrases that the gestures represent. As controls, volunteers also watched clips of the person using meaningless gestures or speaking pseudowords that had been chopped up and randomly reorganized so the brain would not interpret them as language. Volunteers watched 60 video clips for each of the six stimuli, with the clips presented in 45-second time blocks at a rate of 15 clips per block. A mirror attached to the head enabled the volunteer to watch the video projected on the scanner room wall. The scientists then measured brain activity for each of the stimuli and looked for similarities and differences as well as any communication occurring between individual parts of the brain.

The researchers found that for the gesture and spoken language stimuli, the brain was highly activated in the inferior frontal and posterior temporal areas, the long-recognized language regions of the brain.

“If gesture and language were not processed by the same system, you’d have spoken language activating the inferior frontal and posterior temporal areas, and gestures activating other parts of the brain,” said Allen Braun, M.D., senior author on the paper, “But in fact we found virtual overlap.”

Current thinking in the study of language is that, like a smart search engine that pops up the most suitable Web site at the top of its search results, the posterior temporal region serves as a storehouse of words from which the inferior frontal gyrus selects the most appropriate match. The researchers suggest that, rather than being limited to deciphering words alone, these regions may be able to apply meaning to any incoming symbols, be they words, gestures, images, sounds, or objects. According to Dr. Braun, these regions also may present a clue into how language evolved.

“Our results fit a longstanding theory which says that the common ancestor of humans and apes communicated through meaningful gestures and, over time, the brain regions that processed gestures became adapted for using words,” he said. “If the theory is correct, our language areas may actually be the remnant of this ancient communication system, one that continues to process gesture as well as language in the human brain.”

Dr. Braun adds that developing a better understanding of the brain systems that support gestures and words may help in the treatment of some patients with aphasia, a disorder that hinders a person’s ability to produce or understand language.

NIDCD supports and conducts research and research training on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language and provides health information, based upon scientific discovery, to the public. For more information about NIDCD programs, see the Web site at www.nidcd.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Often times people will say they are looking for “full coverage” dental insurance. However, full coverage can mean different things to different people. The fact is there is no such thing as “full coverage”. With dental insurance, what the goal should be is buying a plan that best fits your over all dental health care needs. The way you do that is by comparison shopping out multiple plans.

DentalBenefit.com helps you to do just that, by providing multiple plans types though multiple companies. Explore your dental insurance and plan options just by entering in your zip code in the quote box provided. If you should have any questions about any of our dental insurance plan options please call our member service line at 310-534-3444 M-F 8am-5pm as they be happy to help you

Mental Exercise May Aid Aging Minds

Brief sessions of mental exercise can have lasting benefits for older adults, even five years later. A recent study of healthy seniors found that up to 10 one-hour sessions of mental training can delay an age-related drop in thinking skills and possibly protect the ability to perform everyday tasks, such as shopping, driving, making meals and managing money. Picture of a grandfather assisting his son and grandson at the computer

A scientific team based at six sites across the country examined 2,802 adults, ages 65 and older. The participants were all living independently and had normal mental function when the study began. Called Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), the study was funded by NIH’s National Institute on Aging and National Institute of Nursing Research.

Participants were randomly assigned to four groups. A control group received no training. The other groups attended up to 10 training sessions, over a five- to six-week period, to improve a particular mental ability. One group received memory training, learning techniques for recalling word lists, sequences and stories. Another group practiced reasoning skills, learning strategies for finding patterns or identifying the next item in a series. The fourth group focused on mental speed, learning to identify objects shown for increasingly brief intervals on a computer screen.

The researchers evaluated all participants before and after the initial training, with a final assessment after five years. Some participants also took four additional “booster” sessions, based on their initial training, about one and three years after the first sessions.

ACTIVE is the first carefully controlled large study to show that brief mental training can have long-term positive effects in older adults. The researchers report in the December 20, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that all three treatment groups showed improvement in the specific skills taught two years after the initial training. By the five-year assessment, each training group performed better on tests in their respective areas than the control group. Participants who received booster training in reasoning skills and mental speed showed the greatest benefit.

“The improvements seen after the training roughly counteract the degree of decline in cognitive performance that we would expect to see over a 7- to 14-year period among older people without dementia,” said lead author Dr. Sherry L. Willis of Pennsylvania State University.

The researchers also found that five years after the initial training, all three treatment groups reported less difficulty than the control group in performing common activities, such as preparing meals and doing housework. However, the difference was large enough only for the reasoning group to prove it wasn’t due to chance.

