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Hopeless · 02-05-2014, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mz Migraine

Just for the record.....

The online book & also the PDF version of Medicare & You 2014 has all the basic information you need. However, the one Medicare recipients get through the mail is personalized for each state, not person. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
The book has all the insurance companies that are allowed to sell "health" coverage in the state of your domicile. Every "health" carrier in the USofA does not afford coverage in every state. The Medicare Book is directly from the MEDICARE, not the "state."

Last summer, I received a letter from SSDI reminding me that since I am on Medicare, I do not need to sign up for "The Affordable Care" a/k/a PPACA. This is what my letter said in part more or less:
"Medicare is health insurance, so beneficiaries do not need to buy anything during the ACA enrollment period that starts on Oct. 1, when the state-run health insurance marketplaces open for business. Seniors on Medicare can change their plans and prescription drug coverage during the Medicare open enrollment period, which is Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Medicare beneficiaries who are satisfied with their current plans don't have to do anything."
There is also info about this on the Medicare website:

===============

No offense taken. I usually post links to confirm my statements if necessary. Didn't have time when I originally posted.
I am assuming you are not on Medicare? Asking because I receive my Medicare & You book directly from Medicare every Fall. Takes me a full 6 months to read all that stuff about the health ins companies in my state.

HTH

Hi Mz Migraine,

Thank you for your response but I still disagree. First, I [U]am[ /U]on Medicare and I do [U]not[/U ]receive the "Medicare and You" booklet. It is not mailed to everyone automatically that is on Medicare. Cost cutting measures have limited the number of persons receiving the booklet from Medicare. The Medicare produced booklet is 152 pages, and is the same for ALL states.

I do not believe that Medicare produces a separate customized book for each of our 50 states of the union. It is my belief that YOUR state may add to the booklet and send them out. If Medicare produced a "customized" booklet for each state, then why would they not have all 50 online? You can put in your zip code at the Medicare website and obtain the various information for your state but not a "customized" booklet. When you referred to customized, I did not think at any time that you meant customized to an individual. I did understand that you were referring to state customization which is yet another reason why I believe that your "customized" book is produced by your state. The relationship of each state with Medicare may be different.

Quote:

Every "health" carrier in the USofA does not afford coverage in every state.

Totally agree with this statement.

Regarding the letter you received..........

The PPACA requires all persons to have health insurance.

Quote:

"Medicare is health insurance, so beneficiaries do not need to buy anything during the ACA enrollment period that starts on Oct. 1, when the state-run health insurance marketplaces open for business.

This quote from your letter simply means that you HAVE insurance if you have Medicare so you do NOT need to be a part of the ACA marketplace.

Quote:

Seniors on Medicare can change their plans and prescription drug coverage during the Medicare open enrollment period, which is Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Medicare beneficiaries who are satisfied with their current plans don't have to do anything."

This quote simply means that anyone on Medicare may make changes during the open enrollment period. This has been in effect LONG before the PPACA was ever signed. This is not anything new or related to "ObamaCare".

Just because a program is a FEDERAL program, does not mean that it is handled exactly the same way in each state. The benefits must be the same but how it is administered can vary greatly. I could list numerous items to illustrate. One of which you already pointed out is that there are different insurers that participate in Medicare coverage in different states.

Another example........ when a person is on original Medicare, (NOT a Part C Advantage Plan), their claim is processed by a company selected by Medicare and NOT directly by some central Medicare office. The location of the service and the domicile of the Medicare patient determine where and by whom the claim is processed.

I mean no disrespect to you at all but I disagree with your interpretation of the letter you received and the booklet you get.

Hope we are still friends.