Take Care of your Heart!

February is American Heart Month. Having a healthy heart is the best
Valentine's Day gift you could ever give yourself or the people who
love you.

Medicare will cover a cardiovascular screening at no cost to you every
5 years. The test are covered by Medicare Part B and will cover screening
tests for cholesterol, lipid, and triglyceride levels.

If you and your doctor discover that you are at risk for a heart attack
or stroke there are steps you can take to help prevent these conditions.
Lifestyle changes might help like increasing your activity level,
exercising and changing your diet to lower your cholesterol and stay healthy.

Talk to your doctor about resources and information on how to take care of
your heart and live a healthy life.   (Medicaregov.com)

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Medicare Right and Protections Part 1

Be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

Be protected from discrimination. Every company or agency that works
with Medicare must obey the law, and can't treat you differently because
of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, religion or sex.

Get emergency care when and where you need it.

Have your personal and health information kept private.

Get information in a way you understand from Medicare, health care providers,
and under certain circumstances, contractors.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

W-2s list cost of providing a Health Plan

It is going to be a surprise, maybe even a shock when workers open their W-2 forms this
months, many will see a new box with information on the total cost of employer-sponsored
health insurance coverage. 

Workers ofter have little idea how much they and their employers are paying for coverage.
In a lot of cases workers give up cash compensation to get and keep health benefits.

The 2010 health care law that requires the disclosures of this information are meant to
make workers more cost-conscious. Health benefits are still tax-free. But some labor
unions and employer groups say it could be easier to tax them in the future, now that
employers must report their value to the government.

The new information appears in Box 12 of the standard W-2 form, with a two-letter code,
DD. The box shows the "cost of employer-sponsored health coverage" And that amount
is not taxable, the Internal Revenue Service says on the back of the form.


Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period

Just a reminder, The Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period (MADP)
for seniors who are interested in returning to original Medicare
ends Feb 14, 2013.

Seniors who are returning to original Medicare and interested in purchasing
a Medicare Supplement plan we can assist you.

We specialize in Medicare Advantage plans and  Medicare Supplement plans so contact our
agency and an agent can assist you and make sure you fully understand your options and make
sure you get the best rates available. We cover Southern California,counties of Riverside,
San Bernardino and surrounding area's. We also cover Nevada and all of Utah.  Please visit
 us online at Medicareplansdirect.net or call 760-413-9749.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749

Health Insurance rejections rate

According to HealthPocket Inc. Health insurance application rejections rate
is at 22 percent, one-in five  applications are rejected. That is an increase
from one-in-seven back in 2010. There clearly is a great variability across
states and within states in terms of how frequently an insurer rejects a
health insurance application, but nationally it seem to be occurring more
frequently than assumed.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

More on Health Care Exchange

Insurance policies that will be offered inside and outside the exchange
will be given a "metal rating" - platinum, gold, silver or bronze.

If you buy insurance through the California state's health exchange,
you'll be able to choose among a platinum rating for 90 percent coverage;
gold for 80 percent coverage, silver for 70 percent coverage, or bronze
for 60 percent coverage.

Example: If you get the bronze plan you will pay 40 percent of the costs
out of pocket if you get sick. With a platinum plan you will pay 10 percent
of your bill but you'll likely pay quite a bit more overall for the plan.

We specialize in Medicare Advantage plans and  Medicare Supplement plans so contact our
agency and an agent can assist you and make sure you fully understand your options and make
sure you get the best rates available. We cover Southern California,counties of Riverside,
San Bernardino and surrounding area's. We also cover Nevada and all of Utah.  Please visit
 us online at Medicareplansdirect.net or call 760-413-9749.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749

Health Care Reform Update

Covered California was bolstered by a federal grant of $674 million
last Thursday that helps keep the state health exchange on pace for
a full-scale launch on Jan. 1, 2014.

Officials have laid out an action plan that includes signing up translators
fluent in 13 languages common in California. Some of the money will be
used to develop a fully operational Web portal where consumers can shop
for insurance policies.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Medicare & You Handbook

By law Medicare must have written permission "an authorization" to use or give out personal
information for any purpose that isn't set out in the privacy notice contained in the Medicare
& You Handbook. You can revoke or take back permission at any time as long as Medicare
has not already acted based on your written permission.

