How To Find Out If I Have Medicare

Are Medicare Providers Required To Bill

In summary, a provider, whether participating or nonparticipating in Medicare, is required to bill Medicare for all covered services provided. If the provider has reason to believe that a covered service may be excluded because it may be found not to be reasonable and necessary the patient should be provided an ABN.

Once You Give Your Plan This Information Your Plan Must:

• Make sure you pay no more than the LIS drug coverage cost limit. In 2021, prescription costs are no more than $3.70 for each generic/$9.20 for each brand-name covered drug for most people enrolled in the program.
• Contact Medicare so we can get confirmation that you qualify, if it’s available. Your request can take anywhere from several days to up to 2 weeks to process, depending on the circumstances. Call us at 1-800-MEDICARE . TTY: 1-877-486-2048.

What Is The Income Range For Beneficiaries Who Are Dual Eligibles

Generally, beneficiaries earning less than 135 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the MSP if they also have limited savings . This equates to $17,226 annually for single beneficiaries and $23,274 for married couples. Beneficiaries qualify for full Medicaid benefits if their incomes and assets are even lower .

Many seniors who live in nursing homes are dual eligible: they qualify for Medicare based on their age, and Medicaid because of their financial circumstances. It is also common for Medicare beneficiaries who are under 65 and live on Social Security Disability Insurance to receive Medicaid benefits.

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Which Parts Of Medicare Cover Blood Tests

Medicare Part A offers coverage for medically necessary blood tests. Tests can be ordered by a physician for inpatient hospital, skilled nursing, hospice, home health, and other related covered services.

Medicare Part B covers outpatient blood tests ordered by a physician with a medically necessary diagnosis based on Medicare coverage guidelines. Examples would be screening blood tests to diagnose or manage a condition.

Medicare Advantage, or Part C, plans also cover blood tests. These plans may also cover additional tests not covered by original Medicare . Each Medicare Advantage plan offers different benefits, so check with your plan about specific blood tests. Also consider going to in-network doctors and labs to get the maximum benefits.

Medicare Part D provides prescription drug coverage and does not cover any blood tests.

Can I Change My Primary Care Physician

Yes, at any time. Simply complete the online form or call a Customer Service representative so we can help you change physicians and make the change to your records. Usually this change will be effective within 14 days from the time you call. We will notify you when this change is effective and you will receive a new SummaCare identification card with your new Primary Care Physicians information included.

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Medicare Part A Costs

In-hospital blood work ordered by your doctor is generally fully covered under Medicare Part A. However, you still need to meet your deductible.

In 2021, the Part A deductible is $1,484 for most beneficiaries during the benefit period. The benefit period lasts from the day you enter the hospital through the next 60 days. It is possible to have multiple benefit periods in a year.

Does Summacare Offer A Medication Therapy Management

If youre in a Medicare drug plan and you have complex health needs, you may qualify to participate in a Medication Therapy ManagementProgram, or MTM. MTM is a clinical program that provides education and information about your medications. It is designed to ensure thatcovered Part D drugs prescribed to targeted members are appropriately used to optimize therapeutic outcomes through improved medication use and to reduce the risk of adverseevents, including adverse drug interactions. MTM is a service offered by SummaCare, through OutcomesMTM, at no additional cost to you! The MTM program is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services .

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Medicare Offers Important Choices

Medicare has two paths that subscribers should consider at the outset. They can choose between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. They represent similar coverage, but one consists of private plans, and the other is government-run. Original Medicare is an open arrangement.Users can go to any doctor or medical care provider that accepts Medicare.

Medicare Advantage plans also provide comprehensive coverage but achieves it in different ways. They have management styles that can help patients, for example, some provide a primary care doctor. They offer a network that can have lower pricing than similar benefits on Original Medicare. Advantage plans can cost less than Medicare Part B and add prescription drug benefits for an all-in-one combination.

Users can go to any doctor or medical care provider that accepts Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans also provide comprehensive coverage but achieves it in different ways. They have management styles that can help patients, for example, some provide a primary care doctor. They offer a network that can have lower pricing than similar benefits on Original Medicare. Advantage plans can cost less than Medicare Part B and add prescription drug benefits for an all-in-one combination.

Reaching A Medicare Safety Net Threshold As A Registered Family

Well let you know when youre close to reaching a Medicare Safety Net threshold as a family. At this time, well also ask you to confirm whos in your family. Once you reach the threshold, well start paying you higher Medicare Benefits for the rest of the calendar year. You need to have confirmed your family members to get the higher benefits.

