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In December's Issue:
HAP HAPpenings
- Check Your Skills: Holiday Edition
- Get the Inside Scoop on Health Reform
- No HAP Conference Call in December
CMS News
- Comments Requested: Interim Final Rule on Agent Compensation
- Awaiting 2009 LIS Income Standards
- CMS Tip Sheet Explains Features of the Plan Finder
- Two New CMS Resources for Caregivers
Interesting Items
- How Is the U.S. Economy Affecting Older Americans?
- What Is the Effect of the Economic Crisis on Volunteering?
- New Report Highlights MIPPA Provisions to Reduce Health Disparities
- MRC Coalition Fights to Eliminate Two-Year Waiting Period
- NSCLC Releases Reassignment Report
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Best Practices
- AEP Wind Down
- Norfolk County Massachusetts's New Volunteer "Counselor Packet"
- OEP Ramp Up
- Nebraska's Medicare Advantage Guide
- Louisiana's MA Plan Expectation Meeting
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HAP HAPpenings
Check Your Skills: Holiday Edition
For a fun and informative break from Annual Enrollment Period, we hope you will take a minute to enjoy our tribute to the holiday season with our festive Check Your Skills holiday edition.
Be sure to come back in January, when you will once again be able to check your knowledge with quizzes on Medicare subject matter.
Get the Inside Scoop on Health Reform
This year’s Health Action 2009, an annual conference hosted by Families USA, will be an exciting opportunity for health care advocates around the country to get the inside scoop on the health care reform asks for the new Administration and Congress.
We hope to see you at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC from January 29-31. If you have questions about the conference or want to let us know you are coming, please email us at SHIPhelp@hapnetwork.org.
No HAP Conference Call in December
We know you are busy with the Annual Enrollment Period and the joyous chaos of the holiday season, so HAP will not host a conference call in December.
If you start to miss us, don’t despair, you can listen online to past calls at your convenience. We look forward to reconnecting with you on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 3:00pm ET.
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Want to help your clients lower their drug costs?
Plan Finder now allows you to search for similar drugs within the same therapeutic class.
Look no further than HAP's October Conference Call page for more information. |
| We welcome your comments and suggestions. Email us at SHIPhelp@hapnetwork.org. |
What's HAPpening
Check out HAP's What's HAPpening Center for timely analyses of stakeholder meetings and news reports on issues that affect SHIPs and the beneficiaries you serve. This month:
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The Wall Street Journal highlights SHIPs in recent article. -
Health Affairs briefing on Medicare Advantage. | |
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CMS News
Comments Requested: Interim Final Rule on Agent Compensation
On November 14, CMS released in the Federal Register an interim final rule regarding new limits for agent and broker compensation for MA and Part D plans. A comment period is in effect with comments due on December 15, 2008.
This interim final rule establishes a process for organizations offering MA and/or Part D plans to provide compensation to agents or brokers assisting with beneficiary enrollments. In summary, the rule sets certain limits on the amount an agent or broker can be paid to assist a beneficiary. Specifically, compensation for initial enrollments cannot be more than twice the compensation paid for subsequent "renewal" enrollments. However, the interim rule does not establish a dollar limit for such compensation.
HAP encourages SHIPs to read the rule and offer their own comments to CMS. Or if you would prefer, we are happy to incorporate your feedback as part of the comments HAP is submitting. Please send your thoughts about this interim rule to us at SHIPhelp@hapnetwork.org.
Awaiting 2009 LIS Income Standards
On October 22, CMS announced the 2009 resource and cost-sharing limits for individuals applying for the low-income subsidy (LIS). Check out HAP’s 2009 Annual Enrollment Period Toolkit for a quick reference chart on cost-sharing with the new updates. CMS will announce the 2009 income standards for LIS in early 2009 after the 2009 federal poverty levels (FPL) are published.
SHIPs can advise beneficiaries that the Social Security Administration (SSA) may not immediately process LIS applications filed around the New Year if the beneficiary’s income is slightly over the current LIS levels. These applications will be processed after the 2009 income standards are announced.
