Medicare beneficiaries who suffer from chronic and debilitating illnesses such as cancer, dementia, HIV/AIDS or have suffered a stroke may be eligible for a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (SNP). These SNPs may offer transportation to and from doctor appointments, hearing aids and special language interpreters for doctor appointments.
Medicare Advantage
Posts related to Medicare Advantage plans which are original Medicare health benefits provided by private companies.
Medicare Advantage Plan Closures in California 2014
Thousands of Medicare Advantage plan members in California are receiving letters that their health plans are closing from carriers such as Anthem Blue Cross and Health Net. Some of the health insurance companies will be leaving some counties completely while others will be offering new Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to their members. Regardless of the reasons, the plan closure triggers a Special Enrollment Period for Medicare beneficiaries to select a new plan offered in their county.
California 2014 Medicare Advantage Plans
Numerous Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be offered in 2014 throughout California. All MA are county specific and may have additional reduced availability by zip code within the designated county. Most of the MA plans also include the Part D Prescription Drug plan (MA-PD), but not all.
Medicare Advantage Plans Fight Heart Disease
Medicare Advantage plans have been encouraged by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to include $0 copay prescription costs for medications that work to reduce heart attacks and strokes in the plans for 2014. Some plans will be including $0 copay drugs that fight high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Medicare Advantage Plans Improve under Obamacare
Not too long ago the talk in conservative circles was how the cuts to Medicare Advantage plans under the Affordable Care Act would hurt seniors. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that more seniors now have access to higher quality Medicare Advantage plans as there has been a 28% increase in plans receiving four or more quality star ratings for the 2014 open enrollment period beginning on October 15th.
Medicare Fines Medicare Advantage PACE Plans $25,000
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) have announced enforcement actions against two Medicare Advantage Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) contractors. Both Silver Star Health Network in Lubbock, TX, and Alexian Brothers Community Services in St. Louis, MO, received civil monetary penalties of $25,000 each for non-compliance of Medicare regulations. Formal letters notifying the Medicare Advantage Plans of the penalty were sent out August 1, 2013.
CMS sanctions SmartD Rx PDP
CMS cited numerous failures on the part of SmartD Rx to properly handle member’s prescription drug and enrollment transactions.
Washington rewards private Medicare Advantage, cuts Medicare cancer treatment
The contradictory nature of Washington lawmakers was on full display this past week as they lobbied the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) not to cut reimbursements to privately run Medicare Advantage plans while allowing the budget sequester to curtail funding for Medicare cancer patients.