By Matt ShepardMy father worked his entire career for a private insurance company. When he retired before he was 65, he and my Mom were able to remain in the HMO that his company had used. The company was located in the next … [Read more...] about 19. Medicare Has Options: Know What You Need… and What You Want
Medicare-50th
18. Medicare Doesn’t Cover Long-Term Nursing Home Care
Medicare is a wonderful program. It provides important health insurance for millions of older and disabled people. But, contrary to common belief, Medicare does not cover long-term care in skilled nursing facilities (often referred to as … [Read more...] about 18. Medicare Doesn’t Cover Long-Term Nursing Home Care
17. Medicare Must Help People Communicate
By Steve GleasonI was diagnosed with ALS four years ago. Now I am unable to move my body, except for my eyes. I communicate through technology called a Speech Generating Device (SGD). The SGD allows me to maintain contact with … [Read more...] about 17. Medicare Must Help People Communicate
16. Medicare Was a Precursor to Current Debates about the Role of Government
New York Times, June 1965By David Lipschutz, Center for Medicare Advocacy Senior Policy AttorneyIn the run-up to the passage of a major expansion of health insurance coverage, a prominent and rising political figure urged people to … [Read more...] about 16. Medicare Was a Precursor to Current Debates about the Role of Government
15. Medicare Helps People at the End of Life
By Terry Berthelot, JD, MSWSomewhere in our history, it became unacceptable to die. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described in her seminal work, On Death and Dying, dying patients forced to endure fruitless procedures and then left in their dark … [Read more...] about 15. Medicare Helps People at the End of Life
14. Medicare Opened Doors to Care – Let’s Not Really Celebrate Until They’re Opened for Everyone
By Frank Miata, Medicare BeneficiaryI wonder if "celebrating" is the appropriate stance to take towards 50 years of avoiding the obvious need for a single payer, national health care system. I am old enough to remember what life was … [Read more...] about 14. Medicare Opened Doors to Care – Let’s Not Really Celebrate Until They’re Opened for Everyone
13. Medicare Increasingly Benefits Private Industry
At the Center for Medicare Advocacy's National Voices of Medicare Summit (March 20, 2015), three Medicare leaders presented their perspectives on Medicare's promise and challenges. All spoke to the value of Medicare for its intended … [Read more...] about 13. Medicare Increasingly Benefits Private Industry
12. Medicare Is a Model for All Health Insurance
By Harry Ting, PhD, Health EconomistMedicare is the major driver of innovation in health insurance reimbursement. Early examples were establishing per case rates for hospitals in the form of DRG payments and requiring three day hospital … [Read more...] about 12. Medicare Is a Model for All Health Insurance
11. Medicare Helps Low Income People
By Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director, Justice in AgingOf the 54 million people with Medicare, a staggering 25% have annual incomes below $14,400. For these people living in retirement, or coping with a disability in poverty, … [Read more...] about 11. Medicare Helps Low Income People
10. Medicare Helps Older and Disabled People Stay Home
Medicare home health coverage can mean the difference between an individual staying home or becoming a nursing home resident. While the Medicare skilled nursing facility benefit is very limited, for beneficiaries who meet the coverage criteria, … [Read more...] about 10. Medicare Helps Older and Disabled People Stay Home