These results are encouraging, but longer-term studies will be needed to determine if mental exercises can bring lasting improvement to the activities of daily life.

 

 

Disability Among Older Americans DeclinesPicture of an empty wheelchair

Chronic disability among older Americans has dropped dramatically during the past two decades, according to a new study. The study suggests that older Americans’ health and function continue to improve at this critical time in the aging of the population.

The eagerly anticipated update of the last assessment of data from the National Long-Term Care Surveys (NLTCS) in 2001 was published on November 28, 2006, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Funded through a cooperative agreement between NIH’s National Institute on Aging (NIA) and Duke University, the NLTCS is a periodic survey of approximately 20,000 Medicare enrollees.

Dr. Kenneth G. Manton and his colleagues at Duke performed the latest analysis. They found that the prevalence of chronic disability among those 65 and older fell from 26.5% in 1982 to 19% in 2004/2005. The oldest age group, 85 and older, showed the most progress. Chronic disability rates decreased among those with both severe and less severe impairments, with the greatest improvements among the most severely impaired. Environmental modifications, assistive technologies and biomedical advances are all factors that likely contributed to these improvements.

The annual rate of decline in disability averaged 1.52% annually over the 22-year time span. However, the rate of decline in disability accelerated, from 0.6% in 1984 to 2.2% in 2004/2005. If these positive trends continue, the lower chronic disability rates among older adults could help bolster the Medicare program’s fiscal health.

“The challenge now is to see how this trend can be maintained and accelerated, especially in the face of increasing obesity,” said Dr. Richard Suzman, director of NIA’s Behavioral and Social Research Program. “Doing so over the next several decades will significantly lessen the societal impact of the aging of the baby-boom generation.”

Supplemental Dental Insurance

Supplemental dental insurance is an individual or family insurance policy purchased to cover a portion of the dental costs generally up and above or beyond the primary dental plan. Supplemental dental insurance will normally not cover the entire dental care procedure. But instead is synchronized or works hand-in-hand with your basic dental policy.

If you have a primary dental insurance plan that you purchased or your employer provided, the supplemental dental policy typically covers the remaining dental bill.

For example, if the dental plan policy covers half of the dental cost, the secondary or supplement dental insurance plan should cover the remaining balance of your dental procedure subject to any co-payments or deductibles already included in the policy.

A supplement dental insurance plan may also be purchased to cover the dental charges when there are annual dental benefit plan limits or exclusions. Say your primary policy has an annual maximum benefit of $1000 you may be able to purchase a supplemental dental plan to extend this benefit.

Most importantly you need to check with your dental office to see if they will coordinate the dental coverage since the dentist is the one most likely to bill the insurance company and ask you to pay any difference or the co-pay. Thus, a supplemental policy can come in handy.

Medicare Appeals and Grievances Your Medicare Appeal Rights:

You have the right to appeal any decision about your Medicare services. This is true whether you are in Original Medicare, a Medicare managed care plan, or a Medicare prescription drug plan. If Medicare does not pay for an item or service you have been given, or if you are not given an item or service you think you should get, you can appeal.

Appeal Rights Under Original Medicare:

If you are enrolled in Original Medicare, you can file an appeal if you think Medicare should have paid for, or did not pay enough for, an item or service you received. If you file an appeal, ask your doctor or provider for any information related to the bill that might help your case. Your appeal rights are on the back of the Explanation of Medicare Benefits or Medicare Summary Notice that is mailed to you from a company that handles bills for Medicare. The notice will also tell you why your bill was not paid and what appeal steps you can take.

Appeal Rights Under Medicare Managed Care Plans:

If you are in a Medicare managed care plan, you can file an appeal if your plan will not pay for, does not allow, or stops a service that you think should be covered or provided. If you think your health could be seriously harmed by waiting for a decision about a service, ask the plan for a fast decision. The plan must answer you within 72 hours.

The Medicare managed care plan must tell you in writing how to appeal. After you file an appeal, the plan will review its decision. Then, if your plan does not decide in your favor, the appeal is reviewed by an independent organization that works for Medicare, not for the plan. See your plan’s membership materials or contact your plan for details about your Medicare appeal rights.

For more information about the grievance, organization determination, and appeals processes under Medicare Managed Care, see the Medicare Managed Care Appeals & Grievances webpage on the cms.gov website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MMCAG

Appeal Rights Under Medicare Prescription Drug Plans:

If you are in a Medicare prescription drug plan, you can appeal a plan sponsor’s decision not to provide or pay for a Part D prescription drug that you believe the plan sponsor should provide or pay for. The word “provide” includes such things as authorizing prescription drugs, paying for prescription drugs, or continuing to provide a Part D prescription drug that you have been getting. The Medicare prescription drug plan must tell you in writing how to request an appeal.

