The Center for Medicare Advocacy publishes a Weekly Alert via email.  The column deals with current issues in health care, particularly those which are of interest to Medicare beneficiaries and those who work with them.  The first Alert went out on March 4, 2004.  Many of the Alerts have dealt with various aspects of the Medicare Act of 2003.  To read through past alerts, please follow the links below.  .PDF versions of some Alerts are available where noted.

Praise for the Center for Medicare Advocacy Weekly Alert:

"Thank you so much to you and the entire staff  for this extraordinary service of emailing comprehensive authoritative Medicare news... it is wonderful to have such reliable info. Thank you."

- Patricia Tobin of Prensky & Tobin, Mill Valley, CA

"I really love the formatting and the ability to easily get a printable version and links to references, etc… it makes the information very useful."

 - Richard J. Mollot, Executive Director - Long Term Care Community Coalition

"What would the SHIP program do without the CMA Weekly Alerts?  Thank you."

- Lydia H. baker, Coordinator - Pima Council On Aging

CMA WEEKLY ALERTS

• 07/02/08 - Medicare Part D and people who are "medically needy".

• 06/30/08 - July 1, 2008 will be a sad day for Medicare beneficiaries.

• 06/26/08 - CMS plans to rank nursing homes by the end of 2008, but there are concerns about the proposed five-star rating system for nursing facilities.

• 06/19/08 - Dual eligibles and government seek court approval of Medicare prescription drug case settlement - Agreement filed in Situ v. Leavitt

• 06/12/08 - The battle to improve Medicare began again with the introduction of S. 3101, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act

• 06/05/08 - New Tip Sheets help explain the new competitive bidding program for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS).

• Medicare Part D is ever-changing, and not always in beneficiaries' favor.  Read about the latest Part D Updates to the low income benchmark, definition of covered drugs, and more - May 29, 2008

• CMS Attempts to Ease Concerns about Quality Improvement Contractors (QIOs) - May 22, 2008

• Center for Medicare Advocacy Report on Nursing Home Decisions Highlights Need for Serious Penalties - May 15, 2008

• Processes for some Durable Medical Equipment are going to start changing in July 2008 under the new competitive bidding program for suppliers for certain Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) - May 8, 2008

• Medicare's policy that requires beneficiaries to submit evidence along with their requests unfairly hinders people's ability to appeal. - May 1, 2008

• Medicare Cost Sharing for Dual Eligibles: Who Pays What for Whom? - April 24, 2008

• Prior Determination of Medicare Coverage for Certain Items and Services - April 17, 2008

• National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16, 2008.  Now  is the time to to talk to your loved ones about end-of-life planning - April 10, 2008

• State Health Insurance Counseling Programs (SHIPs) receive funding for 2008 - April 10, 2008

• Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices: Tips and Reminders for Beneficiaries - April 3, 2008

• Ending the Medicare Doomsday Predictions Once and for All – If There's the Will There's the Way - March 27, 2008

• What Does the New EEOC Rule on Retiree Health Benefits Mean for Medicare Beneficiaries? - March 20, 2008

• Did you know that Medicare Part B offers some coverage for footcare?

• Not April Fools!  Some Medicare beneficiaries will lose their Part D Low Income Subsidy on April 1, 2008.  Take immediate action to retain benefits! - March 7, 2008

• Medicare Open Enrollment Ends March 31: Limited Opportunity to Expand QMB and LIS Coverage - February 28, 2008

• The Medicare 45% Trigger: What it is and Why it Matters - February 21, 2008

• The New CMS Tool for Assessing Nursing Facility Penalties Assures They Will Remain Low - February 21, 2008

• Medicare's Coverage of Ambulance Services: Coverage Criteria - February 14, 2008

• Income-Relating Part D Premiums Will Create Costly Problems for Medicare Beneficiaries - February 8, 2008

• Center for Medicare Advocacy Releases New Report & Recommendations for Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs) - January 31, 2008

• New 2008 Poverty Levels Will Affect Eligibility Levels For Many Federal Health Programs - January 24, 2008

• CMS Makes the Case Against a Private Medicare System - January 17, 2008

• Medicare Lacks Coverage for Hearing Aids - January 10, 2008

• Bad News for Beneficiaries: Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) No Longer Mailed Monthly; Changes to Appeals Amounts - January 3, 2008

• CMA Weekly Alerts 2007

• CMA Weekly Alerts 2006

• CMA Weekly Alerts 2005

• CMA Weekly Alerts 2004

For further information on these alerts or to change your mailing status, please contact Matthew Shepard at (860) 456-7790 or mshepard @ medicareadvocacy.org (remove spaces in email address).