How do I use the Medicare Plan Finder?
Dear Marci,
My stand-alone Part D plan sent me a notice telling me that it will not cover some of my prescriptions next year. How do I use Medicare Plan Finder to look for a new plan?
– Peter (Sparks, NV)
CMS Temporarily Suspends Policy that Allows Automatic Enrollment in Medicare Advantage Plans
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently suspended a policy known as seamless conversion, a practice that allows select insurers to auto-enroll newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries in an issuer’s commercial or Medicaid managed care product into one of the same company’s Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In light of recent inquiries, including from the Medicare Rights Center, CMS decided to temporarily halt the acceptance of all new seamless conversion proposals from plans.
Partnership, Equity, and Transparency: Key Themes for Primary Care Payment
This week, Medicare Rights joined health care leaders from across the country for the annual summit of the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (LAN). As a committed partner of the LAN, Medicare Rights is one of over 130 national and state organizations working to change how health care is paid for—moving away from paying on the basis of volume (meaning paying a fee for each discrete service) to paying for value (meaning paying for better quality care at a lower cost). Medicare Rights was proud to be an invited member of the LAN’s Primary Care Payment Model (PCPM) Work Group. As part of the Work Group, we added the consumer and patient perspective to a draft white paper on optimal ways to pay for and deliver primary care services.
Part B Enrollment Mistakes: One Client’s Story
Knowing when and how to enroll in Part B, the part of Medicare that covers outpatient services like doctor visits, can be a confusing endeavor. This was true for Sandra Durant—and, regrettably, for the Social Security employee who misinformed her about when to sign up.
Kaiser Family Foundation Releases First Look at 2017 Part D Plan Offerings
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released an issue brief analyzing the 2017 prescription drug (Part D) plan offerings based on recently released data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The key findings in KFF’s analysis come at an important time as millions of people with Medicare are weighing their plan choices during Fall Open Enrollment, which lasts from October 15 to December 7.
Advocates Sign Letter Urging Congress to Improve Health Care Programs for Residents of Puerto Rico
This week, the Medicare Rights Center signed onto a letter from the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations calling for a Congressional task force to improve Medicare and other health programs for residents of Puerto Rico. These suggested reforms would increase fairness and provide essential access to benefits. The suggestions include improving low income support programs, enhancing Medicaid funding, and providing for automatic enrollment for certain people eligible for Medicare as takes place for residents of the states.
Do I have to sign up for Part D?
Dear Marci,
Do I have to sign up for Part D if I already have prescription drug coverage?
Camila (Kona, HI)
Infographic: Navigating Fall Open Enrollment
Fall Open Enrollment is the time of year from October 15 to December 7 when you can change your Medicare coverage. You can do this by joining a new Medicare Advantage Plan or by joining a new stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP). You can also switch to Original Medicare with or without a stand-alone Part D plan from a Medicare Advantage Plan during this time.
This handy infographic provides some tips to help you navigate Fall Open Enrollment.
In New York, You Can Be the Boss of Your Health Care
Medicaid is a complicated program. Determining whether or not you are eligible is complicated. Qualifying for benefits is complicated. Making the program work with Medicare can be complicated. And often, even knowing what services you qualify for as a Medicaid recipient can be complicated.
One service in New York that many people are unfamiliar with is a community-based long term care service called Consumer Directed Personal Assistance, or CDPA. This program, which is becoming increasingly popular, is for people who need home care or nursing services at home; but, who do not want to work through an agency to have people they do not know sent to assist them.
Costly Penalties for Failing to Enroll in Medicare Part D Highlighted in New Medicare Rights Brief
This week, the Medicare Rights Center released a new brief on the complexities of knowing when to enroll in Medicare Part D and the consequences of making mistakes. The brief, Medicare Snapshot: Stories from the Helpline, Part D Enrollment: Penalty Pitfalls, reports on a recurring issue heard on the Medicare Rights national helpline.