The Medicare & You Handbook is a summary of Medicare benefits, rights and protections,
and answers to the most frequently asked questions about Medicare. This handbook also
contains the privacy notice that outlines purposes where Medicare may disclose your personal
health information without your authorization.


We specialize in Medicare Advantage plans and  Medicare Supplement plans so contact our
agency and an agent can assist you and make sure you fully understand your options and make
sure you get the best rates available. We cover Southern California,counties of Riverside,
San Bernardino and surrounding area's. We also cover Nevada and all of Utah.  Please visit
 us online at Medicareplansdirect.net or call 760-413-9749.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749

Save On Drug Costs

If you meet certain income and resource limits, you may qualify for
Extra Help from Medicare to pay the costs of Medicare prescription drug
coverage.

In 2013, drug costs for most seniors who qualify will be no more that
$2.65 for generic drugs and $6.60 for brand-name covered drugs.

Based on their income level other seniors will pay only a portion of
their Medicare drug plan premiums and deductibles.

If you don't qualify for Extra Help, your state may have programs that
can help pay your prescription drug costs. Contact your State Medical
Assistance (Medicaid) office or your State Health Insurance Assistance
Program (SHIP) for more information.  Keep in mind if your income and
resources change you can reapply for Extra Help.

Countable resources include:

 * Money in a checking or savings account
 
  * Stocks

  * Bonds

Countable resources don't include:

  * Your home

  * One Car

  * Burial plot

  * Up to $1,500 for burial expenses if you have put that money aside

  * Furniture

  * Other household and personal items

Some people automatically qualify for Extra Help if they have Medicare and
meet certain conditions. 

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Health Care Exchange update

A crucial element of President Obama's health care law is the exchanges. Each state
is suppose to have one set up by October 2013 with coverage starting in January 2014.
The federal government will run the exchange in any state that is unwilling or unable
to do so. Right now it seems that the federal officials will have the primary responsibility
of running exchanges in at least half the states, more that expected when the law was passed
in 2010.

The White House says it will give more time to the state by extending the deadline for any
states that expressed interest in creating their own exchanges or regulating insurance
sold through a federal exchange. Hoping more will sign on, they have until Feb 15 to
file application to operate exchanges in partnership with the federal government.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Filing a Claim

With Original Medicare, doctors and suppliers are required by
law to file Medicare claims for covered services. But with
Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C), these plans don't have to file
claims because Medicare pays these private insurance companies
a set amount each month.

Medicare claims must be filed no later that 12 months (1 full
calendar year) after the date when you received the service. If
a claim is not filed within this time limit, Medicare can't pay
its share.

A Medicare Summary Notice is mailed out every 3 months. Check the
summary and make sure claims are being filed timely or check on
mymedicare.gov.  If there is a problem contact your doctor or
supplier and ask them to file a claim.

If they don't file a claim call 1 800-medicare for information.
In very rare cases you might have to file a claim.

We specialize in Medicare Advantage plans and  Medicare Supplement plans so contact our
agency and an agent can assist you and make sure you fully understand your options and make
sure you get the best rates available. We cover Southern California,counties of Riverside,
San Bernardino and surrounding area's. We also cover Nevada and all of Utah.  Please visit
 us online at Medicareplansdirect.net or call 760-413-9749.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749

Complaint or Appeal?

You can file a complaint (also called a "grievance") if you have a concern
about the quality of care or other services you get from a Medicare provider.
For example, you are not happy about the care you are getting from your
Medicare health plan or Medicare drug plan, doctor, hospital etc. You may
also file a grievance if you have a problem calling the plan or if you are unhappy
with the way a staff person at the plan treated you. But, if you have a complaint
about a plan's refusal to cover a service, supply, or prescription, you would
file an appeal.



Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

U.S Health

A report requested by the U.S government showed Wednesday that
Americans are less healthy and die younger than people in other
wealthy countries. Some of the reasons are Americans are overeating,
lack of health insurance access and high poverty rates.

