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G UIDE TO M EDICARE A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE DENISON BULLETIN AND DENISON REVIEW www.DBRnews.com | Friday, January 25, 2013 “my Social Security” account...Page 2 Social Security’s online services...Page 4 Electronic payments... Page 8 About Medicare... Page 10
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Page 1: Medicare 2013

GUIDE TO MEDICAREA S P E C I A L S E C T I O N O F T H E D E N I S O N B U L L E T I N A N D D E N I S O N R E V I E W

www.DBRnews.com | Friday, January 25, 2013

“my Social Security”account...Page 2

Social Security’s onlineservices...Page 4

Electronic payments...Page 8

About Medicare...Page 10

Page 2: Medicare 2013

PAGE 2 JANUARY 25, 2013GUIDE TO MEDICARE

COMFORT & CARE FOR SENIORS

HCBS WAIVER PROGRAMS:Elderly Waiver, Intellecual Disability Waiver, Brain Injury Waiver, AIDS Waiver,

Ill & Handicapped Waiver & Case Management of the Elderly WaiverPERSONAL CARE SERVICES

WITH NURSING SUPERVISION:• Bathing Assistance • TED Hose Application • Other Hands-on Cares

HOMEMAKER SERVICES:• Light Housekeeping • Grocery Shopping • Meal Preparations • Laundry

Contact Us or your Doctor About the Benefits We Can Offer You Through Our Programs

HOME HEALTH AND HOSPICE SERVICES:• Nursing • Health Aide • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy

• Speech Therapy • Social Work (Hospice only)Agency services are billed to one of the following: Medicare, Medicaid, State Grant, Elderbridge Agency on

Aging, Insurance, Private Pay or Sliding Fee Scale based on income and medical expenses.

For more information, call (712) 263-3303 or stop at our office at 105 North Main St. in Denison

• Family Planning

• Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program andWise Woman

• Communicable Disease Follow-up

• Immunizations

• Community Equipment Loan Program

• Emergency Preparedness Activities

• One Time Mom &Baby Visits

• Family STEPS Visitation

• Child Health

• Lead Screening

• Child Care Nurse Consultant

• hawk-i Insurance Outreach

• Free Blood Pressure Clinics

• Maternal Health

• Flu Clinics

• Other Health Promotion Activities

• Spanish Interpreters on Staff

Public Health Programs Include:Alw

aysThere To Care

Crawford County Home Health,Hospice & Public Health

105 North Main StreetDenison, Iowa 51442

(712) 263-3303www.crawfordcountyhealth.com

MISSION STATEMENT: Providing the highest quality ofcare and meeting the needs of the community in the

most cost-effective way.

Enjoy all the comforts of home, along with the security ofknowing professional care is there when you need it.

Social Security offers new online serviceswith a “my Social Security” account

Michael J. Astrue, Com-missioner of Social Security,announced the agency is ex-panding the services avail-able with a “my Social Secu-rity” account, a personalizedonline account that peoplecan use beginning in theirworking years and continu-ing throughout the timethey receive Social Securitybenefits.

More than 60 million So-cial Security beneficiariesand Supplemental SecurityIncome (SSI) recipients cannow access their benefit ver-ification letter, payment his-tory, and earnings record in-stantly using their online ac-count.

Social Security beneficiar-ies also can change their ad-dress and start or change di-rect deposit information on-line.

“We are making it eveneasier for people to do theirbusiness with us from thecomfort of their home, of-fice, or library,” Commis-sioner Astrue said. “I en-courage people of all ages totake advantage of ouraward-winning online serv-

ices and check out the newfeatures available throughan online my Social Securi-ty account.”

Social Security beneficiar-ies and SSI recipients with a“my Social Security” ac-count can go online and getan official benefit verifica-tion letter instantly. Thebenefit verification letterserves as proof of income tosecure loans, mortgages andother housing, and state orlocal benefits. Additionally,people use the letter to provecurrent Medicare health in-surance coverage, retire-ment or disability status,and age. People can print orsave a customized letter.

Social Security processednearly nine million requestsfor benefit verification let-ters in the past year. Thenew online service allowspeople to conduct businesswith Social Security withouthaving to visit an office ormake a phone call, and veryoften wait for a letter to ar-rive in the mail. It also willreduce the time spent byemployees completing theserequests and free them to

focus on other workloads. People age 18 and older

can sign up for an account atwww.socialsecurity.gov/my-account. Once there, theymust be able to provide in-formation about themselvesand answers to questionsthat only they are likely toknow.

After completing the se-cure verification process,people can create a “my So-

cial Security” account with aunique user name and pass-word to access their infor-mation.

People age 18 and olderwho are not receiving ben-efits can sign up for a “mySocial Security” account toget a personalized onlineSocial Security statement.The online statement pro-vides eligible workers withsecure and convenient ac-

cess to their Social Securi-ty earnings and benefit in-formation, and estimatesof future benefits they canuse to plan for their retire-ment.

In addition, the portal alsoincludes links to informa-tion about other online serv-ices, such as applications forretirement, disability andMedicare.

“Given our significantly

reduced funding, we have tofind innovative ways to con-tinue to meet the needs ofthe American people with-out compromising service,”said Commissioner Astrue.“These new enhancementswill allow us to providefaster service to more peo-ple in more places.”

For more information, goto www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

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Love Lasts ForeverLove Lasts Forever..

Page 3: Medicare 2013

JANUARY 25, 2013 GUIDE TO MEDICARE PAGE 3

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Vaccines available at Thrifty White Pharmacy

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You never outgrow the need for vaccines.Your need for immunizations doesn’t end when you reach adulthood.

