CMA Weekly Alerts

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CENTER FOR MEDICARE ADVOCACY
WEEKLY ALERTS

The Center for Medicare Advocacy publishes a Weekly Alert via email. The column deals with current issues in health care, particularly those which are of interest to Medicare beneficiaries and those who work with them. The first Alert went out on March 4, 2004. Many of the Alerts have dealt with various aspects of the Medicare Act of 2003. To read through past alerts, please follow the links below. .PDF versions of some Alerts are available where noted.

Praise for the Center for Medicare Advocacy Weekly Alert:

"Thank you so much to you and the entire staff for this extraordinary service of emailing comprehensive authoritative Medicare news... it is wonderful to have such reliable info. Thank you."

- Patricia Tobin of Prensky & Tobin, Mill Valley, CA

"I really love the formatting and the ability to easily get a printable version and links to references, etc… it makes the information very useful."

- Richard J. Mollot, Executive Director - Long Term Care Community Coalition

"What would the SHIP program do without the CMA Weekly Alerts? Thank you."

- Lydia H. baker, Coordinator - Pima Council On Aging

CMA WEEKLY ALERTS

12/31/08 - January Begins Limited Opportunity To Expand QMB Coverage In Certain States
12/23/08 - Center for Medicare Advocacy's recommendations for real reform to help Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.
12/18/08 - CMS Rates Nursing Home quality on its website, Nursing Home Compare.
12/11/08 - When is a hospital stay not a hospital stay? When the patient is on "Observation Status."
12/04/08 - Presidential Executive Orders can be a valuable tool of health policy reform.
11/25/08 - When is the lowest cost prescription drug plan NOT the lowest cost prescription drug plan? "Reference-based pricing" in Medicare Part D.
11/25/08 - Home for the Holidays! You Can Leave The Nursing Home!
11/20/08 - What role will Medicare play in health care reform?
11/13/08 - Medical Homes in Medicare - A Care Coordination Demonstration.
11/06/08 - Center for Medicare Advocacy calls on President-Elect Obama to embrace Medicare.
10/30/08 - Will Medicare private plans' marketing tactics improve for this annual enrollment period?
10/23/08 - Medicare Annual enrollment and other important news for Medicare Beneficiaries.
10/16/08 - Those helping elders should know that the Older Americans Act provides assistance for supportive services.
10/09/08 - CMS has recently published interim final regulations regarding Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans.
10/02/08 - The Medicare Improvements to Patients and providers Act (MIPPA) affects more than just provider payments. There are also important changes for beneficiaries (Part 4).
09/25/08 - Effective October 1st, CMS will no longer pay for conditions acquired in hospitals, or events that should never occur in hospitals.
09/18/08 - The Medicare Improvements to Patients and providers Act (MIPPA) affects more than just provider payments. There are also important changes for beneficiaries (part 3).
09/11/08 - Call to Presidential Candidates: Preserve Medicare.
09/04/08 - It's time for those Part D "Extra Help" notices: what Medicare low-income beneficiaries should expect and do.
08/28/08 - Despite unfair subsidies, private Medicare plans do not offer better health outcomes.
08/21/08 - Individuals who cannot work due to disability can be eligible for Medicare, but what if they want to go back to work? Working people with disabilities can still receive Medicare benefits.
08/14/08 - The Medicare Improvements to Patients and providers Act (MIPPA) affects more than just provider payments. There are also important changes for beneficiaries (part 2).
08/07/08 - The Medicare Improvements to Patients and providers Act (MIPPA) affects more than just provider payments. There are also important changes for beneficiaries (part 1).
07/31/08 - CMS Publishes New Hospice Regulations
07/24/08 - Part Covered, Part Not: "Straddle Claims" in Medicare Part D.
07/17/08 - The settlement in Situ v. leavitt, a nationwide Medicare prescription drug case, has been preliminarily approved, and the court has ordered that class members be notified.
07/16/08 - Congress Overrides Veto: The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 Becomes Law
07/10/08 - HR 6331, legislation to help doctors, older people, and people with disabilities, has passed the House and the Senate. Next stop: the White House.
07/02/08 - Medicare Part D and people who are "medically needy".
06/30/08 - July 1, 2008 will be a sad day for Medicare beneficiaries.
06/26/08 - CMS plans to rank nursing homes by the end of 2008, but there are concerns about the proposed five-star rating system for nursing facilities.
06/19/08 - Dual eligibles and government seek court approval of Medicare prescription drug case settlement - Agreement filed in Situ v. Leavitt
06/12/08 - The battle to improve Medicare began again with the introduction of S. 3101, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act
06/05/08 - New Tip Sheets help explain the new competitive bidding program for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS).
Medicare Part D is ever-changing, and not always in beneficiaries' favor. Read about the latest Part D Updates to the low income benchmark, definition of covered drugs, and more - May 29, 2008
CMS Attempts to Ease Concerns about Quality Improvement Contractors (QIOs) - May 22, 2008
Center for Medicare Advocacy Report on Nursing Home Decisions Highlights Need for Serious Penalties - May 15, 2008
Processes for some Durable Medical Equipment are going to start changing in July 2008 under the new competitive bidding program for suppliers for certain Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) - May 8, 2008
Medicare's policy that requires beneficiaries to submit evidence along with their requests unfairly hinders people's ability to appeal. - May 1, 2008
Medicare Cost Sharing for Dual Eligibles: Who Pays What for Whom? - April 24, 2008
Prior Determination of Medicare Coverage for Certain Items and Services - April 17, 2008
National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16, 2008. Now is the time to to talk to your loved ones about end-of-life planning - April 10, 2008
State Health Insurance Counseling Programs (SHIPs) receive funding for 2008 - April 10, 2008
Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices: Tips and Reminders for Beneficiaries - April 3, 2008
Ending the Medicare Doomsday Predictions Once and for All – If There's the Will There's the Way - March 27, 2008
What Does the New EEOC Rule on Retiree Health Benefits Mean for Medicare Beneficiaries? - March 20, 2008
Did you know that Medicare Part B offers some coverage for footcare?
Not April Fools! Some Medicare beneficiaries will lose their Part D Low Income Subsidy on April 1, 2008. Take immediate action to retain benefits! - March 7, 2008
Medicare Open Enrollment Ends March 31: Limited Opportunity to Expand QMB and LIS Coverage - February 28, 2008
The Medicare 45% Trigger: What it is and Why it Matters - February 21, 2008
The New CMS Tool for Assessing Nursing Facility Penalties Assures They Will Remain Low - February 21, 2008
Medicare's Coverage of Ambulance Services: Coverage Criteria - February 14, 2008
Income-Relating Part D Premiums Will Create Costly Problems for Medicare Beneficiaries - February 8, 2008
Center for Medicare Advocacy Releases New Report & Recommendations for Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs) - January 31, 2008
New 2008 Poverty Levels Will Affect Eligibility Levels For Many Federal Health Programs - January 24, 2008
CMS Makes the Case Against a Private Medicare System - January 17, 2008
Medicare Lacks Coverage for Hearing Aids - January 10, 2008
Bad News for Beneficiaries: Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) No Longer Mailed Monthly; Changes to Appeals Amounts - January 3, 2008
CMA Weekly Alerts 2007
CMA Weekly Alerts 2006
CMA Weekly Alerts 2005
CMA Weekly Alerts 2004

For further information on these alerts or to change your mailing status, please contact Matthew Shepard at (860) 456-7790 or mshepard @ medicareadvocacy.org (remove spaces in email address).