Medicare Starts Effort to Educate Senior
Citizens on Benefits of Affordable Care Act
One of first benefits will be $250 for those who fall
into drug programs donut hole
May 25, 2010 Senior citizens and others in
Medicare will soon be receiving important information about the
immediate benefits they may see from the enactment of the Affordable
Care Act. The most welcome news for millions of seniors that fall into
the Part D drug programs donut hole is that they will receive a $250
check due to a provision in the new law.
The mailing from the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) outlines key provisions of the Affordable Care
Act that are important for people with Medicare and their families.
Its important that our Medicare beneficiaries get
facts about this important new law timely so they can learn what stays
the same and what will change and improve in terms of their benefits,
said Marilyn Tavenner, acting CMS administrator.
As a trusted resource for beneficiaries and their
families, we believe that this information will help to inform them
about the Affordable Care Act and remind them to be on the alert for any
scams asking for personal information.
CMS has learned from implementing previous major
pieces of health reform legislation like Medicare Part D that
unfortunately new opportunities for Medicare beneficiaries also bring
new opportunities for scam artists to try and defraud seniors.
The new law not only strengthens Medicare, but
also ensures the guaranteed benefits that beneficiaries have come to
rely upon dont change, she added Tavenner.
CMS is viewed by beneficiaries as the official and
trusted source of information, so it is critical that we reach out
quickly to ensure beneficiaries understand their Medicare coverage and
how it will improve.
The first benefit that several million Medicare
beneficiaries will receive as a result of the passage of the new law is
a one-time check for $250, if they enter the Part D donut hole and are
not eligible for Medicare Extra Help. The donut hole is the period in
the prescription drug benefit in which the beneficiary pays 100 percent
of the cost of their drugs until they hit the catastrophic coverage.
The $250 check that some beneficiaries will soon
see in the mail following the brochure for all Medicare beneficiaries is
the first step towards the closing of the coverage gap, said Tavenner.
Next year, all beneficiaries who enter the gap
will get a 50 percent discount for covered brand name Part D drugs, and
by 2020 will no longer have a gap in coverage.
In addition to the rebate check, the new mailing to
beneficiaries outlines other benefits available under the Affordable
Care Act. Beginning next year, the Affordable Care Act ensures that
Medicare beneficiaries will get preventive care services like colorectal
cancer screening and mammograms without cost-sharing, in addition to an
annual wellness visit. The law also includes new tools to help fight
fraud by helping Medicare crack down on criminals who are seeking to
scam seniors and steal taxpayer dollars.
Medicare mails the Medicare & You handbook
to all beneficiary households every fall to provide people with Medicare
the most up to date information about changes in Medicare. These annual
mailings have from time to time been supplemented with additional
mailings that inform beneficiaries about major changes in the law that
significantly affect Medicare.
Because Medicare is a trusted resource for
beneficiaries and their family members, the mailing encourages them to
log on to
www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE to get their questions about
Medicare or the Affordable Care Act answered. The new information is
available in English or Spanish.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
May 25, 2010 Senior citizens and others in
Medicare will soon be receiving important information about the
immediate benefits they may see from the enactment of the Affordable
Care Act. The most welcome news for millions of seniors that fall into
the Part D drug programs donut hole is that they will receive a $250
check due to a provision in the new law. 
Links
to Info on Health Reform Legislation