The California Department of Insurance is alerting seniors and their advocates to be on their guard against improper sales practices during the annual open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) and the Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) Program.
Medicare Plan Finder Website Errors in Anthem Blue Cross California Medicare Advantage Plans
There are errors on the Medicare Plan Finder website, Medicare.gov, and within the “2017 Medicare & You Handbook” regarding some Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans. The errors are limited to the state of California (CA) and include the counties of Santa Clara, Kings, Tulare, Madera, Stanislaus, San Bernardino, Riverside and Fresno. The benefit information for Fresno MediBlue Plus (HMO) Plan is incorrect, and the service area information for Santa Clara, Kings, Tulare, Madera, Stanislaus, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties is also incorrect.
Determining Eligibility for both Medicare and Medi-Cal Extra Help
People who turn 65 and may have been receiving a hefty subsidy through Covered California to reduce their health insurance premium can be shocked at the costs of enrolling in Medicare. However, there are a variety of resources to assist Medicare beneficiaries to lower their health insurance and health care costs. Assistance from both Social Security and Medi-Cal may be an option for some Medicare beneficiaries depending on their household income.
Blue Shield Medicare Supplement Prescription Drug Benefit Changes
We are notifying the members in the following closed plans that their prescription drug coverage will be considered non-creditable in 2017, which is a change from 2016, when their prescription drug coverage was considered creditable. This means that the coverage offered by their plan is not expected to pay out as much as standard Medicare prescription drug coverage pays.
Eligible for Medicare, lose Covered California birthday letter
Beginning in August, 2016, Covered California will send a notice to those consumers approaching or are over their 65th birthday who may be eligible for Medicare. The notice advises them that they may no longer be eligible for Advanced Premium Tax Credit or Covered California coverage. If the consumer receives the notice, it will be displayed in the online application (CalHEERS).
Covered California update removes income assessment for unmarried pregnant women
Covered California will implement several changes to their online application program known at CalHEERS on August 1, 2016. One significant change is no longer assessing unmarried pregnant women’s income for determining Medi-Cal eligibility. The previous version automatically determined Medi-Cal eligibility based on a woman’s income and pregnancy status. Because Medi-Cal considers a pregnant woman a household two at a minimum, many women were tracked into Medi-Cal and not eligible for private health insurance with the subsidies.
California Hospital Quality Ratings for 2016
Today, we [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid] are updating the star ratings on the Hospital Compare website to help millions of patients and their families learn about the quality of hospitals, compare facilities in their area side-by-side, and ask important questions about care quality when visiting a hospital or other health care provider. Today’s update comes after substantive discussions with hospitals and other stakeholders to review the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating’s methodology.
Family caregivers urged to explore insurance options and resources
Caregivers may want to consider obtaining a life insurance policy to help provide support to others in case something happens to them. Another consideration is disability income insurance, which offers protection by replacing a percentage of one’s previous income if they are unable to work due to a disability. If a caregiver plans to leave a job to be a full-time caregiver, they need to ensure they will have access to healthcare.
Help paying for Medicare prescription drug costs
Some people qualify for big savings on their Medicare prescription drug costs and don’t even realize it! In fact, if you receive Medicare, you may be eligible for the Extra Help, which could save you about $4,000 per year on your monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments.
2016 Medicare – Medicaid Dual Eligible Income Levels
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Informational Bulletin updating the poverty guidelines that are applied to eligibility criteria for programs such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Included with this informational bulletin is the 2016 Dual Eligible Standards chart that displays the new standards for the Medicare Savings Program categories.