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What You Need to Know for Open Enrollment

[fa icon="calendar'] Nov 12, 2021 8:07:00 AM / by Donna Smith, BCPA posted in Medicare, Insurance, open enrollment, Obamacare

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Open Enrollment is Just around the Corner

[fa icon="calendar'] Oct 2, 2020 7:45:00 AM / by Donna Smith, BCPA posted in Medicare, Insurance, open enrollment

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Whether your health insurance is through your employer, a private policy, or Medicare, you’re headed for open enrollment. This is when insurers make cost and benefit changes that will be effective January 1st. Your insurer is required to notify you in writing of upcoming plan benefit changes. Take the time to study those changes and the benefit details in any plan you are considering for your 2021 coverage. The choice you make will be in effect through December 31, 2021 unless you have a qualifying event, such as loss of coverage, that allows you to change coverage mid-year.

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CONSIDERATIONS: REGULAR, ON-GOING MEDICAL CARE DURING COVID19 PANDEMIC

[fa icon="calendar'] Mar 26, 2020 3:29:31 PM / by Kim Mcilnay, BCPA posted in self-advocacy, preparing for your doctor's appointment, elderly illness, Medicare, technology, COVID-19, Coronavirus

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Crash Course in Nursing Homes: Summary of 11 Lessons Learned

[fa icon="calendar'] Feb 5, 2019 5:04:00 AM / by Kim Mcilnay, BCPA posted in self-advocacy, elderly illness, Medicare, medi-cal, Nursing Home/Skilled Nursing Facility

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In the preceding blogs titled Crash Course in Nursing Homes, Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, I shared Susan's experiences with illegal nursing home practices and lessons learned. This post summarized the lessons learned for easy reference.

Lesson 1: Rehab/nursing home stays are only covered by Medicare if a patient is first admitted to a hospital for 3 midnights.  You may think you're admitted to the hospital but you may actually only be on observation status. Observation status does not qualify you for medicare coverage for a skilled nursing facility. Ask your nurse, doctor, or the admissions team if you are "admitted" or on "observation status." 

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Crash Course in Nursing Homes Part 1: When You Can't Pay

[fa icon="calendar'] Dec 3, 2018 8:33:00 AM / by Kim Mcilnay, BCPA posted in self-advocacy, Medicare, medi-cal

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Avoiding Medicare Fraud

[fa icon="calendar'] Jun 11, 2018 7:48:21 AM / by Kim Mcilnay, BCPA posted in Medicare

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I received a friendly call the other day from" Medicare" offering me a FREE back brace. Never mind that I don't need a back brace; it's FREE through Medicare! I politely told the caller that this was Medicare fraud and requested that my number be removed from the list. For some reason, he hung up on me! 

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