The Medicare & You handbook, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is updated every year with helpful information for Medicare beneficiaries.
New Updates in the 2022 Handbook
COVID-19
Medicare covers vaccines, diagnostic tests, antibody tests, and monoclonal antibody treatments. During the public health emergency, you pay nothing for the vaccine, booster or additional dose; diagnostic tests from a laboratory, pharmacy, doctor or hospital; antibody tests; or monoclonal antibody treatment when you get the treatment from a Medicare provider or supplier. This coverage could change when the public health emergency ends.
Cognitive Assessment and Care Plan
Medicare covers a cognitive assessment to detect early signs of cognitive impairment. If you show signs of cognitive impairment, Medicare also covers a separate assessment for a full review of your cognitive function.
Blood-based Biomarker Test
Medicare covers a screening test for colorectal cancer once every three years if you are between 50 and 85, at average risk, and show no symptoms of the disease.
Updates to Medicare.gov
The handbook also mentions that the Medicare website has been updated to make finding information easier.
Parts of Medicare
The handbook gives an overview of the parts of Medicare along with a detailed explanation of each part of Medicare in its own section. There you can learn about the coverage each part provides and what costs you can expect.
Signing Up for Medicare
This section explains how to qualify for each enrollment period, when the enrollment periods are, and what you can do during each enrollment period. The information is laid out in a question format, so you can easily navigate to the questions that apply to you. There you can learn about how Medicare works with employer coverage, COBRA, TRICARE, Medicaid, and more.
Medicare Covered Services, Tests, and Items
This section alone makes the handbook an essential resource. Here you can refer to an indexed list of covered services to find out if Medicare will cover the test, service, or item you need.
Financial Help Services
Here you can learn more about Medicare programs such as Extra Help, which helps people with limited income and resources afford their prescription drugs. You can also read about the Medicare Savings Programs and Medicaid coverage, as well as state pharmacy assistance programs, pharmaceutical assistance programs, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and Social Security disability insurance.
Fraud Information
Whether you’re new to Medicare or just need a refresher, this section can teach you how to protect your Medicare number and prevent fraud by being cautious in your interactions. It tells you how to report attempted fraud and where you can look to make sure the claims your provider submitted are correct. Use this section to learn how to protect your security.
The Medicare & You handbook is an excellent resource to turn to. It answers a wide array of questions and can guide you when you have questions about coverage, costs, enrollment, and more.
The team at Dale Frank Financial is here to connect you with the Medicare services you need. Contact us today to find the Medicare plan that is right for you.
*Disclosure: Dale Frank Financial offers insurance products but is not affiliated with Medicare or the U.S. government. Insurance product guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing company.
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