·
People with End-Stage Renal Disease
(permanent kidney failure requiring
dialysis or a transplant). Medicare
has 2 parts:
PART A (Hospital Insurance). Most
people do not pay for Part A.
Helps pay for - Care in hospitals as
an inpatient, skilled nursing
facilities, hospice care, and some
home health care. It also helps pay
for critical access hospitals or small
facilities that give limited
outpatient and inpatient services to
people in rural areas.
Cost - Most people receive Part A
automatically when they turn age 65.
They do not have to pay a monthly
payment called a premium for Part A
because they or a spouse paid Medicare
taxes while they were working.
If you (or your spouse) did not pay
Medicare taxes while you worked and
you are 65 or older, you still may be
able to buy Part A. If you are not
sure if you have Part A, look on your
red, white, and blue Medicare card. It
will show “Hospital Part A” on the
lower left corner of the card.
Medicare Part A helps
pay for:
Hospital Stays -
Semiprivate room, meals, general
nursing, and other hospital services
and supplies (this includes care in
critical access hospitals in rural
areas. This does not include private
duty nursing, or a television or
telephone in your room. It also does
not include a private room, unless
medically necessary. Inpatient mental
health care coverage in an independent
psychiatric facility is limited to 190
days in a lifetime.
Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Care**
- Semiprivate room, meals, skilled
nursing and rehabilitative services,
and other services and supplies (after
a 3-day hospital stay).
Home Health Care**
- Part-time skilled nursing care,
physical therapy, occupational
therapy, speech-language therapy, home
health aide services, durable medical
equipment (such as wheelchairs,
hospital beds, oxygen, and walkers)
and supplies, and other services.
Hospice Care**
- Medical and support services from a
Medicare-approved hospice, drugs for
symptom control and pain relief,
short-term respite care, care in a
hospice facility, hospital, or nursing
home when necessary, and other
services not otherwise covered by
Medicare. Home care is also covered.
Blood – Pints of blood you get at a
hospital or skilled nursing facility
during a covered period.
Regarding benefits for each benefit
period, please contact your local
Social Security office, or nearest
Community-Based or Faith-Based
Organization that offers Medicare
information or orientation services.
You can also call the Social Security
Administration toll-free at
1-800-772-1213 (available in English
and Spanish) or call your local Social
Security office for more information
about buying Part A.
**NOTE: You must meet certain
conditions in order for Medicare to
cover the following services
PART B (Medical Insurance). Most
people pay monthly for Part B.
Helps pay for:
Doctors’ services, outpatient hospital
care, and some other medical services
that Part A does not cover, such as
the services of physical and
occupational therapists, and some home
health care. Part B helps pay for many
covered services and supplies whey
they are medically necessary.
Cost:
You pay the Medicare Part B premium of
$54.00 per month (in effect since
January 1, 2001). This is still the
2002 amount. In some cases this amount
may be higher if you did not choose
Part B when you first became eligible
at age 65. The cost of Part B may go
up 10% for each 12-month period that
you could have had Part B but did not
sign up for it, except in special
cases. You will have to pay this extra
10% for the rest of your life.
Medical Services:
Doctors’ services (except for routine
physical exams), outpatient medical,
surgical and supplies, diagnostic
tests, ambulatory surgery center
facility fees for approved procedures,
and durable medical equipment (such as
wheel chairs, hospital beds, oxygen,
and walkers). Also covers second
surgical opinions. Outpatient physical
and occupational therapy including
speech-language therapy.
Clinical Laboratory Service:
Blood tests, urinalysis, and more.
Home Health Care:
home health aide services, durable
medical equipment when supplied by a
home health agency while getting
Medicare-covered home health care, and
other supplies and services.
Outpatient Hospital Services:
Services for the diagnosis or
treatment of an illness or injury.
Blood:
Pints of blood you get as an
outpatient, or as part of a Part B
covered service.
Enrolling in Part B is your choice.
You can sign up for Part B anytime
during a 7-month period that begins 3
months before you turn 65. Visit your
Social Security Administration at
1-800-772-1213 to sign up. You will
have access Spanish-speaking
personnel.
For the latest costs for each benefit
period, please contact your local
Social Security office, or nearest
Community-Based or Faith-Based
Organization that offers Medicare
information or orientation services.
If you choose to have Part B, the
premium is usually taken out of your
monthly Social Security payment. If
you do not get any of these payments,
Medicare sends you a bill for your
Part B premium every 3 months. You
should get your Medicare premium bill
by the 10th of the month. If you do
not get your bill by the 10th, call
the Social Security Administration at
1-800-772-1213, or your local Social
Security office. If you get benefits
from the Railroad Retirement Board,
call your local RRB office or
1-800-808-0772 – this service is not
available in Spanish. You can also
call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
This service is available in both
English and Spanish. For the hearing
and speech impaired, please call TTY/TDD:
1-877-486-2048. This service is also
available in English and Spanish. You
can have the above-listed services
send you the National Medicare
Handbook in English or Spanish. The
Handbook has detailed explanation of
all the services, benefits, and
payments as well as a listing of
important phone numbers for your area.
Knowledge is good medicine.
Pass it on!
TM
For more information
contact: Health Salud USA, Inc.
350 Fifth Avenue 59th floor
New York, New York 10118
E-mail:info@HealthSaludUSA.com