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How To Appeal Medicare Decisions

by Medicare Educators Team | Jun 25, 2021

More than 60 million people are enrolled in Medicare. In a program that large, some mistakes are bound to happen. You may also find yourself in an unusual situation that requires special consideration. Unfortunately, these issues could mean that your premiums are higher than they should be. Its also possible for your claims to be denied when they should be covered, resulting in major out-of-pocket costs.

As a Medicare beneficiary, you have the right to appeal decisions that you believe are incorrect.

Late Enrollment Penalty Appeals

You age into Medicare when you turn 65.

• You will have a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period that starts three months before your birthday month.
• If you have qualifying group health coverage through current employment, you may be able to delay enrollment without paying a penalty, and you will be given a Special Enrollment Period to Enroll.
• If you dont enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period and you dont qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you will have to wait until the General Enrollment Period, which occurs January through March each year.

If you believe you are being charged a late penalty when you shouldnt be, you can appeal the decision when you receive the notice of the penalty. To appeal a Part D late enrollment penalty, fill out the reconsideration request form that you receive with your notice of penalty.

Medicare Surcharge Appeals

Coverage Appeals

Your Original Medicare Premium Payments

They affect all of your Medicare coverage

To maintain continuous health coverage, make sure you always pay your Original Medicare monthly premiums on time. Many beneficiaries dont pay a Medicare Part A premium you dont have to pay this premium if you worked at least 10 years while paying Medicare taxes. However, most beneficiaries must pay a monthly Medicare Part B premium, even if theyre enrolled in Medicare Advantage or another Medicare plan option

If you receive Social Security, Railroad Retirement Benefits , or Civil Service benefits, your Medicare premium may be automatically deducted from those benefits. In other cases, you may have to make the Medicare payment yourself when you receive your monthly bill, or choose one of the payment options described below.

You can pay your Original Medicare premium in one of three ways: Sign up for Medicare Easy Pay, which is free and automatically deducts the premium payment from your checking or savings account pay by check or money order or pay by credit card.

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What If Im Traveling Outside Of The Summacare Service Area And Need Care

If youre traveling outside of the service area, all SummaCare Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage anywhere in the country for emergency, urgent care and ambulance services and up to $25,000 per year for emergency services outside the continental United States. If you enroll in a SummaCare Medicare Sapphire plan or SummaCare Medicare Emerald plan, you can receive care from any Medicare-approved provider even if they are not in the SCMedicare network. Please note that your out-of-pocket costs may be higher if you select providers outside of our network.

If you have to fill a prescription while outside of SummaCares service area, we will cover your prescriptions at in-network pharmacies under the applicable co-payment amount while you travel. Our pharmacy network includes most national chains. If traveling, your out-of-pocket costs may be higher if you fill a prescription at an out-of-network pharmacy. To search for a pharmacy, use the Find Your Pharmacy tool. All SummaCare Medicare Advantage plans include Visitor/Travel Coverage. Please refer to the Summary of Benefits documents for more information.

I Didn’t Enroll In Medicare Part B When I Turned 65 Because I Was Still Working Can I Enroll Now

You qualify to enroll in Medicare during a Special Enrollment Period if you delayed enrolling in Part B because you were working and had group health insurance through your employer or your spouse’s employer. If you sign up during the Special Enrollment Period, you do not have to pay the Part B premium surcharge. Signing up for Medicare Part B will begin your 6 month open enrollment period for buying a Medigap policy. You can enroll in Part B:

• Any month in which you are still covered under your current enrollment or
• The 8-month period beginning with either the date your employment ends or the date your group health plan ends, whichever comes first.

You should contact the Social Security Administration to file an application. The phone number for the Social Security office in your area can be found in the Important Phone Numbers section of this site.

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Outpatient Medical & Surgical Services & Supplies

covers approved procedures, like X-rays, casts, stitches, or outpatient surgeries.

You pay 20% of the

for your doctors or other health care providers services. You usually pay the hospital a

for each service you get in a hospital outpatient setting. There are exceptions for costly surgical procedures , like total knee replacements. For these services, you pay 20% for the entire episode of care, including any drugs, laboratory tests, and other services.

In most cases, for each service provided, the copayment cant be more than the Part A hospital stay

. The Part B deductible applies, and you pay all costs for items or services that Medicare doesnt cover.

What Are Part D Prescription Drug Plans

These types of plans offer coverage for Part D prescription drugs only. To enroll in this type of plan you must physically enroll by contacting a plan and completing the appropriate paperwork. You cannot or will not be automatically enrolled in this type of plan once you become eligible for Medicare.

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Medicare: The Seniors Medical Services Program

Basically, Medicare is the national program for comprehensive hospital and medical insurance for older or disabled Americans.

