Mary Jane | ElderCareABCblog.com

No Computer – Need Answers About Medicare

By Mary Jane Stern The other day I helped my neighbor, who is turning 65 next month, with options for selecting different Medicare plans (Part A, B, C and D and Medigap). (more…)

Medicare Fraud Awareness

by Mary Jane Stern A few weeks ago I was asked to process a couple of credit cards through a person’s credit card processing service and they were going to pay their friend back in cash. I was given the information and decided not to proceed because somehow it felt like I was participating in…

Privatizing Medicare

by Mary Jane Stern Every few years when the federal budget is in trouble, talk begins about privatizing Medicare. Today it’s a hot topic. Medicare, in my opinion, is one of the best and affordable healthcare programs we have here in the USA. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) is proposing a new program to…

What is the Medicare Therapeutic Shoe Program

By Mary Jane Stern Recently through a social networking site, I connected with someone I went to school with. Unfortunately, she has gone out on disability because of diabetes and is covered under a Medicare Advantage Plan. She mentioned how she wasn’t too happy with Medicare and one big reason was the Medicare Therapeutic Shoe…

Tougher Penalties for Medicare Scammers

By Mary Jane Stern During July 2010 Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Seblius made South Florida their first stop of a seven city itinerary for Regional Healthcare Fraud Prevention Summits as part of the Obama Administration's effort to crack down on health care fraud. A recent study reported South…

Silver Sneakers for Older Adults Not On Medicare

By Mary Jane Stern One of my recent blog posts was about the “extras” some of the Medicare Advantage Plans offer to their members and one “extra” was the Silver Sneakers Program. About 6 months ago I decided to join a gym because I was out of shape and as we mature, it is so…

Medicare Requirements for a Skilled Nursing Facility

By Mary Jane Stern Someday it could happen and you need the services of a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). Whether you are enrolled in Original Medicare or an Advantage Plan you should have a basic understanding of the requirements, because these facilities can become quite expensive and might become your financial responsibility. (more…)

Medicare Part D 2010 – Closing the “Donut Hole”

With the recent passage of The Affordable Care Act passed by Congress and Signed by President Obama in 2010, one of the new benefits for Medicare Part D beneficiaries will be more affordable prescription drugs and over the next 10 years the bill closes the “donut hole.” As I have said before Medicare Part D…

How to Prevent Medicare from Disallowing a Diagnostic Test

Have you been prescribed a diagnostic test and found out that Medicare disallowed the test and the laboratory is holding you responsible for payment? Do you know how to prevent this from happening again? What Medicare Pays Part A covers the cost of inpatient laboratory services when you are admitted to the hospital and the…

Medicare Fraud Can Lead To Identity Theft

by Mary Jane Stern Medicare recently redesigned their website (www.medicare.gov) and there are a lot of new and interesting areas to explore. One that caught my eye was to a government website about Medicare fraud (www.stopmedicarefraud.gov). Because of the confusion with Health Care Reform, there were various scammers out-and-about and one in particular dealt with…