Panel Gets Earful Of Advice On Taming The Federal Deficit

Among the messages to the super committee?members: caution. Meanwhile, Democratic governors expressed?fears about deep cuts in federal aid to their states,?especially regarding Medicaid and other entitlement programs. Hospital advocacy groups also carried a similar message about treading lightly in regard to trimming Medicaid funding.

The Associated Press: Lawmakers Advise Super Committee To Be Cautious
Congress flooded its super committee with a jumble of advice Thursday about taming the government’s out-of-control debt, with top agriculture lawmakers readying a bipartisan plan to pare food and farm aid while others urged an aggressive hunt for savings coupled with warnings against cutting cherished programs. Most of the suggestions came from Democrats on 16 Republican-run House committees who sent letters to the special debt-cutting panel. Generally, their advice was to create jobs, raise revenue and avoid damaging cuts to public works, health care and other programs they said are crucial to an economic recovery (Fram, 10/13).

USA Today: Congress Funnels Deficit-Cutting Ideas To Super Committee
When it set up a super committee to find $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction, Congress also asked other committees to weigh in with advice about what spending to cut. Today is the deadline for those recommendations. And much of the advice so far is about what not to cut (Korte, 10/14).

Politico: Dem Govs Lobby Super Committee
Fearing deep cuts in federal support to their states, several Democratic governors set up a series of meetings Thursday to lobby super committee members and White House officials. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, and Govs. Mark Dayton of Minnesota and Christine Gregoire of Washington met separately with the Senate Democratic super committee members and the House Democratic super committee members in the Capitol. Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, a close ally of President Barack Obama, was expected to join the calls by telephone. Later in the day, the governors had scheduled a meeting with White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley (Allen, 10/13).

The Washington Post: Dem Governors Huddle With Debt Super Committee Members
A quartet of Democratic governors is huddling Thursday with members of Congress’s debt-reduction super committee on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers on the panel to focus on job creation and avoid making cuts or changes to entitlement programs that would result in a greater burden on the states. … In a letter to the super committee’s members, O’Malley, who last December was elected to head the DGA, backed the White House’s call for a debt-reduction package including both cuts and revenue increases. He also urged the panel’s members not to avoid changes to Medicaid that would increase the burden on state governments (Sonmez, 10/13).

National Journal: Democratic Governors Ask Committee Not To Pass Medicaid Costs To States
Two Democratic governors met privately on Thursday with Democratic members of the deficit-reduction super committee, urging against any effort to shift Medicaid-related costs and other expenses to the states. In attendance was Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors’ Association, and Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick joined by telephone. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire was slated to join the meeting, which was organized by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who attended, but couldn’t make it. The governors’ main message to the Democratic members of the deficit panel was about Medicaid-related costs and who is responsible for them, but they also pressed job creation in general and aspects of Obama’s defeated jobs bill (House, 10/13).

Modern Healthcare: Deficit-Reduction Panel Urged to Spare Medicaid
Leading hospital advocacy groups urged the deficit-reduction super committee to omit Medicaid cuts from any final proposal for at least $1.2 trillion in savings over 10 years. Specifically criticized were proposals to switch the various state Medicaid federal medical assistance percentages into a single “blended rate” and another to limit states’ use of provider taxes. Both approaches would effectively shift more of the financial burden for the state-federal insurance program for low-income beneficiaries onto the states, according to the Oct. 12 letter to the panel from the hospital advocacy groups. Such existing proposals that have received budget savings estimates from federal scorekeeping entities are expected to receive the most serious consideration by the deficit panel, according to other members of Congress and outside observers (Daly, 10/13).

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Panel Gets Earful Of Advice On Taming The Federal Deficit

Tags: deficit, democratic, government, house, ideas, news, obama, panel, states, super-committee, usa, white

Supplement For Medicare

Health care reform has sparked heavy debate regarding the appropriate supplement for Medicare. It is widely known that seniors ages 65 and above are eligible for government medical aid (Medicare) to assist in healthcare cost. Medicare covers a portion of senior’s medical cost. Although government assistance is available, many seniors still lack ample funds to cover the holes in Medicare. Thus, seniors are left to decide whether to adopt a Medicare advantage plan or to simply adopt a supplement for Medicare.

