Publications (Medicare) « Medicare

Publications About Medicare

• 2020 – Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People With Medicare (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
  Explains Medigap (Medicare Supplemental Insurance) policies, what they cover and how to purchase them.  
• A Primer on Medicare: Key Facts About the Medicare Program and the People it Covers (Kaiser Family Foundation – 2015)
  Since Medicare’s beginning, a number of changes have been made to expand benefits, revise the way Medicare pays providers, modify beneficiary out-of-pocket costs for Medicare-covered services, improve access and coverage for low-income individuals, expand the role of private plans in providing Medicare-covered benefits, strengthen quality, and address the growth in program spending.
• Are Your Clients Missing Out on Enrollment in the Medicare Low-Income Subsidy? (National Center on Law and Elder Rights)
  The Medicare Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), also known as “Extra Help,” gives low-income Medicare beneficiaries help with Medicare Part D prescription drug costs. LIS can easily save individuals with costly prescriptions thousands of dollars per year by helping with premiums, deductibles and co-pays. Despite these major benefits, many people who qualify for LIS have not enrolled. Advocates and counselors can help by talking to their clients about Extra Help and encouraging them to apply.
• Caring for People Covered by Both Medicare and Medicaid: A Primer on Dually Eligible Beneficiaries (Kaiser Family Foundation – 6/3/11) (video)
  The panel will address such basic questions as: Who is dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid? What are the characteristics and needs of this population? How do Medicaid and Medicare coordinate payment and care for this population? What federal and state barriers complicate these efforts? What is being done to address these challenges? What provisions in health reform address improving the coordination and delivery of services for dual eligibles?
• Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Letter (Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group)
  Official letter re: Savings Generated by Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration implementation .
• Closing the Prescription Drug Coverage Gap (CMS – May 2010)
  Brochure explaining the $250 rebate for Part D beneficiaries who fall into the coverage gap/donut hole. Also see letter from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for more information.
  Patti's Comment: This is important information related to the refund check for folks in the "donut hole" for Medicare prescription drug coverage. 
• Medicare Advantage 2010 Data Spotlight: Benefits and Cost-Sharing (Kaiser Family Foundation)
  This data spotlight examines trends in benefits and cost-sharing for Medicare Advantage plans in 2010, including the wide variations found across plans and the rapid increase in cost sharing requirements for some benefits, including stays in skilled nursing facilities. 
• Medicare & You
  This is the official U.S. Government Medicare Handbook: What's important and what Medicare covers.
• Medicare Coverage of Advance Care Planning (NCOA)
  Beginning in 2016, Medicare Part B will cover advance care planning—i.e., discussions of beneficiary preferences for end-of-life care.
• Medicare Hospice Benefits (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
  Official government booklet for Medicare hospice benefits.
• Medicare Medigap Policy Finder (Medicare.gov)
  Find and compare Medicare health plans
• Medicare Part D (GAO)
  Complaint rates are declining, but operational and oversight challenges remain. 
• Medicare Part D Drug Finder (Q1Medicare.com)
  Search for Your Prescription Drug Across All Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage Plans
• Medicare Starter Kit (AARP – 2011)
  You're a boomer. The milestone of your 65th birthday may be here or just over the horizon. But you know zip about Medicare. Do you need it? What does it cover? When should you sign up? Lots of questions — but don't panic. You can get your head around Medicare with this guide to what you most need to know.
• Medicare Update (Aging and Disability in America – 10/19/09)
  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released display copies of Notices announcing Medicare Part A and Part B premiums and deductibles for calendar year 2010.
• Resources on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Kaiser Family Foundation)
  Key Foundation resources and data on the Medicare drug benefit.
• The Medicare Counseler
  A free publication of the Medicare Rights Center. Each issue will address timely topics that will help social workers, health care providers and other professionals keep up-to-date on important Medicare issues.  
• What to do if you no longer automatically qualify for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs (CMS – revised 2017)
  Getting "extra help" means Medicare will help pay your Medicare drug plan's monthly premium, deductible and copayments.
• Your Guide to Medicare’s Preventive Services (CMS – 2019)
  This is the official government booklet with important information about: What disease prevention is and why it’s important, which preventive services Medicare covers and how often, who can get services, and what you pay – you pay nothing for many services.