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Plan Finder Clarifications
CMS recently released a two page tool that provides clear descriptons of features in the Plan Finder.
Access Now |
CMS Tip Sheet Explains Features of the Plan Finder
If you have not already seen it, CMS released a “Points to Consider When Using Plan Finder" tip sheet, which provides clear definitions for specific areas within the Drug Plan Finder. You can find this, along with other Plan Finder resources, by visiting HAP’s November Conference Call page.
Two New CMS Resources for Caregivers
CMS recently announced two new resources for families caring for Medicare beneficiaries. The first is a new section on the website that provides answers to questions about Medicare coverage and benefits. “Ask Medicare” covers a range of topics around the following subject areas: Help with Billing, Navigating Medicare, Care Options, and Getting Help.
The second resource - Planning for Your Discharge: A Checklist for Patients and Caregivers - is a 16-item checklist to help smooth the transition out of a hospital, nursing home, or other health care setting.
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Interesting Items
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What is the Effect of the Economic Crisis on Volunteering?
Energize, Inc. tackled this tough question in its November Hot Topic column. Learn how the current recession could affect your SHIP volunteer program, discover ways to make the best of volunteerism during these hard times, and share your opinions too!
How is the U.S. Economy Affecting Older Americans?
A poll of Americans ages 60 and older reveals that the economic downturn is having an impact on their daily lives, as well as other major financial decisions. More than half (53 percent) of older Americans believe the current economic conditions are worse than they have ever experienced. Here are some other key findings from the poll:
- The majority (87 percent) are cutting back on their spending, including spending on food and transportation.
- One in five retirees are now working or seeking employment.
- Some 16 percent are withdrawing or planning to withdraw funds from their retirement savings.
- For additional poll results, please see Feeling the Economic Pinch: A MetLife QuickPOLL of Americans 60+ by Metlife Mature Market Institute.as well as what is available in 2009 in your area.
NSCLC Releases Reassignment Report
The National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) recently released a report, Musical Chairs: An Analysis of Part D Annual Reassignment Processes. This report examines the calculation of the benchmark amount, the changes to low income subsidy (LIS) plan availability, and the effect of reassignment on beneficiaries with extra help who are enrolled in Part D plans.
The report also includes a chart that shows a state-by-state breakdown of LIS plans in 2008 versus LIS plan in 2009, including details about benchmark status and monthly premium.
The chart also gives the following information about 2008 LIS plans that will no longer be LIS plans in 2009:
- The monthly premium for choosers who stay in the plan.
- The plan to which auto-enrolled full LIS will be reassigned.
- The plan to which all 2008 enrollees will be reassigned to because the plan will not be offered in 2009.
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MRC Coalition Fights to Eliminate Two-Year Waiting Period
The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) recently announced that dozens of health advocacy organizations have joined together in an effort to phase out the two-year Medicare waiting period for people with disabilities. Named the Coalition to End the Two-Year Wait for Medicare, this alliance offers support for legislation (H.R. 154 and S. 2102), which would phase out the waiting period over the next ten years. The legislation would also create a process that allows some individuals with life-threatening diseases to have immediate access to the Medicare program during the ten-year phase out period.
Background information about the necessity of this legislation is available in the MRC report, Too Sick to Work, Too Soon for Medicare.
HAP encourages SHIPs to invite appropriate clients to share their stories with the Medicare Rights Center by using the form available on the Project’s website. | |
New Report Highlights MIPPA Provisions to Reduce Health Disparities
A new report by Families USA, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, discusses how MIPPA addresses racial and ethnic health disparities within the Medicare population, including measures for improving the evaluation of health disparities, outreach to the previously uninsured, and compliance with cultural competency standards. The report also includes suggestions on educating Medicare beneficiaries and engaging the broader health care advocate community. Specific suggestions for SHIPs include making translators available and helping beneficiaries report facilities not complying with cultural competency standards. |
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