Though this segment is dedicated to the appropriate supplement for Medicare it is prudent to explain differences in what Medicare advantage plans would provide as well. As stated above traditional Medicare covers certain medical needs for seniors. The government covers (by paying doctors and hospitals) certain senior medical needs based on a fee for service schedule. There are options for seniors to be covered by an advantage plan with 0 out of pocket monthly. It goes without saying that where one medical plan may be ideal for an individual; the same medical plan may fall short of covering another individual’s needs. Advantage plans are plans in which the government pays insurers a specific amount monthly for every Medicare member that they enroll (the plans cover hospitals and doctors as well). Individuals covered under advantage plans are able to choose HMO plans which require advantage recipients to choose from a network of health care providers as well as PPO plans which allow for in network providers as well as out of network providers. It should be noted that individuals going outside of the network would likely have to pay additional fees. All advantage plans offer the same benefits (regardless of the insurer). However, the benefit to the Medicare Advantage plans is that they cover things such as hearing, vision and dental care whereas traditional Medicare plans do not. Medicare Advantage has become increasingly popular due to the advantages provided over and above traditional Medicare. However, that is precisely the issue that critics raise. Advantage plans are said to “pay out” more than traditional Medicare plans. The congressional budget office has estimated that over 150 billion additional dollars has been spent in the last 10 years on advantage plans (that would not have been spent with standard Medicare). Ultimately, the additional expenditures mean more money spent by taxpayers. Which is why Medicare Advantage plans have been targeted by government and health care reform.

With Medicare Advantage plans being heavily scrutinized and funding likely to be cut at least to some extent, supplements are becoming more appealing. Where advantage plans offer 0 out of pocket, a supplement for Medicare would require some payment by the senior. Where advantage plans replace traditional Medicare, a supplement for Medicare is literally that…a supplement that covers certain holes left by traditional Medicare. Therefore, Medicare is considered the primary plan and a supplement for Medicare is considered secondary to the plan. Medigap plans are also offered through private insurers at specific cost. Medicare supplement plans are also considered medigap plans as they fill the gaps left by Medicare. Gaps such as Deductibles, Coinsurance and Co-pays can be filled with an appropriate supplement for Medicare. Any doctor that accepts Medicare should accept a supplement for Medicare. Medicare participants must be enrolled in Medicare part b in order to be eligible to buy a Medigap plan. Medicare part b covers things like doctor services, outpatient care, home health services as well as some preventative services. There are several Medigap plans available and participants typically need not go through underwriting if they will attain the age of 65 within the next 6 months(and two months following their 65th birthday). Open enrollment occurs from November 15th through December 31st and this is the time that changes may be made by existing supplement users. Medigap options vary and are labeled A through L. Each plan offers different options to fill the holes left by traditional Medicare plans. Core benefits include hospital coverage for specific periods during Medicare benefit period, approved hospital cost for co-payments during specific periods, skilled nursing coinsurance, doctor deductibles, foreign travel emergency coverage, at home recovery, drug benefit as well as preventative care. Benefits vary from plan to plan and may be viewed in the Medicare handbook. You may also view supplement for Medicare options by searching Medicare resources at the Texas low cost health insurance site.

http://www.texaslowcosthealthinsurance.com, Medicare resources

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What Can Be Done About Climbing Medicare Premiums

It is inevitable that Medicare insurance premiums will increase along with inflation, but there are a few things we all can do to help keep costs down. Although it is true that a majority of doctors and health care providers abide by the rules and are trustworthy, there are also a few people that work the system each year for literally millions of dollars. The direct result has been a rise in health insurance costs, system wide.

Medicare is an insurance program that is provided through the United States Government. It extends medical coverage for those who are 65 and older and those that are disabled even when they’re under 65 years old under some conditions. An excess of one billion claims are processed every year, and without doubt it’s turned out to be the biggest provider of managed health care in the U.S.

The Medicare program has gotten more complex and involved every year, and the recent developments have added an influx of private health insurance providers into the mix. Medicare covers millions of members and manages more than a billion transactions every year. With this level of care comes shortcuts, mistakes and bureaucracy. As a result of this, Fraud and exploitation of Medicare have become system wide.

Quite often, errors in Medicare claims result from honest mistakes instead of Medicare fraud. There could very well be transcription errors or typographical errors. After all, Medicare insurance providers are human, and dealing with mistakes where there is so much paperwork and so many forms is pretty normal. In a situation like this, it’s important that you speak with someone at your doctor’s office and discuss any errors you have found.