Largely, Medicare operations have two categories: Original Medicare and private Medicare health plans.

First, Medicare Part A and B manages operations through organizations awarded contracts with the federal government.

Secondly, private plans provide coverage equal or greater than Original Medicare, managed by other health insurance carriers.

Predominantly, the private Medicare health plans are the prescription drug coverage in Part D, Part C Medicare Advantage and the gap insurance of Medicare Supplement.

• Medicare Part C is Medicare Advantage.
• Part D is the Prescription Drug benefit.
• Medicare Supplement plans, or Medigap, help pay medical charges not fully covered under Original Medicare.

Medicare Provides The Names Of Carriers

Undoubtedly, regional carriers serve indispensable functions in the operation of Original Medicare.

Medicare maintains a list of carriers and the areas that they serve.

Original Medicare beneficiaries must direct claims and questions to the carrier that serves the areawhere the claim occurred.

In summary, the private plans offered through Medicare include Medicare Advantage, Part D Prescription Drugs, and Medicare Supplement insurance.

Comparison shopping is important when selecting additional coverage outside of Original Medicare.

Weigh all the pros and cons of your greatest options with our free online Medicare comparison tool.

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How Do I Know If I Have Original Medicare Or A Medicare Advantage Plan

You will know if you have Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan by checking your enrollment status. Your enrollment status shows the name of your plan, what type of coverage you have, and how long youve had it. You can check your status online at www.mymedicare.gov or call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.

What Types Of Services Are Covered Under Medicare Part B

Medicare Part B helps pay for doctors’ services, outpatient hospital care, blood, medical equipment and some home health services. It also pays for other medical services such as lab tests and physical and occupational therapy. Some preventive services such as mammograms and flu shots are also covered. Medicare Part B does NOT cover routine physical exams eye glasses custodial care dental care dentures routine foot care hearing aids orthopedic shoes or cosmetic surgery. It also does not cover most prescription drugs or health care you get while traveling outside the United States .

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What If I Move Out Of The Area

Our contract with Medicare allows us to serve you only as long as you live in Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Defiance, Fulton, Geauga, Hancock, Henry, Holmes, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Medina, Mercer, Ottawa, Portage, Putnam, Seneca, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Van Wert, Wayne and Wood counties in Ohio. If you move away from this area, or leave for more than six consecutive months, you must tell us in writing so we can disenroll you. At that point, you become covered under Original Medicare or you can enroll in another Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan because you will be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period .

What Types Of Common Blood Tests Are Covered

Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans cover many types of screening and diagnostic blood tests. There may be limits on how frequently Medicare will cover certain tests.

You can appeal a coverage decision if you or your doctor believe a test should be covered. Certain screening blood tests, like those for heart disease, are fully covered with no coinsurance or deductibles.

Examples of covered blood tests

Here are some of the conditions that are commonly screened through blood tests and how often you can have them done with Medicare coverage:

• Diabetes: once a year, or up to twice per year if you are higher risk
• Heart disease: cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides screening once every 5 years
• HIV: once a year based on risk
• Hepatitis : once a year depending on risk
• Sexually transmitted diseases: once a year

If your doctor thinks you need more frequent testing for certain diagnostic tests due to your specific risk factors, you may have to pay for testing more often. Ask your doctor and the lab for more information about your specific test.

It might be helpful to have a supplemental plan for more frequent testing. You can go to the Medicare Medigap policy website for information on all the plans for 2021 and whats covered. You can also call the plan directly for more information.

Examples of covered tests include:

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What Are My Rights As A Medicare Beneficiary

As a Medicare beneficiary, you have certain guaranteed rights. These rights protect you when you get health care, they assure you access to needed health care services, and protect you against unethical practices.

You have these rights whether you are in Original Medicare or another Medicare health plan.

Your rights include, but are not limited to:

The Right to Receive Emergency Care

If you have severe pain, an injury, or a sudden illness that you believe may cause your health serious danger without immediate care, you have the right to receive emergency care. You never need prior approval for emergency care, and you may receive emergency care anywhere in the United States.

The Right to Appeal Decisions About Payments or Services for Medical Care

If you are enrolled in Original Medicare, you have the right to appeal denial of a payment for a service you have been provided. If you are enrolled in another Medicare health plan, you have the right to appeal the plan’s denial for a service to be provided.

The Right to Information About All Treatment Options

You have the right to know about all your health care treatment options from your health care provider. Medicare forbids its health plans from making any rules that would stop a doctor from telling you everything you need to know about your health care. If you think your Medicare health plan may have kept a provider from telling you everything you need to know about your health care options, then you have the right to appeal.