Medicare and Medicaid, which together serve over 95 million Americans,[1] are our two major national public programs offering secure and stable access to health care for beneficiaries, and peace of mind to the their families. Medicaid is under … [Read more...] about Why Medicaid Matters to Medicare Beneficiaries and Their Families
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Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices: Tips and Reminders
This article, a 38 page .pdf file from the William Mitchell Law Review (37 William Mitchell Law Review 132-169 (2010)) discusses the general process for obtaining Medicare coverage for durable medical equipment (DME) and the specific requirements for … [Read more...] about Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices: Tips and Reminders
Happy Anniversary, Health Care Reform
One year ago, on March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Health Care Reform law[1] that will provide access to health insurance for virtually all Americans. As the Center for Medicare … [Read more...] about Happy Anniversary, Health Care Reform
Reducing Antipsychotic Drug Use in Nursing Homes: Save Residents’ Lives, Save Medicare Billions of Dollars
Many nursing home residents who do not have a diagnosis that supports their taking antipsychotic medications are nevertheless given antipsychotic drugs. These drugs are both dangerous to residents and extremely expensive for the Medicare … [Read more...] about Reducing Antipsychotic Drug Use in Nursing Homes: Save Residents’ Lives, Save Medicare Billions of Dollars
Help Someone Retain Part D Extra Help
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released state by state information on numbers of individuals whose Part D low income subsidy (extra help) will end March 31 if they do not respond to SSA’s request for information concerning their … [Read more...] about Help Someone Retain Part D Extra Help
More Nurses in Nursing Homes Would Mean Fewer Patients Headed to Hospitals
Nursing home residents are frequently hospitalized. Residents who have recently been admitted from the hospital are frequently rehospitalized.[1] Many of these hospitalizations, which "can cause discomfort for residents, anxiety for … [Read more...] about More Nurses in Nursing Homes Would Mean Fewer Patients Headed to Hospitals
The Burden of Out-of-Pocket Costs on Medicare Beneficiaries
Medicare provides a vital foundation for the health and wellness of Americans who are 65 or older or have significant disabilities. The program currently covers a portion of health care costs for over 47 million individuals throughout the United … [Read more...] about The Burden of Out-of-Pocket Costs on Medicare Beneficiaries
Recent Coverage: Improvement Standard Lawsuit
Recent Coverage:Gram, Dave. 2011. Patients, groups sue Medicare over service cuts, Associated Press, January 18. As a syndicated service, the Associated Press article was picked up by many others: Bloomberg, Huffington Post, MSNBC, LA Times, ABC … [Read more...] about Recent Coverage: Improvement Standard Lawsuit
Medicare Secondary Payer Collection Requirements for Insurers Threaten Beneficiary Rights
The Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) program seeks to conserve funds by prohibiting Medicare payment for health care that could be covered by another insurer. Thus, when a Medicare beneficiary experiences an injury that might be covered by liability, … [Read more...] about Medicare Secondary Payer Collection Requirements for Insurers Threaten Beneficiary Rights
Pennsylvania Lawsuit Increases Access to Medicare for Low-Income Beneficiaries
On Friday, April 23, 2010, Judge Juan R. Sanchez of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania approved the settlement of a lawsuit brought by Pennsylvania low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Narcisa Garcia, et al. … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Lawsuit Increases Access to Medicare for Low-Income Beneficiaries