But if you discover that your physician is actually charging your insurance for services that are customarily free, or if you find that your doctor’s office is sending out bills for a procedure that you don’t recognize, make sure to take a careful look at it. It may very well be a case of Medicare fraud, which happens to be is one of the main reasons for escalating Medicare costs.

Medicare Fraud Can Come In A Number Of Forms

* You may be charged for products and services that you never get.

* You may be charged for more services than you were actually provided.

* Over-billing or…

* Billing for medical equipment and supplies that were returned.

How To Deal With Medicare Fraud

Review all paperwork and forms you get from Medicare for anything that’s connected to health care. Essentially, the responsibility is yours to catch omissions, errors and even fraud if you suspect it might be happening. If you do so, you can do your part to keep medical insurance premiums at a minimum. We’re all in this together.

The escalating costs of Medicare have been the cause of a good deal of concern from the government, and they’re doing all they can to counter Medicare fraud. Because of that, providers of Medicare are dealing with only private health care providers who have shown integrity and trustworthiness. Those that try to cheat the system are being knocked out.

The fight has been carried out by Medicare service providers like doctors and hospitals, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare patients as well as law enforcement agencies and consumer protection agencies. You can also help by thoroughly looking at at your own bills.

The bulk of members of Medicaid facilities do pay close attention to the bills and statements to fight climbing Medicare premiums. To help their efforts you should review your bill for things such as an incorrect social security number, extra charges, services not provided but billed, etc. Those are just some of the things you can be aware of if you want to help counter Medicare fraud and increasing Medicare premiums.

Helpful Tips For Medicare Part d

Government prescription coverage explained

Visit our website for a simplified explaination or Medicare Part d

Medicare Insurance

Deficit Panel Moves Deliberations Behind Closed Doors

The 12-member ‘super committee’ held a private meeting Thursday and emerged with few details, though a co-chair acknowledged that their work won’t be easy. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, are signaling the different courses they want to see the panel follow.?Also, congressional Democrats are getting increasingly worried about what might become of Medicare and Medicaid.

ABC News: Deficit Super Committee Breakfast Club
For its third meeting, the 12-member, deficit-reduction committee gathered in the U.S. Capitol today for an early, closed-door breakfast over orange juice, coffee, pastries and bacon to talk about how it can achieve a plan for deficit reduction by Thanksgiving. After emerging from the meeting, the co-chairs of the debt committee were scant on details about what nitty-gritty was discussed. Rather, they seemed to use this morning’s breakfast as more of a getting-to-know-you meeting, even as all the members have called for quick work with a November deadline and the threat of the trigger options looming (Miller, 6/15).

The Associated Press/MSNBC: Super Committee Meets In Private To Talk Deficit Reduction
Members of Congress’ debt reduction super committee said Thursday that their assignment of finding ways to reduce government red ink won’t be simple. Emerging from a private breakfast meeting among the panel’s members, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, told reporters: “We know that it will not be fun. We know it will not be easy, it will not be popular with any current political constituency” (9/15).

Politico Pro: Dems Worry Over How, Not How Much In Cuts
Democrats say they are resigned to the fact that Medicare and Medicaid won’t go completely unscathed as part of Congress’s latest effort to cut federal spending. Their question is not how much, but simply how, the programs get squeezed. “I don’t think the number is important,” Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey said, reacting to reports that President Barack?Obama will seek at least $340 billion in savings from the two programs. But where he gets the money and who it affects is very significant. The comments come just days before the president will take another swing at lopping trillions of dollars off the national deficit over the next decade. Details remain scarce, but administration officials this week said his proposal could include $340 billion in health care savings in 10 years (Dobias, 9/15).

CNN Money: Boehner: No Tax Hikes For Super Committee
House Speaker John Boehner drew a line in the sand on taxes on Thursday, saying that a special debt committee tasked with cutting at least $1.2 trillion from federal deficits shouldn’t consider tax hikes. “Tax increases, I think, are off the table,” Boehner said in a speech to the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. “It’s a very simple equation. Tax increases destroy jobs. And the Joint Committee is a jobs committee. Its mission is to reduce the deficit that is threatening job creation in our country.” The only things the 12-person super committee should tackle are spending cuts and entitlement reform, he said (Liberto, 9/15).

