Medicare has released information on how much hospitals across the country charge for the most common surgeries. Here are the results for Tucson: Tucson Medical Center: .8 of the national average charge St Joseph Hospital: 1.0 of the national average…
Author: Denise
Denise Early is an independent insurance broker in Tucson, Arizona. She is interested in policy and the politics of Medicare. She enjoys telling the stories of people she meets and sees herself as an advocate for her clients. She served in the Peace Corps and has a Masters degree in International Management.
Medicare Advantage Star Ratings: Who cares?
Seniors do not care about the Medicare Advantage and Part D star ratings. This is the finding of focus group research carried out by the Kaiser Family Foundation last fall. AIS Health has a good article on the report and…
Medicare Part D: Cost of the Shingles Vaccine
An article in the New York Times says that people who get Shingles are more likely to have a stroke. There is also the risk of vision damage if a person gets Shingles near their eyes. And a severe case of…
Why Choose a Medicare Supplement?
Medicare supplements are also known as “medigap” plans because they fill the gaps in Medicare. Medicare supplements cost more than Medicare Advantage – up front.
Obamacare: Drug coverage issues
I was just exchanging emails with a contact at CMS (Center for Medicare And Medicaid Services) which is the department responsible for overseeing the Affordable Care Act implementation. Here is what I wrote him: I thought you might be interested…
Is your doctor a Medicare participating provider?
If your doctor is not a “participating provider” you might have to pay the bill and get reimbursed by Medicare.
No Cuts for 2015 Medicare Advantage
CMS has announced that payments to Medicare Advantage plans will increase by 0.4% in 2015. This is a reversal of proposed cuts that were opposed by Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
No More Limits on Physical Therapy
A New York Times articles says Medicare has ended limits on how much physical therapy a person can receive. The rules used to be that if a person receiving physical therapy was not improving, Medicare would no longer pay for…
Doctors Are Not Dropping Medicare
Don’t believe the rumors about doctors no longer taking Medicare patients. The numbers don’t lie. Here are some infographics from the Kaiser Family Foundation that show the reality. Here is a map of the percentage of doctors in each…
Turning 65: Do you need to enroll in Medicare?
Every day 10,000 American baby-boomers turn 65 . Most will enroll in Medicare, but many will not. Not everyone needs to enroll in Medicare because some people continue working and are covered by their employer’s health insurance. A person who…
What’s the future for Medicare Advantage?
The New York Times has an article about how payment cuts to Medicare Advantage plans are raising questions about the future of Medicare Advantage.
Help For Part D Drug Costs
Help for Part D drug costs is a different program from the Medicare Savings Program that helps people with Medicare costs. Help for drug costs can be applied for at SSA.gov, while the Medicare Savings Program must be applied for through a state Medicaid office or website.
Help For Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries
People on Medicare with low income can get help paying their Medicare Part B premium and possibly their Medicare co-pays and deductibles. It all depends on how low their income is.
Medicare Advantage Enrollment: 30% Increase Since Obamacare
More than 14 million Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in private Medicare Advantage plans, up 30 percent since 2010 in spite of concerns about payment changes enacted in the Affordable Care Act.
Smaller Medicare Advantage networks coming to your town?
Smaller provider networks could be in the cards for Medicare Advantage plans due to payment reductions from Medicare. Smaller networks are usually lower-cost and this may be a necessity in the future.
Medicare Advantage Cuts: Bad news or not?
The Obama administration has proposed payment cuts for Medicare Advantage plans in 2015. This could mean big changes for $0 premium plans in Arizona and around the country – or maybe not.
How to Choose a Medicare Part D Plan
People who take only a few generic drugs will probably choose the lowest-cost Part D plan. But people who take brand drugs, especially expensive ones, need to do some research using the Medicare.gov Plan Finder.
Help For Low-Income Seniors in Jeopardy
Low-Income seniors will lose Medicare help they receive due to an error of omission in Washington – even though both political parties think the financial assistance program should continue.
Cold Calls to Medicare Beneficiaries are Unethical
Cold calling Medicare beneficiaries is against Medicare rules, but this being a slow time of year for insurance agents, seniors are getting calls that might disturb and/or confuse them.
Medicare & More Blog Has Moved
For four years I wrote about Medicare in a blog that was part of Tucsoncitizen.com. Unfortunately, Gannett, the owner of the Tucsoncitizen.com, decided to shut down that site. I was able to move my 500 blog posts to this site.
Obamacare: Tucson among the lowest-cost health insurance markets
Tucson is among the lowest-cost health insurance markets in the country. Health insurance is affordable in Tucson even without a subsidy. Tucson has seven companies offering over 100 different plans.
Part D Late-Enrollment Penalty
Part D is voluntary, but a penalty is assessed if a person does not enroll when they first get their Medicare. If a person turns 65 and waits five years to enroll in a Part D plan, she will pay a 50% premium penalty.
Having a Baby in Paris
I read an interesting article by a woman living in Paris. This American in Paris compares her experience having a baby in the French health care system to what she knows about the American system.
Obamacare: Medicaid Expansion does not apply to people on Medicare.
Medicaid is being expanded for people with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. But this expansion does not apply to people who have Medicare.
Medicare Advantage Winners and Losers
I checked the Medicare Advantage enrollment numbers for Pima County after the most recent Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2013) to see how each of the plans did with their enrollments. Did some companies lose members? Did some companies gain? Were there any big winners and losers?
Obamacare: Hardship Exemption for Health Insurance Mandate
Some people will not face a penalty if they don’t get some type of health insurance in 2014. From healthcare.gov Exemptions from the payment Under certain circumstances, you won’t have to make the individual responsibility payment. This is called an…