Kevin Knauss: Health, History, Travel, Insurance
Posts related to Medicare Advantage plans which are original Medicare health benefits provided by private companies.
This high level overview and will not address every situation that a Medicare beneficiary may find them self in. This short primer is meant help you understand the different parts of Medicare and how they work, or don’t work, together. The following information can also be found in the Medicare and You Handbook.
Anthem Blue Cross of California Medicare Advantage dual eligibility with Medi-Cal Special Needs Plans May 30, 2015 This guidance is generally applicable for all health insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans for dual eligible beneficiaries. Dual Eligibles (Duals) are individuals who are entitled to benefits from both the federal Medicare and state-run […]
Since the beginning of 2015 through April 17th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued over $2 million in penalties on Medicare Advantage plans across the United States. Of the twelve Medicare Advantage plans cited for non-compliance, one had their enrollment activities suspended while the rest were issued civil money penalty. All […]
On October 29th, 2014, Chinese Community Health Plan (CCHP) was notified that they were being put on immediate imposition of intermediate sanctions from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Medicare sanction was triggered by what the CMS auditors concluded were severe violations in the Chinese Community Health Plan Medicare Advantage (MA-PD) plans offered in […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid released their reimbursements rates for Medicare Advantage plans by each county in the United States. Commonly known as the capitation rate, the table shows what Medicare pays to a private Medicare Advantage plan each month for each beneficiary enrolled in the health plan. The lowest reimbursement is in San […]
A five star Medicare Advantage will be paid $890 in Sacramento County, $947 in San Francisco County, $951 in Los Angeles County and $856 in San Diego County per month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for each enrolled member. The data and calculations that go into determining the monthly reimbursement or capitation rate for Medicare […]
Individuals who recently acquired Parts A and Part B of Original Medicare may find they have to pay more per month than their existing ACA health plans. Under the ACA rules, once someone accepts Medicare, they must exit any ACA health plan they purchased through the exchange and the tax credits that make it affordable. […]
Blue Shield of California sent notices to their appointed insurance agents that the agent’s Social Security number had been displayed during the course of member’s online payment. The letter from Blue Shield, dated February 18, notifying agents of the breach to their private personal information does not mention how many agents had their Social Security number’s compromised. While I was not shocked to receive the letter informing me that my personal information was displayed, I was angry that Blue Shield let this happen.
Orange County Health Authority’s CalOptima OneCare Medicare Advantage plan was served a notice of immediate sanctions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 24, 2014. The immediate sanctions mean that CalOptima can’t market or enroll new members into their OneCare Special Needs Plan until the sanctions are lifted. CMS cited “widespread and systemic failures impacting CalOptima’s enrollees’ ability to access health care services and prescription medications” as a summary for issuing immediate sanctions.
Blue Shield has introduced a very competitive Medicare Advantage plan in ten select counties through out California. With the acquisition of GEMCare, Blue Shield will be able to more easily offer a version of their Blue Shield 65 Plus HMO plan in the GEMCare service area. While some Medicare Advantage plans seem to be reducing plan benefits and dropping counties, Blue Shield has been selectively increasing their MA-PD footprint in California.
