Articles written by Nila Morgan
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Making Medicare less costly and more user friendly
On Dec. 23, 2020, Congress passed a new provision called the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act of 2020, or “BENES Act” of 2020 as part of the $900 billion pan...
Changes to Medicare for the new year
As you may have known or suspected, Medicare is the largest medical insurance program in the U.S. As of October 2020, there are more than 62.9 million people enrolled in Medicare nationwide,...
Who can talk to you about Medicare drug coverage?
The Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) Open Enrollment Period is now in full swing. (See page 7 for details - Editor.) For those who don’t know, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year, Medicare p...
It's Medicare's Part D Open Enrollment or Annual Election Period
The summer has flown and autumn is upon us. The leaves on the trees are turning the vibrant colors of fall, and the air is cool and brisk. The captivating smell of fireplaces burning logs permeates...
There is lots to talk about regarding mymedicare.gov
Are you restlessly awaiting your Medicare Summary Notice to arrive in your mailbox so you can verify that Medicare paid for a service or product? Are you anticipating the upcoming annual Open Enrollme...
Medicare - who do I call?
Those who are approaching Medicare eligibility, or have Medicare, frequently have many questions - about how Medicare coverage works, enrollment options and costs, and many others. You may ask...
New online service for Medicare Part B enrollment
Having trouble signing up for Medicare Part B, Medical Insurance, in the midst of these trying times? The Social Security Administration (SSA) is the agency that handles the Medicare Part A and Part...
Medicare and authorized advocates and representatives
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a prudent idea to discuss the benefits of having a patient advocate and an authorized representative in the event that you are unable to represent...
Medicare's response to the coronavirus threat
The number of diagnosed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has topped 125,000 globally as I write this article. Countries are closing their borders, travel restriction bans into the U.S. are going in...
What is my medical provider's relationship with Medicare?
Often times it can be confusing to Medicare beneficiaries just how much of their medical expenses will be covered and for how much they will be responsible. This, in part, can be due to not...
How is Medicare responding to the opioid crisis?
You have probably heard, read or seen on the news that there is an opioid abuse epidemic running rampant in the United States. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),...
What is new with Medicare for 2020?
Each new year is sure to bring changes and Medicare is no different. Here are some changes that you will want to know about. New Medicare cards. Medicare began mailing the new Medicare cards to...
How do I choose a Medicare plan for 2020?
Have you seen all of the advertising for Medicare Plans? It seems like the TV waves are inundated with commercials about Medicare this time of year. And there is lots of talk about new benefits, free...
Medicare Part D Open Enrollment is here
What an amazing summer we have had! Now the weather has turned cooler and autumn is definitely in the air. As we plunge into all of the activities of this season, it is important to remember the Part...
Get the most from your Medicare Preventive Services
Many people are unaware of the many preventive services that are provided to Medicare beneficiaries without paying a single dollar in deductibles or co-pays. Preventive services are covered at 100% un...
Genetic testing is promising, but beware fraud
Genetic testing has certainly become a phenomenon in the last few years. This amazing new type of medical test, also known as DNA testing, has diverse applications. It can determine bloodlines of...
Deciding on supplemental 'Medigap' insurance
Perhaps your 65th birthday is approaching, signaling that you are approaching your Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare. Meanwhile, you may be getting postcards and other mail informing...
Balance billing and what it means for you
Balance billing is when a provider bills you for the difference between the amount he charges for a product or service and the insurance company’s negotiated amount. For example, if the p...
Surprise! You may pay an IRMAA
When we talk about the costs of Medicare, the discussion can include premiums, deductibles, co-insurances and copays. Another cost to Medicare beneficiaries that may come as a surprise is the Income...
What's new in Medicare for 2019?
Welcome to 2019! There are a number of changes in Medicare this year of which you will want to be aware. New Medicare cards The New Medicare card mail-out for Alaskans began April 1, 2018 and ended Ju...
Why do I need to review my Part D coverage?
You may have seen or heard a lot of buzz about the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for Medicare Part D. And you may think to yourself, “I am perfectly happy with my current prescription drug coverage a...
Medicare coverage for durable medical equipment
Perhaps you have heard advertising that you can purchase back braces, knee braces, and other items with little or no cost to you and that Medicare will pay for them. Let’s get to the truth of these a...
Medigap coverage can save you money
Although Medicare Part A and Part B cover a wide variety of services and products when you are in the hospital or being seen as an outpatient, there are still cost sharing “gaps”. These include ded...
Services and products that Medicare doesn't cover
Each month I enjoy sharing with readers the many facets of Medicare. The enrollment periods, coverage under the different parts of Medicare, types of providers available, how to avoid penalties...
How does Medicare cover vaccines?
Many of you may have heard that there is a new vaccine available for the shingles virus that is proving to be more effective than the previous vaccine, Zostavax. The new vaccine is recommended for peo...