Medicare Monitor

Medicare Monitor

The Palm Beach Post's veteran Washington correspondent, Larry Lipman, tracks policy makers and interest groups who are shaping the future of the federal health insurance program for the elderly.

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Medicare at a glance
Medicare is the federal health care system that covers about 36 million people age 65 and older, plus 7 million disabled. It has four parts:

Part A Covers inpatient hospital care as well as nursing home, home health and hospice care. Nearly all elderly and disabled Americans qualify for Part A coverage.
Financed by a 2.9 percent payroll tax divided equally between employees and employers.

Part B Covers outpatient care, doctor’s services, durable medical equipment, home health visits and preventive care. Part B coverage is voluntary, but roughly 40 million are enrolled.
Financed by beneficiary premiums and federal general revenue. Current monthly premiums are $93.50. Starting this year, individuals whose taxable income is more than $80,000 will pay a higher premium.

Part C Medicare Advantage managed care plans provide health care normally covered by Medicare Parts A and B. They may also provide some other benefits, including prescription drugs, not covered by traditional Medicare. Oart C is voluntary; about 7 million beneficiaries are enrolled.
Financed by Medicare and beneficiary premiums, which vary among plans.

Part D Medicare prescription drug plans come in two types, those that just cover prescription drugs and those that cover drugs as part of a broader managed care benefit. Part D is voluntary. About 9.2 million beneficiaries are in stand-alone drug plans and about 5.1 million are in managed care drug plans.
The plans are private and financed by Medicare and beneficiary premiums, which vary among plans.
-- Larry Lipman

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Home > Medicare Monitor > Archives > 2008 > April > 01 > Entry

Doctors pay a House call

By Larry Lipman | Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 02:40 PM

Hundreds of doctors from around the country Wednesday will be calling on the House and Senate urging lawmakers to boost their Medicare reimbursement.

Congress dodged the issue in December when it agreed to delay a scheduled 10 percent Medicare fee cut for six months.

The docs plan a rally Wednesday morning across the street from the U.S. Capitol and then will be visiting the local House and Senate members. They’ll be urging support for a bill by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., that would eliminate the pay cut and replace it with a formula that increases reimbursements to more closely reflect medical inflation.

Click

to listen to what American Medical Association President-elect Dr. Nancy Nielsen has to say about the Medicare payment issue.

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