By LGBT Aging Advocacy (Connecticut) and CT TransAdvocacy CoalitionA substantial number of physicians serving Medicare participants do not know the sexual orientation or gender identification of the LGBT elders they care for, although … [Read more...] about 25. Medicare Can Be a Source for LGBT Inclusive Medical Care
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Advancing Excellence: Very Few Nursing Homes are “Full Active Participants” and Nearly Half of Them Provide Poor Care
In September 2006, the nursing home industry announced a voluntary quality improvement campaign – Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes.[1] The campaign, now in its ninth year and third phase, describes its mission: “to make nursing homes … [Read more...] about Advancing Excellence: Very Few Nursing Homes are “Full Active Participants” and Nearly Half of Them Provide Poor Care
24. Medicare and Prescription Drug Coverage
When Medicare began to provide coverage for prescription drugs almost 10 years ago, under Part D, millions of people who previously had no drug coverage were able to access needed medications. By any measure, the drug benefit has helped many … [Read more...] about 24. Medicare and Prescription Drug Coverage
23. Medicare Should Fill Gaps in Coverage for Oral Health and Other Key Health Services
By Judith Stein, Executive Director, Center for Medicare AdvocacyWhen Medicare was enacted in 1965, over half of people over 65 had no health insurance. The fact that Medicare provided affordable, basic health insurance was a huge boon for older … [Read more...] about 23. Medicare Should Fill Gaps in Coverage for Oral Health and Other Key Health Services
Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport: Don’t Lose Out on Coverage
Part B of Medicare will generally cover up to 80% of emergent and non-emergent ambulance transports when medically necessary and when transport by any other means could endanger your health. There are also origin/destination requirements; … [Read more...] about Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport: Don’t Lose Out on Coverage
22. Medicare Needs an Alert Watchdog
By Douglas Gould, President, Douglas Gould and CompanyMedicare has done so much good over the last 50 years, but it needs a tough watchdog to keep it effective in the years to come. Case in point would be the so called “Improvement … [Read more...] about 22. Medicare Needs an Alert Watchdog
Is the Movement for a Higher Minimum Wage Coming to Health Care?
Fast-food workers have been demonstrating for a higher minimum wage and recently, various corporations have increased the wages of their lowest-paid workers. Has the movement come to the health care industry?On May 22, 2015, the … [Read more...] about Is the Movement for a Higher Minimum Wage Coming to Health Care?
Senate Finance Committee Approves Medicare Audit and Appeal Reform Bill
As we’ve previously reported, on April 28, 2015 the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing about the tremendous backlog of cases piled up at the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA), the office that oversees Administrative Law Judges … [Read more...] about Senate Finance Committee Approves Medicare Audit and Appeal Reform Bill
21. Medicare is One of the Greatest Achievements of the 20th Century
By Gill Deford, Director of Litigation, Center for Medicare AdvocacyIn 1965, I had a summer job as a go’fer for the administrative head of a unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Hopkins Hospital was and is one of the great … [Read more...] about 21. Medicare is One of the Greatest Achievements of the 20th Century
The Medicare Dental Exclusion: Is it Being Used to Deny Vulnerable Beneficiaries Needed Care?
Government contractors administering Medicare benefits are routinely denying coverage to cancer patients for claims involving the surgical removal of decayed and infected teeth caused by an aggressive course of radiation treatment to the head and … [Read more...] about The Medicare Dental Exclusion: Is it Being Used to Deny Vulnerable Beneficiaries Needed Care?