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Latest News:
- SMP Success! Riverside Couple’s Case Uncovers Costly Fraud Scheme
- June 17, 2013 FRAUD A Riverside couple reported a scam in 2009; their report led to a successful investigation and shutdown of a DME supplier that now owes Medicare $244,689.
- Health & Human Services Secretary Accepts NAIC Recommendations Against Increased Cost-Sharing for Medigap Plans C & F
- May 31, 2013 BLOG After 2 long years of advocacy, Secretary Sebelius agrees to accept the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' recommendations against added cost-sharing for Medigap Plans C and F.
- Beneficiaries Face Financial Hardship with Proposed Increases in Medicare Cost-Sharing
- May 24, 2013 PRESS California Health Advocates and 2 other advocacy groups submitted testimony opposing proposals that would shift costs to beneficiaries to the Subcommittee on Health of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means.
- CHA Advocates for Waiving 3-Day Inpatient Hospital Stay Requirement for Skilled Nursing Facility Coverage
- May 20, 2013 ADVOCACY These comments address the proposed rule for hospitals to bill Medicare Part B when a claim for an inpatient hospital stay has been denied because it was deemed not medically reasonable and necessary.
- Farewell & Gratitude to Marta!
May 15, 2013 CHA NEWS Always vibrant and passionate in her work, Marta is now retiring after 8 years of service.
- CLASS Act Repealed & Federal Long-Term Care Commission Appointed: What’s Next?
- May 15, 2013 LONG-TERM The CLASS Act was repealed in January 2013 as it was found financially unsustainable as written. In its place a new Commission has been created to develop a plan for better financing the care and delivery of long-term care services.
- CMS Offers New Safeguards and Incentives in Preventing Medicare Fraud
- May 9, 2013 BLOG The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is increasing its incentives/rewards programs for individuals who provide leads on fraudsters and/or Medicare fraud schemes that result in the recovery of funds. In the past, rewards were limited to no more than $1,000; now rewards can be as much as $9.9 million depending on the amount of money recovered.
- What Will Your Medicare Cost in the Future?
- Apr 30, 2013 REFORM With the federal budget reduction looming, many politicians have their eyes on Medicare as a way to cut spending. This article examines several proposed changes and how beneficiaries may be affected.
- Have You Gone Electronic?
- Apr 11, 2013 BASICS If you're still receiving Social Security checks in the mail, you may be out of compliance with the law. March 1, 2013 was the deadline for people to sign up to receive their Social Security benefits electronically.
- Avoid New Phone Scams: Don’t Give Your Personal Information to Strangers
- Apr 5, 2013 FRAUD A recent phone scam claims that Medicare is issuing new cards, and beneficiaries must pay a fee and give out their personal information to receive a new card. Learn the details and help yourself and others avoid this and other scams and report them our Senior Medicare Patrol project.
- Do You Provide Services to People with HIV/AIDS in the San Francisco Area?
- Mar 28, 2013 REFORM See our upcoming trainings to learn what health care reform means for your clients and how Medicare can help. Trainings available through June 2013.
- Will Beneficiaries Bear Extra Medicare Costs Due to the Sequester?
- Mar 18, 2013 Billings, Claims and Appeals The sequester brings no cuts in Medicare benefits, yet it does impose a 2% payment cut to providers. It is unclear who will cover the cost of this 2% cut and whether it can be passed on to some beneficiaries.
- Bonnie Burns on KGO Radio ~ Speaks to CalPERS Long-Term Care Rate Increases
- Feb 27, 2013 BLOG KGO's News Talk radio interviews Bonnie Burns on CalPERS' recent announcement of 85% premium increases for long-term care insurance policy holders in 2015.
- Gender-Based Premium Pricing: A NewTrend in Long-Term Care?
- Feb 25, 2013 LONG-TERM The nation’s largest provider of long-term care insurance, Genworth Financial Inc, of Richmond Virginia will begin charging premiums based on gender this spring. Women will pay 20-40% higher premiums than men.
- Learn the Facts on Medigap
- Feb 25, 2013 INSURANCE Learn and share the facts around Medigap, including: who uses these policies, the Medigap insurance market, the regulation of Medigap, the proposed cost-shift to beneficiaries, and the flawed assumption that increasing Medicare beneficiaries out-of-pocket costs will save money and reduce “unnecessary” care.
- Medicare Redesign Proposals Pose Significant Risks to Beneficiaries
- Feb 26, 2013 PRESS California Health Advocates and others jointly submitted testimony to the U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means urging lawmakers to reject Medicare redesign proposals that burden beneficiaries with added health care costs. The joint statement presses policymakers to adopt cost saving proposals that eliminate wasteful spending on pharmaceutical drugs and private plans and encourage value-driven payment systems.
- Highest Recovery Results Yet in Medicare Fraud Prevention Efforts for 2012
- Feb 20, 2013 BLOG Medicare fraud prevention efforts are paying off. A couple highlights include: a record $4.2 billion in taxpayer dollars were recovered in 2012; for every $1 invested in health care fraud investigations, the government has recovered $7.6, the highest amount in 16 years of fraud prevention.
- Settlement Agreement Confirms MedicareCoverage for Skilled Maintenance Services Regardless of “Improvement”
- Feb 01, 2013 Billings, Claims and Appeals Medicare beneficiaries can no longer be denied necessary skilled maintenance services provided in the home health, nursing home or outpatient therapy settings on the basis of showing no improvement, according to a settlement agreement approved on January 24, 2013.
- California Senior Medicare Patrol Recovers Over $1.6 Million for Medicare
- Dec 27, 2012 BLOG With over 400 volunteers statewide, California’s Senior Medicare Patrol project is a strong and growing force, actively reducing fraud and helping Medicare recover from the effects of fraud, including reclaiming over $1.6 million for Medicare in fiscal year 2012.