Sunday, February 22, 2015

Saving Dollars Makes Sense, with Medicare

With rising prices on essentials like groceries, you’re not alone if you’re keeping a close eye on your wallet. Many Americans are facing financial challenges today, and health care costs are no exception. Luckily, there are many ways you can save money on your health care costs if you have Medicare.


If you have limited income and resources, you may qualify for Medicaid – a joint federal and state program that helps with Medical costs. Even if you don’t qualify for Medicaid, there are other programs that may help you pay for your Medicare premiums and other costs.


The 4 Medicare Savings Programs are:



  1. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program

  2. Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program

  3. Qualifying Individual (QI) Program

  4. Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) Program


If you qualify for Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program, you’ll also get Extra Help paying for your prescription drugs automatically. If you don’t automatically qualify Extra Help, you can apply online at SSA.gov.


It’s important to call or fill out an application if you think you could qualify for savings—even if your income or resources are higher than the amounts listed on Medicare.gov. These amounts change yearly, and there may be another savings program you are eligible for depending on your specific situation. To find out if you are eligible for savings through one of these programs, call your State Medicaid Program.




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from Doctors Who Take Medicaid http://ift.tt/1B25m1v via Doctors Who Take Medicaid in Colorado

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Saving Dollars Makes Sense, with Medicare

With rising prices on essentials like groceries, you’re not alone if you’re keeping a close eye on your wallet. Many Americans are facing financial challenges today, and health care costs are no exception. Luckily, there are many ways you can save money on your health care costs if you have Medicare.


If you have limited income and resources, you may qualify for Medicaid – a joint federal and state program that helps with Medical costs. Even if you don’t qualify for Medicaid, there are other programs that may help you pay for your Medicare premiums and other costs.


The 4 Medicare Savings Programs are:



  1. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program

  2. Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program

  3. Qualifying Individual (QI) Program

  4. Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) Program


If you qualify for Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program, you’ll also get Extra Help paying for your prescription drugs automatically. If you don’t automatically qualify Extra Help, you can apply online at SSA.gov.


It’s important to call or fill out an application if you think you could qualify for savings—even if your income or resources are higher than the amounts listed on Medicare.gov. These amounts change yearly, and there may be another savings program you are eligible for depending on your specific situation. To find out if you are eligible for savings through one of these programs, call your State Medicaid Program.




Filed under: Uncategorized



from Doctors Who Take Medicaid http://ift.tt/1B25m1v via Doctors Who Take Medicaid

Sunday, February 1, 2015

This Valentine’s Day, give yourself the gift of a healthy heart

Although popular love songs might tell you otherwise, a broken heart can’t kill you – but heart disease can. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, taking 600,000 lives each year.


You might not be able to avoid Cupid’s arrow, but you can take steps to lower your risks and prevent heart disease. Start by scheduling an appointment with your doctor to discuss whether you’re at risk for heart disease.


Medicare will cover a cardiovascular screening at no cost to you every 5 years. The screening includes tests to help detect heart disease early and measures cholesterol, blood fat (lipids), and triglyceride levels.


If you and your doctor discover that you’re at risk for a heart attack or stroke, there are steps you can take to help prevent these conditions. You might be able to make lifestyle changes (like changing your diet and increasing your activity level or exercising more often) to lower your cholesterol and stay healthy.


February is American Heart month, so start it off right by visiting the Million Hearts® Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Resource Center. Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. The resource center was developed in partnership with EatingWell magazine. It features lower sodium, heart-healthy recipes and family-friendly meal plans to help manage sodium intake, a major contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease.


Check out our video for more information about the Million Hearts initiative.




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