April 08 - Marci's Medicare Answers

Cancer screenings, premium help Dear Marci, Does Medicare cover the cost of screenings for cancer? Carol Dear Carol, Yes. Medicare covers screenings for several types of cancer - breast, cervical, vaginal, colon and prostate. Talk to your doctor about which screenings you should get. Early detection of cancer can increase the chances that treatment will be successful, and in some cases, can identify precancerous conditions that can be treated and cured before cancer develops. To learn more about risks, screenings and coping with cancer, visit the American Cancer Society's web site at www.cancer.org or call its hotline at 1-800-ACS-2345. Marci Dear Marci, Are there any hospitals or health care facilities that will treat patients at a reduced cost? Klaus Dear Klaus, People with Medicare can receive services from Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), which are also known as Primary Health Care Service Delivery Sites. FQHCs are health care facilities located in what is defined as "medically underserved areas" and provide Medicare-covered medical services as well as some preventive services that are not covered by Medicare. FQHCs waive the Medicare Part B annual deductible, and clinics may waive the 20 percent coinsurance for Medicare-covered benefits for people with an annual income at or below the federal poverty level ($10,400 a year for individuals and $14,000 a year for couples). To find the FQHC nearest you, call 888-ASK-HRSA or go to http://www.ask.hrsa.gov/pc/. Marci Dear Marci, After I retired last year, my income decreased significantly, and I'm now having trouble paying for my Part D drug plan - both the copays and the premium. I heard there are programs that might help me, but could I be ineligible because I own a home? Sarah Dear Sarah, No. If your monthly income is below $1,301 for singles ($1,751 for couples) and your assets are below $11,990 ($23,970 for couples), you may be eligible for Extra Help, a federal program that helps you pay for some or most of the costs of Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). You may still qualify even if your income or assets are above the limit, because certain types of income and assets may not be counted. For example, you do not need to state the value of your home or your car when you apply. You can apply for Extra Help through the Social Security Administration, using either the agency's print or online application (available at www.medicarerights.org), the nation's largest independent source of information and assistance for people with Medicare. To subscribe to "Dear Marci," MRC's free educational e-newsletter, simply e-mail . To learn more about cancer screenings, FQHCs and Extra Help, log on to Medicare Interactive Counselor at the Medicare Rights Center's website at www.medicarerights.org/help.html