Showing posts with label medicare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicare. Show all posts

Monday, November 19, 2012

Medicare Part B To Increase In Cost In 2013


Taken from California Healthline, under Medicare, 
as reported via AP/New York Times, 11/16

Monthly Premiums for Medicare Part B Set To Increase Slightly in 2013


Medicare Part B premiums will increase by $5 per month next year, CMS announced Friday, the AP/New York Times reports (AP/New York Times, 11/16).


According to a notice published in the Federal Register, the monthly premium for Medicare Part B -- which covers physician visits, outpatient care and medical supplies -- will be $104.90, up by 5% from $99.90 in 2012. Annual deductibles for Part B also will rise, from $140 to $147.


Meanwhile, premiums for Medicare Part A -- which pays for inpatient hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities and some home health care services -- will decline by $10 to $441 in 2013. Part A deductibles will increase by $28, from $1,156 last year to $1,184 in 2013 (Zigmond, Modern Healthcare, 11/16).


Medicare actuaries had estimated that Part B monthly premiums would increase by $9, based on early estimated cost growth for the program (Radnofsky, Wall Street Journal, 11/16).

CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner noted that while the premium increase is less than anticipated, it is still enough to account for about one-quarter of a typical retiree's cost-of-living raise in Social Security payments next year (AP/New York Times, 11/16).

Please let anyone you know who is paying for medicare.



Wednesday, October 17, 2012

It's Medicare Open Enrollment!


It's Open Enrollment from now until December 7, 2012! 

So what? It's a pretty big what as this is the time you can increase, decrease, change, delete, adjust your medicare coverage! Beyond this window of time you are stuck!  It's that simple. 

If you still have questions and/or concerns you should contact your insurance agent. I also found this posting written by Marilyn Tavenner, Acting Administrator at The Medicare Blog.  Think she says it pretty well in very readable language. Hope you enjoy. 

Per the words of Marilyn Tavenner:  

"It’s picking season – pumpkins, apples, Halloween candy…and a Medicare health or drug plan." 
"In my work with Medicare, one of the questions people ask me often is which plan is the best one. That’s not something I can answer, because picking a plan is an important and personal decision. Each person has a unique set of priorities. How do you weigh your options? Now’s the time to think about what matters to you, and pick the Medicare plan that meets your needs.

When you sit down to review your Medicare health and drug plan choices this year, keep track of the things you may want in a plan, and pick one that’s right for you. Here are some things to keep in mind while you consider your choices:

Costs
You should look at your current health care costs to find coverage that works with your financial situation. How much are your premiums and deductibles? How much do you pay for hospital stays and doctor visits? Just like with everything else, the lowest-premium health plan option might not be the best choice for you.

Coverage
Are the services you need covered? We know future health care needs can be hard to predict, but changes happen. Maybe your doctor changed your prescriptions this year or you have different health concerns. Make sure you understand what services and benefits you’re likely to use in the coming year and find coverage that meets your needs.

Convenience
Your time is valuable. When comparing plans, make sure you check which doctors and hospitals you’ll be able to use. Where are they located and what are their hours? Check which pharmacies you can use. Can you get prescriptions by mail? Remember that even if you’re happy with your current plan, these answers might change from year to year.

Quality of care
Ask yourself whether you’re truly satisfied with your medical care. Not all health care is created equal, and the doctors, hospitals and facilities you choose can impact your health. Look for plans with a 5‑star performance rating — the right expertise and care may help speed your recovery and improve your outcomes."

Marilyn also invites you to call 1 800-medicare.  I also invite you to call me here at healthbroker.com if you have questions or need to discuss alternatives to your existing coverage.   You can find me at 800-792-9114    714-840-0047 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Future Of Medigap


Came across a question recently pertaining to the future of medigap policies under the new healthcare law.  Something very interesting to be aware of.  Read on and pay attention to the "good" reasons for lessening the full coverage terms of some medigap plans. Think you'll be as amazed as I. Here is the question as found in Kaiser Health News: 

Q. How will the new health law affect Medigap policies? I’m on Medicare with a Medigap Plan F. Premiums are rising 20 percent a year. It’s a real strain for me.

A. The health care overhaul doesn’t make any immediate changes to Medigap policies, but it sets the stage for potential changes to Plans C and F in 2015.

One in five Medicare beneficiaries has a Medigap policy to supplement their coverage under the traditional Medicare program. The standardized policies, which are identified by letters, cover coinsurance, deductibles and services not covered by Medicare to varying degrees.

Plan F and Plan C are the most popular Medigap plans, chosen by nearly two-thirds of beneficiaries. Those are also the policies that provide significant "first dollar" coverage: they pay the deductibles for both the hospital and outpatient portions of the traditional Medicare program (Parts A and B) as well as the 20 percent coinsurance required for doctor visits, and cover other services as well. People with these supplemental plans may pay virtually nothing for medical services beyond their premiums.

And that has policymakers concerned. If people don’t have to pay anything out of pocket for doctor visits and other medical care, there’s no financial incentive to get only the care they really need. Studies have shown that people get less medical care when they have to make some sort of financial contribution, though they skimp on both necessary and unnecessary care.

A 2009 study conducted for the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission found that medical costs for people with Medigap policies were 33 percent higher than the costs of beneficiaries without supplemental insurance.

"So the thinking has been that if you prohibit first dollar coverage and require some cost sharing when beneficiaries see a physician, it might encourage them to see the physician only when they need to," says Gretchen Jacobson, a principal policy analyst with the Program on Medicare Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)

There have been a number of proposals put forward in recent years that would reduce Medigap coverage in some policies and require beneficiaries to pay more. To date, nothing has changed.

But the health care overhaul opens the door to changes in the future. Under the law, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners is required TO evaluate the benefit packages of Plans C and F with an eye toward adding nominal cost sharing by 2015.

Even if that happens, however, it’s unclear whether it would affect you or other current policyholders, says Jacobson.  "The changes might only apply to new policyholders," she says.

By Michelle Andrews
Kaiser Health News