The federal government issued revised nursing facility regulations in September, and most provisions became effective on November 28. Now is the time for advocates, providers, and others to better understand how the regulations are changing nursing facility care. Justice in Aging, in partnership with The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, and the Center […]
The Social Security Administration’s Representative Payee program is an important program for ensuring that older adults who can no longer manage their finances have someone trustworthy and competent to do it for them. As the population ages and the prevalence of cognitive challenges among the older adult population increases, the Rep Payee program will become […]
Justice in Aging has produced two new Fact Sheets for advocates and consumers: The first, for advocates, Durable Medical Equipment: The Basics for California Advocates, offers definitions for DME, coverage levels by insurance type, and includes steps advocates can take to help clients access DME depending on their insurance coverage. The second, for consumers, Durable […]
Most individuals with full Medicare and Medi-Cal coverage are eligible to enroll in a Cal MediConnect plan. When a beneficiary loses full-scope Medi-Cal coverage, she also loses eligibility for Cal MediConnect. What happens when your client loses eligibility for Cal MediConnect? Is there a grace period to reestablish eligibility? What are Cal MediConnect deeming and […]
More than ten million older adults rely exclusively on Social Security benefits as their primary source of income. As the population ages and the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments increases, more older adults will need to rely on others to manage their finances. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has authority granted by […]
Every January, many Medicare beneficiaries change their Part D prescription drug coverage. Even those who don’t switch may find that their current plans have made changes in the drugs they cover or the utilization management restrictions they impose.
The annual Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 2015. Advocates serving low-income individuals-even if you do not normally work on Medicare issues-to help Medicare-eligible can clients understand what they need to do. Our Fact Sheet for Advocates provides five basic tips for questions to raise when talking with clients. We also have […]
The Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI) is now underway in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. There are a number of evaluations being conducted to measure how well the CCI is working. Some beneficiaries will receive letters and phone calls requesting their participation in a focus group or […]
In 2014, dental benefits for Medi-Cal beneficiaries were restored. But how do dual eligibles enrolled in Cal MediConnect get their dental services? What about the Cal MediConnect plans you’ve been hearing about that have a “dental supplement”? How does this change which provider Ms. Smith sees for a teeth cleaning or for a porcelain crown? […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established protections for Medicare Part D beneficiaries when they experience coverage transitions. To assist advocates with transition issues, Justice in Aging has released a paper that sets out the CMS minimum requirements for all plans. Beneficiaries in Medicare Part D drug plans can experience gaps in […]