If you request a standard appeal, the plan sponsor must answer you within 7 calendar days after receiving your request. If you (or your physician) think your health could be seriously harmed by waiting up to 7 calendar days for a decision, you or your physician can ask the plan sponsor for a fast appeal. If the request is approved, the plan sponsor must answer you within 72 hours.

After you file an appeal, the plan sponsor will review its decision. If the plan sponsor does not decide in your favor, you can appeal the plan sponsor’s decision to an independent organization that works for Medicare, not for the plan sponsor. See your plan sponsor’s membership materials or contact your plan sponsor for details about your appeal rights.

If you have concerns or problems with your plan sponsor that are not about the plan sponsor providing or paying for a Part D prescription drug, you have a right to file a grievance. For example, if you have difficulties getting through to the plan sponsor on the telephone, you can file a grievance.

For detailed information about the grievance, coverage determination, and appeals processes under Medicare Part D, and the forms you and/or your physician should use to make or support requests under Medicare Part D, see the Medicare Prescription Drug Appeals & Grievances webpage on the cms.gov website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedPrescriptDrugApplGriev

You are protected when you are in the hospital:

This is true whether you are in Original Medicare or a Medicare managed care plan. If you are admitted to a Medicare participating hospital, you should be given a copy of An Important Message From Medicare. It explains your rights as a hospital patient. If you are not given one, ask for it.

The Message tells you:

You have the right to get all of the hospital care that you need, and any follow-up care after you leave the hospital.
What to do if you think the hospital is making you leave too soon.

If you have questions about this, call 1-800-MEDICARE. If you ask a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) to review your case, you may be able to stay in the hospital at no charge during the review. The hospital cannot force you to leave before the QIO makes a decision. View and Download Medicare Appeals Forms If you want Medicare to give your personal health information to someone other than you, you need to let Medicare know in writing. You can fill out the “1-800 Medicare Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information” form. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to get a copy of the form, or you can download the form in the Medicare Online Forms section of this web site.

People age 50 and over are at higher risk for serious complications from flu. You should get your flu shot as soon as they become available.  Signs of the flu include fever, sore throat, body aches, runny nose and coughling.

How often is it covered?  Once a year in the fall or winter

For whom?  All people with Medicare Part B

Your costs in the Original Medicare Plan?  You pay nothing as long as you have Medicare Part B

Here is some helpful information we found on how to get a replacement Medicare  card…
What is a Medicare Card?

•The Medicare card looks like the red, white and blue card shown here.
•Your Medicare card is your proof that you have Medicare health insurance.
•You can use the departments application only to request a Medicare card. If you need a Medicaid card, please  contact your state
Medicaid office.

What You Should Know

•Your Medicare card will arrive in the mail in about 30 days.
•It will be mailed to the address Social Security has on file for you.
•If you need proof that you have Medicare sooner than 30 days, you also can request a letter which you will receive in about 10 days.
•If you need proof immediately for your doctor or for a prescription, visit  your nearest Social Security office.
•For security reasons, there is a 30 minute time limit to complete each page.  You will be given notice when you are about to time out and can get more time to finish.
•You can read more about  Social Security’s Internet policy here.
If You Have Moved
•If you have moved and have not reported this to them, you will need to  report this change to them before they can process your request.
•If you have moved and have reported this to them recently, you will need to  contact us before they can process your request.
Block access to your personal information

If you want to prevent online and automated telephone access to your personal information, you can  block access to your personal information.

Medicare is a Health Insurance Program for:

•People age 65 or older.
•People under age 65 with certain disabilities.
•People of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant).

Medicare has Two Parts:

•Part A (Hospital Insurance)Most people don’t have to pay for Part A.
•Part B (Medical Insurance)Most people pay monthly for Part B.

You can choose different ways to get the services covered by Medicare. Depending on where you live, you may have different choices. In most cases, when you first get Medicare, you are in Original Medicare. You may want to consider a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Or, you may want to consider a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) that provides all your Part A, Part B, and often Part D coverage. You make a choice when you are first eligible for Medicare. Each year you can review your health and prescription needs and switch to a different plan in the fall.

As long as you have both Part A and Part B, items covered by Part A and Part B are covered whether you have Original Medicare, or you belong to a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO). For more information see the Your Medicare Coverage database.