The Washington Post: Boehner Says No New Taxes For Debt Panel
House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday reaffirmed GOP opposition to any tax increases to solve the nation’s deficit problem, signaling a swift return to the trench warfare that characterized the debt and spending debate of early summer. Boehner said that the special committee seeking long-term debt reduction should achieve its mandated $1.5 trillion in savings entirely by cutting federal agency spending and shrinking entitlement programs (Kane and Helderman, 9/15).

The Wall Street Journal: Boehner Pushes Tax Overhaul
The Boehner speech came as the White House was preparing to present its own deficit-reduction recommendations next week to the super committee. The Wall Street Journal reported the president has decided against including proposals to slow the growth of Social Security spending. But many Democrats remain concerned that the package will revive proposals to pare entitlements such as Medicare and Medicaid and that the deficit debate will distract from Mr. Obama’s jobs proposal. “The president should continue to talk about jobs,” said Rep. George Miller (D., Calif.) (Hook, 9/16).

Politico: Obama To Shield Social Security In Deficit-Reduction
The shift away from Social Security will allow him to avoid a clash with his Democratic base over the popular retirement program at a time when he needs its support more than ever, both to push for his $447 billion jobs program and to buck up his lagging poll numbers. Medicare could be a different story, though, as the White House revisits some unpopular ideas from the talks with Boehner (Budoff Brown, 9/15).

Reuters/MSNBC: Obama To Exclude Social Security From Deficits Plan
President Barack Obama will not include reforms to the Social Security retirement program in his deficits proposals to Congress next week, the White House said Thursday. … Obama also expressed a willingness in the summer debt talks with House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, to raise the eligibility age for Medicare health benefits to 67 from 65. But The Wall Street Journal said Thursday the White House was now looking at cuts to providers and increased premiums for wealthier recipients of Medicare, the health care program for the elderly (MacInnis, 9/15).

Politico: Obama Jobs Plan: Raise Taxes On Health Care
The White House wants another shot at requiring some Americans to pay more for their employer-backed health coverage, despite a previously tepid response from the very same lawmakers needed to advance the proposal (Dobias, 9/15).

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Deficit Panel Moves Deliberations Behind Closed Doors

Tags: boehner, health, house, money, obama, package, president, security, social, street, summer, taxes, white, white-house, work

The Medicare Advantage Program – How Can it Help Me?

If you are eligible for Medicare, you might want to look into Medicare Advantage programs as well. Formerly known as Medicare +Choice, Medicare Advantage is the private insurance option of Medicare. It offers participants the choice of using a private insurance plan instead of Medicare itself. Since Medicare’s for-fee services and restrictions can be significant, particularly in the case of prescriptions, providing people with this option allows many people to get better health insurance coverage with more benefits and lower out-of-pocket costs. And, because the cost of these plans is determined by competition among providers, you can often find an inexpensive plan that covers your needs, becoming an excellent alternative to Medicare itself.

Medicare Advantage (also known as Medicare Part C) allows you to sign up for a HMO or PPO plan…or Fee For Service (FFS) or a Medical Savings Account (MSA)…whatever fits your needs best. Or not. You are not forced to use a private insurer if you feel that Medicare’s coverage is adequate for your needs.

In the past, a Medicare Advantage plan also included the opportunity for much better prescription coverage. However, with the passage of the Medicare Part D prescription plan instituted in 2006, Medicare recipients now must sign up for a private prescription plan, even if they do not sign up for anything else but basic Medicare. However, should you opt for a Medicare Advantage plan, you will find that most companies offering such plans also offer Part D prescription plans. Indeed, you might find it advantageous to get both because the additional cost may be minimal. However, be aware that, while Medicare Advantage plans are standardized, Part D prescription plans are not. So do not sign up for a joint plan automatically. Make sure your prescription plan meets your needs. There are no restrictions on having one plan with one company and the other with another company.

If you do not have medical problems, do not go to the doctor for more than an annual checkup, or otherwise rarely use medical services, a Medicare Advantage plan may not be for you. However, if you have a pre-existing condition, a Medicare Advantage plan may save you significant money in the long run by reducing out-of-pocket costs and because, except for end-stage kidney disease, preexisting conditions do not prevent you from enrolling, although you may need to choose a special needs plan.

