Monthly Archives: February 2021

Medicare Coverage After a Stroke

Yearly, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. The significant problems resulting from a stroke can include problems with balance, hearing or vision, paralysis, decreased mobility, and more. To fully understand what Medicare covers during recovery, read on.

Rehabilitation Services
Medicare will cover hospital, rehabilitation center, or skilled nursing facility care for those who have suffered from a stroke.

Medicare Part A will cover any inpatient rehabilitation necessary, as long as the patient’s doctor deemed it necessary. Stroke recovery care is factored into the requirements and costs associated with a typical skilled-nursing-facility. 

Medicare Part B will cover any needed outpatient rehabilitation such as physical therapy as long as the patient’s doctor noted it is necessary.

Medical Equipment
Medicare Part B will cover durable medical equipment as long as it is medically necessary for stroke survivors. Items on this list include wheelchairs, walkers, lifts, canes, etc.

If you have high risk factors for stroke, be vigilant and discuss your Medicare coverage with your provider. It is crucial to understand your costs fully, should you suffer from a stroke in the future. Take note of equipment, charges, services, and more in the event you will need to utilize your coverage.

To speak with one of our expert representatives regarding Medicare and coverage for stroke victims, contact Senior Health Medicare today.

Senior Health Medicare is a superior resource for Medicare guidance, information, and ongoing client support. Selecting a Medicare plan is not a flippant decision. It requires annual revisiting and evaluation in order for the member to retain the most cost-effective plan. Senior Health Medicare is here to serve as your resource through all the years to come. Contact us today at 888-404-5049 or visit us on the web at www.seniorhealthmedicare.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Will Medicare Cover the COVID-19 Vaccine?

As new COVID-19 vaccines are approved in the United States, health departments in all 50 states received their first round of vaccines. Frontline healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities were the first ones to receive doses.

Medicare will cover the coronavirus vaccine, thanks to the CARES Act, which was passed by Congress in March 2020. Medicare Part B is required by the CARES Act to 100 percent cover FDA-Approved COVID-19 vaccines. This means if you are a Medicare beneficiary, you will have no out-of-pocket costs for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine was developed with $10 billion in funding from the federal government. Under the CARES Act, the vaccine is free to all. The Medicare Trust Fund covers 100 percent of the vaccine’s cost for those Medicare and/or Medicaid beneficiaries. Private insurers are required to offer the vaccine for free to plan members. No money is allowed to be collected from vaccine patients by providers who administer the vaccine. Even if the insurance company (or Medicare) doesn’t reimburse the provider, they still are banned from billing the patient for the balance.

Those without insurance can get the vaccine for free under the CARES Act. Providers who administer the vaccine to people who do not have health insurance can submit a reimbursement request.

If you get the COVID-19 vaccine and receive a bill, it might have been for other services not related to the shot. If your only reason for an office/doctor visit is due to COVID-19, you should not receive a bill. If you received other services in the same visit, your regular Medicare cost-sharing would apply.

Currently, the CARES Act specifies only two Federal Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccines for COVID-19: the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine. Several other vaccines are in development and testing stages; if they are approved for use by the FDA, Medicare will cover those also. Both approved vaccines require two doses (or shots) for complete immunity. Depending on the shot you obtained, you should receive a second dose three or four weeks later.

The chances of getting COVID-19 from the vaccine are impossible. Most vaccines introduce a live virus into the body to provoke an immune response. The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines do not include any actual coronavirus. Instead, they use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. This process provides genetic coded cells needed to produce proteins that stimulate the immune system. It is a novel implication in vaccines; however, this has been used in cancer immunotherapy for years and is rigorously tested.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine related to Medicare, contact the experts at Senior Health Medicare today.

Senior Health Medicare is a superior resource for Medicare guidance, information, and ongoing client support. Selecting a Medicare plan is not a flippant decision. It requires annual revisiting and re-evaluating in order for the client to stay in the most cost-effective coverage. Senior Health Medicare is here to serve as your resource through all the years to come. Contact us today at 888-404-5049 or visit us on the web at www.seniorhealthmedicare.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.