In the United States we have higher rates of obesity and heart disease
and worse infant mortality rates that other rich countries but we spend
more per person on healthcare.

Why are Americans slipping behind?

The U.S health disadvantage has multiple causes and involves a number of
issues like unhealthy behaviors, adverse economic and inadequate healthcare,
just to name a few.

The United States should look at policies that work in countries with superior
health to find answers or we will continue to fall behind.


Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Pre-Existing Conditions

Some Medigap policies will not cover pre-existing conditions for the first six months
the policy is in effect. A pre-existing medical condition is a condition for which
you received medical advice or treatment was recommended by or received from a physician
six months before your policy was issued. Even if you were to purchase a Medigap policy
during your "open enrollment" period, the new policy still may not pay for any pre-existing
conditions for up to six months. Compare different policies to see which ones do not cover
pre-existing conditions before you purchase a plan.

 Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Health Insurance Rates

Health insurance companies across the country are seeking and winning
double-digit increases in premiums for some customers. The biggest
objectives of the Obama administrations health care law was to stem
the rapid rise in insurance cost for consumers but that has not happen.

Small businesses and people who do not have employer provided insurance
are being affected the most. In California, the top Health Insurance
companies are proposing rate increases of over 20 percent for some of those
policy holders, according to the insurers' filings with the state for
2013.

The California insurance commissioner who is one of the two health plan
regulators in the state, said that without a federal provision giving all
regulators the ability to deny excessive rate increases then some insurance
companies can raise rates as must as they did before the Affordable Care Act.


Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Health Insurance Exchange

On Thursday Jan. 3, 2013 Obama administration approved plans by
seven states to create health insurance exchanges.

That brings the total to 17 states that the White House has signed
off on blueprints for those states to operate their own exchanges
in 2014, as long as they continue to meet certain benchmarks over
the course of the next year.

There is more work to be done for these states to be ready for open
enrollment in October, but the director of the department's Center
for Consumer Information believes they've made significant progress.

The majority of states did not submit applications to run their own
marketplace. They now have a couple of options. These states can
decide to partner with the federal government overseeing certain parts
of the new exchange, or leave the entire task to the Obama administration.

By Feb. 15, 2014 the States must notify the federal government of which
option they will pursue.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net

Understand Medicare Advantage Plan's care provider network

Most Medicare Advantage plans work with a network of doctors and
pharmacies to coordinate the care for their members. Private insurers
negotiate with doctors and pharmacies to offer special pricing, which
translates into lower costs for members.  Medicare beneficiaries should
visit in-network doctors and pick up their drugs from in-network pharmacies
whenever possible, to help save money.

Some Medicare Advantage plans allow members to see out-of-network
doctors,but the price of the services provided is usually higher.
Also, some plans do not cover services provided by out-of-network
doctors. So it is important for members to understand their plan's
policies before getting care.

We specialize in Medicare Advantage plans and  Medicare Supplement plans so contact our
agency and an agent can assist you and make sure you fully understand your options and make
sure you get the best rates available. We cover Southern California,counties of Riverside,
San Bernardino and surrounding area's. We also cover Nevada and all of Utah.  Please visit
 us online at Medicareplansdirect.net or call 760-413-9749.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749

Medigap & Travel

Standard Medigap Plans C, D, F, G, M and N provide foreign travel
emergency health care coverage when you travel outside the U.S

If you bought one of theses plans that are no longer offered
E, H, I and J before June 1, 2010 you may keep it. These plans
also provide foreign travel emergency health care coverage when
you travel outside the U.S.

Medigap Plans C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, M and N pay 80% of the billed
charges for certain medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S
 after you meet a $250 deductible for the year. These Medigap policies
cover foreign travel emergency care if it begins during the first 60 days
of your trip, as long as Medicare doesn't cover the care.

There is a lifetime limit of $50,000 for Foreign Travel emergency coverage
with these Medigap policies.

Sincerely,
Tom Caress
760-413-9749
medicareplansdirect.net