If you are interested in looking into Medicare Advantage plans in your area, you can start by going to http://www.medicare.gov/Choices/Advantage.asp

For more information on Medicare benefits and other Medicare application tips, you should visit http://www.medicare-benefits.com today!

Information on Medicare

At initial glimpse it may seem incredibly bewildering to figure out the differences among a number of Medicare plans and firms. There will in addition be differences in what is on offer in assorted counties in California. For you to make the appropriate decision then you must study as much info as you can on Medicare in California, only then will you be able to find the scheme that most suits your wishes. It is not the case that you must be over sixty five to meet the criteria for a Medicare plan, if you are under sixty five and regarded as permanently disabled then you are in addition qualified to go in for a scheme.

The coverage and costs vary with distinct sorts of schemes. Moreover reflect on that fees possibly will grow yearly, and advantages can be added or withdrawn. This is why it is important to keep in the know with the latest information on health insurance in California.

There are 4 aspects to Medicare and it is prudent to know the details of every one prior to enrolling.

Part A is referred to as hospital cover. It will insure the receiver for the bulk of in-patient hospital treatment, together with some forms of in patient home care and plus hospice treatment. To be entitled to this assistance devoid of footing a monthly fee, you will require to be holding 40 or more quarters of Social Security credits. If you possess less than this total, though more than thirty, then you can acquire Medicare Part A for a monthly fee of around $250.00. Individuals with lesser than thirty Social Security credits would have to pay $461.00 each month in 2010.

Medicare Part B includes health insurance relating to out patient costs. This contains doctor’s fees, laboratory tests, out patients hospital care, speech and physical therapy, ambulance transport, and certain medical equipment. This segment of the Medicare plan is optional. It is repeatedly the case that if you are still in employment then you may possibly by now have comparable schemes by way of a employer medical program so it may well not be considered necessary to sign up until you leave.

The rate of this premium is $110 in 2010, however in the order of 73 percent of Medicare holders will continue to pay the 2009 fee of ninety six dollars. This is for the reason that the individuals will not obtain a cost of living change in their 2010 Social Security benefits. Those who are new to Medicare will need to pay the complete 2010 amount as will persons who have a larger take-home pay.

It is important to realize that Medicare does not promise a wholly inclusive cover for all your medical connected circumstances. There will commonly be various reasonably substantial fees to pay beside deductibles and the expenditure of special services and objects. These include eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental care, as well as any form of long-term care be it in a private home or nursing home.

Medicare Part C is also referred to as Medicare Advantage. This is an choice to the original cost for service form of Medicare. The Medicare program will pay for Medicare Advantage plans and will pay private medical cover firms to provide health cover to the beneficiaries of the schemes. To be qualified for a Medicare Advantage plan, you should be signed-up for both Part A and Part B of the Medicare plan. By choosing to register yourself for Medicare Part C you will still be entitled to all the benefits that are included in the complete Medicare scheme.

You will be offered the Medicare benefits through a certain private plan. These may possibly additionally incorporate insurance for the expenditure for prescribed medications, this will be referred to as a MA-PD program. If this isn’t the case then the plan would be deemed MA-only. The majority of Medicare Advantage plans will have amplified advantages over the first set up.

If you are opting for such a scheme then you need to examine the costs with care as lots may be more pricey for certain aspects. And numerous Medicare Advantage plans insist that you to only visit doctors or visit hospitals that are associated with their system. There are 5 separate Medicare Advantage plans: Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Special Needs Plans, and Medical Savings Accounts.

Part D of Medicare in California is what’s more referred to as the MMA (Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act). This is a form of prescribed drug coverage in which all Medicare receivers are qualified no importance what their fitness position or income. To be eligible for this kind of Medicare, the person should sign up for a medication plan and contribute to the premiums and deductibles.

Medicare in California

Can I Enroll In A Medicare Advantage Plan If I have Already Other Health Insurance Coverage?

If You Have Other Coverage with your employer, union, or Indian or Tribal Health Program benefits, you need to talk with the plan administrator about their rules before you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan.

In some cases, joining a Medicare Advantage Plan might cause you to lose your other health care coverage, or if you drop your employer or union coverage, you may not be able to get it back.

Make sure to carefully explore all your Medicare health insurance options and compare Medicare Advantage Plans to make sure you select the plan that best suits your needs and your budget.