|
Medicare and the New Health Care Law |
|
Overview
The Affordable Care Act has been designed to provide you and your family greater savings and increased quality health care. It will also ensure accountability throughout the health care system so that you, your family, and your doctors -- not insurance companies -- have greater control over your care.
Your guaranteed Medicare benefits won't change -- whether you get them through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan. Instead, you will see new benefits and cost savings, and an increased focus on quality to ensure that you get the care you need. During open enrollment this fall, you will continue to have a choice between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare will continue to cover your health costs the way it always has, and there are no changes in eligibility.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Health Reform & Rate Review |
|
For the past decade, Americans have seen double-digit insurance premium increases. From 2000 to 2010, premiums rose 114% and nothing suggests that the quality of insurance coverage improved. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has recorded a new White House White Board video to explain just how this new rule works, and how rate review helps states review and crack down on unjustified premium hikes and protect consumers.
First, the Affordable Care Act gives states $250 million to enhance their rate review procedures so that they can better protect consumers and stop unreasonable premium hikes from taking effect. Second, the Act brings new transparency to the health insurance market by requiring insurance companies to publicly justify any unreasonable premium increases. Any proposed increase of 10% or more must be publicly disclosed and justified and approved by either the state or or federal government (Department of Health and Human Services)· ·before going into effect. Some states, like Washington and Maine, require any rate increase to be approved.·
White House White Board: Health Reform & Rate Review
December 21, 2010 | 6:06 | Public Domain
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius takes to the White House White Board to explain a new regulation that fleshes out the ‘rate review’ provision from the Affordable Care Act. Rate review, simply, is someone reviewing a health insurance company’s proposal to raise premium rates to make sure the increase is justified.
Click here to watch the video. |
|
How Will the Health Care Bill Help You This Year?
The health-care bill that became law in March won't be fully implemented for several years. However, by the end of this year, six important measures (detailed below) will take effect.
Click Here to Play Video on Health-Care Feform
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Avoid the Medicare Doughnut Hole |
|
If you have Medicare Part D, you may be at risk of falling into the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole." Follow this four-step tool and save money!
|
|
Medicare National Priorities |
|
Since the beginnings of Medicare, CMS has worked as an advocate for high-quality, high-value healthcare. The National Priorities reflect much of the work that CMS has already begun in this area.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
