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Medicare
Most every American over the age of 65 depends on the Medicare system for health insurance. When the original Medicare legislation was passed during Lyndon Johnson's administration, Medicare was fairly straightforward and easy to understand. Over the years it has been "improved" to the point that very few people really understand Medicare as it works today.
In this department we offer a Medicare "primer" for everyone who finds themselves baffled or overwhelmed by the program.
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Medicare Part D Extra Help Loosens Requirements
As of January 1, as many as a million lower-income seniors who were previously denied may now be eligible for "Extra Help." Because the income and asset qualifiers for the Medicare Extra Help program have been broadened, Social Security is encouraging everyone who may not have qualified before to re-apply . . . keep reading
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Home Medical Equipment Covered by Medicare
Don has painstakingly saved almost $15,000 to cover the anticipated cost of buying medical equipment for his wife to use when he brings her home from an in-patient rehabilitation stay. He called us this week looking for information about where he could get the best deals on a hospital bed, a wheelchair and the other equipment she will need. It's a good thing he did . . . keep reading
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PACE: The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
How many seniors who can no longer get along without regular assistance would benefit from a program that provided medical oversight by doctors and nurses experienced in caring for the elderly, physical and occupational therapy on site, daily recreational opportunities, social services, personal care and homemaker services, nutritional counseling, a day program with meals, and transportation to get there and back home every day? . . . keep reading
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Medicare Fast Form Locator
When you're dealing with government there's a form for everything. Medicare alone has hundreds of forms, and locating the right form for what you need to accomplish can be both confusing and time-consuming. We've compiled a list of the most-often needed Medicare forms that you can download directly . . . keep reading
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Is Your Parent Losing Medicare Advantage Insurance?
Every year, insurance companies offering Medicare Advantge plans (HMOs, PPOs, private fee-for-service plans [PFFS], etc) have the option to drop out of the program or not renew their Medicare contract. When this happens, beneficiaries must find a new insurance plan or return to traditional Medicare. If your senior is one of the Medicare Advantage plan members affected, their notification letter may have gone "astray" . . . keep reading
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The Not-So-Tasty Medicare Donut Hole
It's a shame that something as tasty as a donut is now associated with something as untasty as the Medicare donut hole, a financial maze if ever there were one. Here's a quick explanation of how it works (today) and some strategies to help if you find you're falling into it . . . keep reading
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Medicare-Covered Preventive Tests & Services You May Not Know About
Many people don't realize that all Medicare health plans will cover several preventive tests and services that may not be offered by private health plans covering younger people. These preventive services include exams, lab tests and screenings, innoculations, monitoring, and counseling aimed at early detection and maintaining optimum health . . . keep reading
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The Hospice "6-Month Requirement"
Most everyone has heard that in order to qualify for hospice care, the patient must be expected to die within six months. But, just as with everything else health care related, there is a "But" to this requirement, too. Despite what it may sound like, there is no requirement that anyone must die within six months or be terminated from hospice care . . . keep reading
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Can A Home Health Agency Decline to Provide Care?
Many elder caregivers depend on the help of a home health agency to provide senior care at home. It can be a mistake to assume that a Medicare-funded home health agency will always be available to help. When can a home health agency refuse to provide care for a senior at home? . . . keep reading
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Medicare and Mental Health Treatment
While mental illness is just as much an illness as any other, today Medicare covers treatment for mental health issues differently than treatment for "physical" illness. These differences confuse many beneficiaries and their families. In some cases, this confusion can keep seniors needing mental health treatment from getting the help they need . . . keep reading
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That Pesky Medicare Homebound Rule
One of the most misunderstoond Medicare rules is the one that requires a patient to be "homebound" in order to receive covered medical services at home. We recently received a complaint from a daughter that her mother's Medicare agency expects her mother to be "bedbound" before she is eligible for care at home. . . . keep reading
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Important Changes to Medicare Coverage of Oxygen Equipment
Medicare has made some significant changes to the way they cover oxygen equipment. These changes can cause serious and unexpected problems for people who like to travel, who are relocating, or those who are using a small and possibly underfunded local oxygen supplier. While there is no changing Medicare's rules in the short term, here's what you need to be on the alert for right now. . . . keep reading
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Alzheimers Disease
