Archive of HAP's eNewsletters
2007

December 2007

• UPCOMING PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY: 2008-2009 Collaborative State Projects 
• HAP Tool: Dual Eligibles
• New HAP Resource Center: SHIP Funding
• SAVE THE DATE: Health Action 2008, January 24-26
• REMINDER: 1-800-Medicare Will Be Closed December 25
• Confirm Enrollments Online
• CMS Describes Social Security Reductions for MA Part B Premiums
• 2008 LIS Resource Limits
• PFFS Oversight
• CMS Lists Poorest Performing Nursing Homes Along with Nursing Home Selection Tools
• Quick Reference Describes Sources of Assistance
• Shrinking Drug Formularies
• MedPAC Recommends an Increase in SHIP Funding
• Patient Advocates Support Legislation Increasing Off-label Drug Coverage
• New Kaiser Resources on Part D Available

November 2007

• HAP Tool: Part D Training Manual
• HAP Tool: Part D Marketing Dos and Don’ts
• HAP Tool Available: 2008 PDP Chart for Your State
• HAP Welcomes Radha Choudary
• Medicare Advantage Plans Not Renewing Contracts
• Medicare & You 2008
• Qualified Individual (QI) Program Extended
• CMS Memo Allows a Grace Period for LIS Recipients
• List of PFFS Marketing Events Available Online
• Congress Questions Equity Firms Management of Nursing Homes
• Drug Plans Reach Out to Beneficiaries to Increase Extra Help Enrollment
• Medicare Advantage Plans Were Overpaid by $35 million, GAO Reports

October 2007

• Government Accountability Office to Assess 1-800-Medicare
• HAP's Annual Enrollment Period Toolkit
• Plan Offerings for 2008
• CMS Posts Corrective Action Plan Data
• Revisions to Medicare Advantage Grievances and Appeals
• CMS Announces Medicare Cost-Sharing for 2008
• LIS Late Enrollment Penalties Eliminated through 2008
• Mailings Regarding LIS Changes Are Under Way
• Medigap Out-of-Pocket Limits for 2008
• Reminder: Part D Plan Comparisons Release October 11
• Evaluating the Success of Part D
• Exploring the Challenges of LIS Outreach

September 2007

• Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Update
• Medicare Will Not Pay Hospitals for Advoidable Errors
• Guide to CMS, SSA, and Plan Mailings
• Updated Procedures for Low-Income Subsidy Redetermination
• Higher Premiums for Part D in 2008
• More Low-Income Beneficiaries Will Be Reassigned for 2008
• CMS Announced Payment Changes for Medicare Home Health Services
• Tip Sheets: PDP and MA Complaints and Appeals
• 2008 Part D Marketing Model Material Updates
• Final 2008 Model Evidence of Coverage (EOC) Issued
• Premium Withholding Payment Reconciliation

August 2007

• CHAMP Act of 2007
• House appropriations bill includes increases to SHIP funding
• Soecial Enrollment Period (SEP) for deceived beneficiaries
• One Company Resumes Marketing PFFS Plans
• CMS terminates MA plan
• LOEP ends
• Exculsion of off-label drugs from Medicare coverage
• Higher costs in Medicare for those uninsured before enrollment
• Lack of accountability for marketing abuses
• Tip sheets
• Finding those eligible for the Part D Low-income Subsidy (LIS)
• CMS released the model 2008 Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)
• Anemia drug coverage
• Reopening of clinical trail policy national coverage determination
• Premium withholding issues
• LIS fact sheet from Kaiser
• Private fee-for-service "toolkit"
• KFF offers Educational tutorial on MA

July 2007

• Seven companies suspend PFFS plan marketing
• MedPAC concerned with MA program's inefficiencies
• Mathematica questions value of PFFS plans
• CBP ties MA plan payments to Part A trust fund exhaustion
• PFFS primer for advocates now available
• GAO calls for Part D LIS improvements
• Commonwealth report recommends Part D improvements
• CMS issues 2008 Guidance
• Prescription Drug Manual updates and additions
• CMS details responsible marketing practices for PFFS plans
• SHIP Steering Committee Chair testifies on MA marketing abuses
• Hearing raises concerns about CMS oversight for Part D and MA plans
• New Important Message from Medicare for hospital inpatients
• Annual LIS Mailings
• Hospital quality of care measures compared on CMS website
• Report examines Part D in long-term care settings

May 2007

• CMS funding for SHIPs
• New Congressional Effort to Increase SHIP Funding to $1.00 per Beneficiary
• Medicare Trustee Report
• Medicare Part D Price Negotiation Bill Defeated
• Senate Finance Committee hearings April 11th, May 2nd, May 8th
• House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing on May 3rd
• Advocates Asf for an End to the 2 Year Waiting Period for Medicare

March 2007

• New KFF Issue Briefs Examine Medicare Plans
• Increasing Reports of Medicare Advantage Marketing Abuses
• Response from CMS to Advocate Concerns Regarding the L-OEP
• National Volunteer Week 
• Changes Made to Chapter 5 and 6 of the Prescription Drug Benefit Manual
• Revisions Made to Chapter 18 of the Prescription Drug Benefit Manual
• Clarification of "All or Nothing" Rule for Premium Withholding
• Revised Auto-Enrollment Letters
• Coverage Year Issues Associated with Coordination of Benefits (COB)
• Clarification of Involuntary Disenrollment Policy for Beneficiaries Who Elect Social Security Premium Withholding    

February 2007

• New Limited Open Enrollment Period for MA-Only Plans
• Report: CMS Oversight of Health Plans and Agents is Inadequate to Protect Beneficiaries
• CMS Releases Redetermination of Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Eligibility for 2007
• CMS Reports Generic Drug Use on the Rise 
• CMS Releases Extra Help Tip Sheet
• Congressional Testimony Calls for Increased SHIP Funding
• HAP Welcomes Deepti Sethi!