Part A (Hospital Insurance) Helps Pay For:

Care in hospitals as an inpatient, critical access hospitals (small facilities that give limited outpatient and inpatient services to people in rural areas), skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long-term care), hospice care, and some home health care. Information about your coverage under Medicare Part A can be found in the Your Medicare Coverage database.

If you aren’t sure if you have Part A, look on your red, white, and blue Medicare card. If you have Part A, “HOSPITAL (PART A)” is printed on your card.

Cost:

Most people get Part A automatically when they turn age 65. They don’t have to pay a monthly payment called a premium for Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes while they were working.

If you don’t automatically get premium-free Part A, you may be able to buy it if
•You (or your spouse) aren’t entitled to Social Security because you didn’t work or didn’t pay enough Medicare taxes while you worked and you are age 65 or older, or
•You are disabled but no longer get premium-free Part A because you returned to work.

If you have limited income and resources, your state may help you pay for Part A and/or Part B. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov on the web or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778. If you get benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board, call your local RRB office or 1-877-772-5772.

Generally, you are eligible for Medicare if you or your spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment and you are 65 years or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. If you aren’t yet 65, you might also qualify for coverage if you have a disability or with End-Stage Renal disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant).

Here are some simple guidelines. You can get Part A at age 65 without having to pay premiums if:

•You already get retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board.
•You are eligible to get Social Security or Railroad benefits but haven’t yet filed for them.
•You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment.

If you are under 65, you can get Part A without having to pay premiums if you have:

•Received Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months.
•End-Stage Renal Disease and meet certain requirements.

While you don’t have to pay a premium for Part A if you meet one of those conditions, you must pay for Part B if you want it. The Part B monthly premium in 2010 is $110.50. (Note: Most beneficiaries will continue to pay the same $96.40 premium amount they pay today. For additional details, see our FAQ titled: Will my Medicare Part B premium increase in 2010?) It is deducted from your Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or Civil Service Retirement check. If you don’t get any of the above payments, Medicare sends you a bill for your Part B premium every 3 months.

Note: You will be eligible for Medicare when you turn 65 even if you are not eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. For more information, please visit our retirement age FAQ.

If you have questions about your eligibility for Medicare Part A or Part B, or if you want to apply for Medicare, please call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit or call your local Social Security office. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778. You can also get information about buying Part A as well as Part B if you don’t qualify for premium-free Part A.

You automatically qualify for Extra Help if you have Medicare and meet one of these conditions:

*   You have full Medicaid coverage.
*  You get help from your state Medicaid program paying your
*  Part B premiums (belong to a Medicare Savings Program).
*  You get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
*  Medicare will mail you a purple letter to let you know you automatically qualify for Extra Help. You don’t need to apply for Extra Help if you get this letter.
*  Keep the letter for your records.
*  If you aren’t already in a plan, you must join a Medicare drug plan to get this Extra Help.
*  If you don’t join a drug plan, Medicare may enroll you in one.
*  If Medicare enrolls you in a plan, Medicare will send you a yellow or green letter letting you know when your coverage begins.

Different plans cover different drugs. Check to see if the plan you are enrolled in covers the drugs you use and if you can go to the pharmacies you want.   Compare with other plans in your area.  If you’re getting Extra Help, you can switch to another Medicare drug plan anytime. Your coverage will be effective the first day of the next month.  In most cases, you will pay only a small amount for each covered prescription.

If you have Medicaid, Medicare will provide you with prescription drug coverage instead of Medicaid. Medicaid may still cover some drugs that Medicare prescription drug coverage doesn’t cover. Medicaid may still cover other care that Medicare doesn’t cover.

If you have Medicaid and live in certain institutions (like a nursing home), you pay nothing for your covered prescription drugs.

If you qualify, your drug costs in 2010 will be no more than $2.50 for each generic drug and $6.30 for each brand-name drug. Look on the Extra Help letters you get, or contact your plan to find out your exact costs.

You automatically qualify for Extra Help if you have Medicare and meet one of these conditions:

*  You have full Medicaid coverage.
*  You get help from your state Medicaid program paying your
*  Part B premiums (belong to a Medicare Savings Program).
*  You get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
*  Medicare will mail you a purple letter to let you know you automatically qualify for Extra Help. You don’t need to apply for Extra Help if you get this letter.
*  Keep the letter for your records.
*  If you aren’t already in a plan, you must join a Medicare drug plan to get this Extra Help.
*  If you don’t join a drug plan, Medicare may enroll you in one.
*  If Medicare enrolls you in a plan, Medicare will send you a yellow or green letter letting you know when your coverage begins.
 

 

Contact Us | Privacy Statement