Dear Marci,

My doctor says I need home health care. Will Medicare cover this?

—Ralph

Dear Ralph,
Medicare will help pay for your home care if all four of the following are true:

1. You are homebound, meaning it takes a considerable and taxing effort to leave your home; and
   
2. You need skilled nursing care on a part-time or intermittent basis and/or you need skilled therapy services; and
   
3. Your doctor signs a home health certification stating that you qualify for Medicare home care because you are homebound and need intermittent skilled care. The certification must also say that a plan of care has been made for you, and that it is regularly reviewed by a doctor. Usually, the certification and plan of care are combined in one form that is signed by your doctor and submitted to Medicare.

• Starting April 1, 2011, as part of the certification, doctors must also confirm that they (or certain other providers, such as nurse practitioners) have had a face-to-face meeting with you that was related to the main reason you need home care. This meeting must occur within 90 days of starting to receive home health care or within 30 days after you have already started receiving home health care. Your doctor must specifically state that the face-to-face meeting confirmed that you are homebound and that you qualify for intermittent skilled care.

4.  You receive your care from a Medicare-certified home health agency (CHHA).

Dear Marci,

Am I eligible for Medicare coverage of annual glaucoma screenings? 

—Gertrude

Medicare Part B covers annual glaucoma screenings at 80 percent for individuals who are at high risk. You or your supplemental insurer is responsible for the remaining 20 percent.

People are considered at high risk for glaucoma if they:

• Have a family history of glaucoma
• Have diabetes
• Are African American and aged 50 or older
• Are Hispanic and aged 65 or older

If you are in a Medicare private health plan, you should contact your plan to see what rules and costs apply.

—Marci

Dear Marci,

I have Extra Help, and I heard I can change drug plans at any time. Is that true?

—Bart

Dear Bart,

Yes. If you receive Extra Help, the federal program that helps pay for Medicare prescription drug costs, you get a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that allows you to join, disenroll from or switch Medicare drug plans on a monthly basis. The SEP begins the month that you become eligible for Extra Help, Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program (MSP), and continues as long as you have Extra Help. (If you lose Medicaid or the MSP, or if you lose Extra Help during the calendar year, you get one two-month SEP. If you lose Extra Help for the next calendar year because you are no longer deemed eligible, you get one SEP that lasts from January to March.)

To switch plans, you should enroll in your new plan without dis-enrolling from your old plan. It is best to enroll into your new plan by calling 800-MEDICARE, rather than by calling the new plan. You will be automatically dis-enrolled from your previous Medicare private drug plan when your new coverage starts.

—Marci

The Medicare Rights Center is dedicated to helping people with Medicare get the health care and medications they need and make the most of their Medicare rights and options.  They also offer comprehensive services to help people with Medicare and their caregivers fully understand the options and sources of support that are available to them.  Learn more on the website at MedicareRights.org