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Tidbits® of Hilton Head, Bluffton, and Beaufort
Senior News Line
April 7–20, 2012
Friendlier Annual Medicare Report
by Matilda Charles
© 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Medicare is coming out with a new version of our annual report, the Medicare Summary Notice. Medicare spent 18 months asking questions of some of us who receive the reports, and then redesigned it with our suggestions in mind. It’s done a good job. The new report, part of the “Your Medicare Information: Clearer, Simpler, At Your Fingertips” initiative, will make it easier to understand all of our benefit and services information. It will be easier to determine if fraud has occurred, or if we need to file an appeal for a claim. New items on the reports will be: • Larger text fonts. • A notice about checking our information for potential fraud and details on how to do that, and a reminder to check the services listed and the amounts paid. • “Consumer-friendly descriptions” of medical procedures. • A list of doctors we’ve seen, clearly listed, along with the dates. • Deductible status, with the amount of the Part B
Deductible that has been met for the year. • Claims status, with information about whether all services were approved. If the answer is “no,” it tells what amount might be billed to us. • Preventive services that are available. For now, this new report is available only online, but starting in 2013 we’ll receive these reports quarterly by mail. To see a sample of the old versus new reports, go online to mymedicare.gov and click on “Making Medicare claims and benefits statement clearer, simpler.” In the article there is a link to a side-by-side comparison. (A hint: This shows up as a very small graphic in a .pdf file. Click the “plus” sign at the top of the screen to enlarge the picture.) Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.
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