What Medicare Covers Questions

1. How do we get Dad the care he needs if his Medicare supplement won't cover it?

   First, you need to find out exactly why your father's Medigap insurance company is denying coverage for the check-up, and whether they are denying any coverage at all or just part of the doctor's bill. There are several possibilities. The first is that Medicare itself is not covering this DBS check-up...
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2. Does Medicare help with the cost of handicap lifts or ramps?

   Medicare Part B covers what's called durable medical equipment. This includes "patient lifts," which are mechanical or hydraulic devices that help to safely lift a person out of or into a bed or chair. It's intended to avoid injuries to patients and caregivers alike.
   1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

3. Is stroke rehab after hospitalization considered a new Medicare rehabilitation benefits period?

   Assuming that Medicare Part Acovered her first stay in the rehab facility, her second hospital and rehab facility stay will still be considered part of the same benefit period. That's because she won't have been out of the hospital and rehab center for 60 consecutive days (she'll only have four weeks...
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4. Will a Medicare Advantage Plan cover the cost of intraocular lenses?

   If you are enrolled in a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage plan, the managed care plan itself, rather than Medicare, decides what is covered and what is not. The plan's decision about coverage must follow the terms set out in the plan's contract, a copy of which you receive when you enroll...
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5. Can I charge for speech therapy under Part B?

   Several different Medicare rules come into play in answering your question. First of all, if Medicare Part A covers the skilled nursing facility stay, all medically necessary inpatient services -- including speech therapy -- are usually provided by the facility itself and would be included in the daily facility charge paid by Medicare Part A...
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6. Does the nursing home take Mom's Social Security, directly, in Alabama?

   It seems like you're actually asking about Medicaid coverage of long-term nursing home care, not Medicare nursing home coverage, which only covers short-term stays in a skilled nursing facility while a patient is recovering following a hospitalization...
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7. Will Medicare only pay for one spot of skin cancer to be removed at a time?

   There is no Medicare Part B coverage rule that forces a patient to undergo procedures in any particular order. The decision about how many spots are to be removed at any one time is up to your father and his doctor, based on what is medically necessary and reasonable, and on what your father believes he can tolerate...
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8. When Am I Allowed to Switch out of a Medicare Part C Health Plan?

   Choosing a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage health plan doesn't mean you're stuck forever with that particular plan. If you later find a different plan you'd prefer, or you'd rather return to traditional Medicare Part A and Part B coverage, you can switch -- as long as you follow Medicare's enrollment rules...
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer

9. Does Medicare cover psychologist visits?

   Yes, it can, but only under certain circumstances, and only for part of the cost. If you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, it can partially cover diagnosis and treatment by a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker or other licensed mental health care practitioner...
   1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

10. Which Medicare Advantage plans cover the 48 states and Puerto Rico?

    All Medicare Part C "Medicare Advantage" managed care plans cover emergency medical care while you're traveling anywhere within the U.S. or Puerto Rico. The problem is finding a plan that would cover you for regular, non-emergency care in more than one geographic area.
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

11. Does Medicare pay for Lyme disease testing?

    Medicare Part B covers any medically reasonable testing, including laboratory work, to diagnose and treat any disease. Lyme disease is no different from any other disease. The trouble with Lyme disease is that it is often very difficult to diagnose (not to mention hard to treat effectively)...
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12. Will Medicare pay for carcinoma of the gums?

    Some treatment of the gums is covered by Medicare, even though "dental" care is not covered. If you receive surgery or other treatment on your gums from a physician, or if physicians often provide the same kind of care, then Medicare will cover it...
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13. Does Medicare pay for lift chairs?

    Medicare Part B covers what's called durable medical equipment, which includes "patient lifts." These are not chairs themselves but mechanical or hydraulic devices that help to safely lift a person out of or into a bed or chair. They not only make it easier get in and out of bed or chair but also help avoid injuries to patients and caregivers...
    1 Expert Answer

14. If Dad lives in a house owned by Mom and me, can Medicare take it to pay for care and will it count against him for Medicaid?

    First, let's talk about Medicare. Medicare Part B (doctors, laboratories, clinics, and other outpatient care) does not seek reimbursement from a patient for anything. You and your mother do not have any financial responsibility to Medicare...
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15. How can we convince Mediare that facility-based hospice care is necessary and should be covered?

    Hospice as covered by Medicare can be a tremendous help to both a patient and the family, but it's not intended to provide long-term inpatient care. Instead, it's meant to allow a person to be as comfortable as possible at home during the final stages of a terminal illness, with only very short stays...
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16. How Can I Increase the Odds That Medicare Will Cover My Medical Service?

    It's usually obvious whether a medical service is covered by Medicare Part A or Part B, or by a private Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan. But occasionally Medicare, or a Medicare Part C plan, denies payment for care that a patient expects to be covered...
    FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 15 Community Answers

17. When Can I Join or Switch to a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan?

    You can join a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan as soon as you first become eligible for Medicare Part A or enroll in Medicare Part B (either when you turn 65 or become eligible for Medicare because of a two-year, continuing period of Social Security disability benefits)...
    FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

18. Should I Join a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan if I Have Other Drug Coverage?

    Usually not, for two reasons: First, if your other drug plan covers all the prescription drugs you regularly take, enrolling in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan would be a waste of money -- one plan or the other can pay for a single prescription, but not both...
    FAQ 1 Expert Answer

19. Will medicare pay for an oral surgeon consultation?

    That may depend on the kind of work the oral surgeon does, and perhaps on whether the surgeon is a physician (M.D.) or a dentist. If the oral surgeon is a physician, Medicare Part B will almost certainly cover the care. If the oral surgeon is not a physician, it depends on the kind of consultation and follow-up services the surgeon performs...
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20. Can Medicare stop services because of a personal injury claim 6 years ago?

    A key element to answering your question is that of when did the settlement of your personal injury case occur. Although you indicate that your personal injury occurred six years ago, you do not indicate when the settlement of your case occured. The laws pertaining to Medicare claims on personal injury have changed much in recent years...
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