Your Medicare Minute – Ask Lu
Lu: Since we as Medicare recipients have never experienced a pandemic in our lifetime, how will our Medicare cover the costs associated with extra testing and treatment that we may experience? CMS’s Announcement The guidance issued by CMS on March 10 announced several flexible waiving options for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans to promote access to healthcare services related to the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. The main announcement, which came out of the meetings that led to this guidance, regarded how Medicare Advantage and Part D plans would consider COVID-19 diagnostic tests as covered benefits. Part of this means that cost-sharing that would usually be a part of the test would be waived.
Waiving the cost-sharing associated with the diagnostic test wasn’t the only announcement to come out of the meeting. Along with the guidance, CMS issued a memorandum to outline suggested services and items to waive cost-sharing on. These suggested flexibilities include:
Waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 tests
Waiving the cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments in doctor’s offices or emergency rooms
Waiving the cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments via telehealth
Expanding access to specific telehealth services
Waiving prescription refill limits
Relaxing restrictions on home or mail delivery drugs
Removing prior authorization requirements
The goal of these flexibilities is to remove as many barriers as possible and encourage Medicare beneficiaries to receive proper testing and treatment. Knowing that, if you’re enrolled in Medicare
and feel like you may have COVID-19 (see below for symptoms), please see your doctor to get tested and self-isolate, so you don’t spread any potential illness you may have. COVID-19 Symptoms Fever
Cough Shortness of breath Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure
SOURCE: cdc.gov/covid19-symptoms.
LUCILLE BONDI INSURANCE SOLUTIONS
Are you having a hard time making sense of Medicare? You are not alone. Many seniors are finding themselves bombarded with mail,
phone calls and many choices when approaching the Medicare age of 65.
LBIS – Lucille Bondi Insurance Solutions and her team of agents can help you through the process of obtaining the right Medicare coverage.
LBIS shops all Medicare related products from over 30 leading insurance carriers. From application through contracting, we are here to
help! We educate, inform and help you contract with the coverage and company of your choice. Whether it is in our conference room, at your
kitchen table or somewhere on the road, we offer a free consultation. It is very important to choose your coverage wisely.
We work to understand your needs, advise on transitioning from a group health policy to Medicare, when to defer or enroll in Medicare Part B if you are not retiring at age 65, and explaining the difference between Medicare Supplements and Medicare advantage plans. We can help you
by educating you on all of your options. Seeking the help of a professional win increase your knowledge,
improve your selection, reduce your stress and help prevent you from making a wrong and/or costly decision.
Let us help you “SOLVE THE MEDICARE MYSTERY.”
Contact us at: LUCILLE BONDI INSURANCE SOLUTIONS, 439 Main Street, Rear Bldg. Harleysville, PA 19438. Office: 215-2565954. Fax: 215-256-8761.