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Senior News January, 2005 Vol. 26. No. 1
Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.
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Humboldt Senior Resource Center Back issues Table of Contents
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Ask HICAP CMS announces Medicare PPO regions by Anne Antoville In the first week of December, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new Medicare Preferred Provider (PPO) Regions. These regions will provide a PPO version of Medicare beginning in 2006. Humboldt and Del Norte counties will be in the State of California Medicare PPO Region. So far, Medicare beneficiaries in Humboldt and Del Norte, like most beneficiaries in rural California counties, have not been able to use Medicare HMOs. Rural areas have not been profitable enough to support Medicare HMOs. By designating large regions for Medicare PPOs, CMS hopes to extend additional Medicare choices to rural beneficiaries. What this means to you is that you will have a choice of either continuing with original Medicare or changing your Medicare coverage to Medicare PPO coverage in 2006. We do not yet know how the PPO Medicare will differ from original Medicare, or if there will be more than one PPO plan available. We do know that Medicare beneficiaries will have new choices to make for 2006 as both the Medicare PPO and the Medicare Part D drug benefit will be available. Medicare Drug Discount Cards You can sign up for $600 credit on a Medicare discount card if you meet the income guidelines of $1,047/month for singles and $1,405/month for married couples if you enroll before the end of March 2005. After March you will only be able to get $450 credit. Some Medicare discount cards have additional wrap-around programs for people who are eligible for the $600 credit. For those whose incomes are too high for the $600 credit, there are some Medicare discount cards that offer substantial discounts on drugs manufactured by certain companies. You can contact HICAP, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, for information or for assistance with applications. Contact HICAP in Humboldt 707-443-9747 and in Del Norte 707-464-7876. Anne Antoville is HICAP manager for Humboldt and Del Norte counties. HICAP is the state funded Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program. |
Senior News