Protect yourself and your loved ones fromvaccine-preventable diseases.

Ask your pharmacist which ones are right for you.

We give ZOSTAVAX(shingles) Vaccinations

WALK-INS WELCOMED!

Shingles (varicella zoster virus - VZVShingles is a painful localized skin rash often with blisters that iscaused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone whohas had chickenpox can develop shingles. Shingles vaccine isrecommended to reduce the risk of shingles and its associatedpain in people 60 years old or older. Prescription may berequired.

Seasonal Influenza (flu)All persons aged 6 months and older should be vaccinatedannually. Certain people are at greater risk for serious complications if they get the flu. This includes older people,young children, pregnant women and people with certain healthconditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), andpersons who live in facilities like nursing homes.

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UPCOMING EVENTS:Pie Day

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Special enrollment periods for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans

Most people on Medicare used the an-nual open enrollment period from October15 through December 7, 2012, to choosetheir Medicare Advantage or Part D drugplan for 2013.

What if you missed this opportunity?Kris Gross from the State of Iowa’s SeniorHealth Insurance Information Program(SHIIP) said, “If you missed the open en-rollment period, you may still be able totake advantage of one of the special en-rollment periods Medicare offers tochoose a plan that best meets yourneeds.”

A special enrollment period is offeredfor individuals whose 2012 Medicare Ad-vantage or Part D plans did not renewtheir contract with Medicare for 2013.This period runs from December 8, 2012,through February 28, 2013, and offers aone-time opportunity for those affectedby non-renewals to choose a plan for2013.

For more information see the “MedicareAdvantage Non-Renewal” factsheet inthe Medicare Advantage section on theSHIIP website, www.therightcalliowa.gov.

For the first time, Medicare has identi-fied “low performing plans.” These plans

had an overall rating of less than threestars for three years in a row. Anyone en-rolled in one of these plans gets a specialenrollment period once during 2013 toenroll in a plan that has a rating of threeor more stars. Call 1-800-MEDICARE toenroll if you qualify.

All Iowans on Medicare qualify for the5-star special enrollment period. A fewMedicare Advantage and Part D drugplans received the highest rating of 5stars. Anyone on Medicare can change toone of these plans (if the plan is offeredin their county) once between December8, 2012, and November 30, 2013.

Iowans who qualify for Medicaid, thePart D extra help or live in a nursing homequalify for special enrollment periodswhich allow them to change their cover-age monthly all year long.

Individuals who are on Medicare andhave drug coverage through an employerprovided plan also qualify for special en-rollment periods. For information aboutall of the special enrollment periods of-fered for Medicare Advantage and Part Dplans contact SHIIP at 1-800-351-4664(TTY 800-735-2942) or [email protected].

The Medicare Advantage “disenroll-ment period” runs from January 1through February 14.

If you are in a Medicare Advantage planyou can leave your plan and switch toOriginal Medicare during this 45-day pe-riod.

More than 300 SHIIP counselors

around the state are available to sit downwith you face-to-face to explain Medicareand help with your questions.

All services are free, confidential andobjective. To find the SHIIP site nearestyou call 1-800-351-4664 (TTY 800-735-2942), go to www.therightcalliowa.gov ore-mail [email protected].

Page 4: Medicare 2013

PAGE 4 JANUARY 25, 2013GUIDE TO MEDICARE

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Go online with the SocialSecurity Administration

The following is a list of services that can be accessed on-line with the Social Security Administration (www.ssa.gov).

Apply for benefits• Social Security retirement or spouse's benefits. • Social Security disability benefits (includes the Adult Dis-

ability Report).• Begin or continue the Adult Disability Report. When you

apply for any type of disability benefits, the Social Secu-rity Administration needs information about your med-ical, work, and education history to help Social Securityto decide if you are disabled.

• Apply for extra help with your Medicare prescription drugcosts.

• Apply for Medicare benefits.• Check your application status; if you applied for Social

Security benefits, you can check the status of your appli-cation online (not available for SSI).

Get your Social Security Statement • You can create a “my Social Security” account and view

your Social Security Statement online at any time. Extrahours - this service is available on Sunday until 11:30p.m. ET and on holidays from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET.

Appeal a decision• Appeal a Social Security Administration recent medical

decision about your disability claim.• Continue an appeal you already started.• Find out about your right to question the decision made

on your claim and your right to question the decisionmade on your SSI claim.

Find out if you qualify for benefits• Find out what benefits you can apply for; use the Social

Security Administration’s screening tool to help identifyall the different Social Security programs for which youmay be eligible (available anytime).

• Find out if you can get extra help with your Medicare pre-scription drug costs.

Estimate your future benefits• Use the Social Security Administration’s Retirement Es-

timator for a retirement estimate based on real time ac-cess to your earnings record. The secure log-in requiresyour name, Social Security number, date and place of birthand mother's maiden name.

• Find your full retirement age (available anytime).• Use the Social Security Administration’s benefit planners

to calculate your retirement, disability and survivors ben-efits (available anytime).

• View your Social Security Statement online by creating anaccount and signing in. Extra hours - this service is avail-able on Sunday until 11:30 p.m. ET and on holidays from5 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET.

• Block online and automated telephone access to your per-sonal information. Extra hours - this service is availableon Sunday until 11:30 p.m. ET.

If you get Social Security benefits you can:Create a my Social Security account to: • Get your benefit verification letter (includes Medicare and

SSI); • Check your information, benefits, and earnings record; • Change your address and telephone number; and • Start or change your direct deposit.

You do not need a my Social Security account to: • Get a replacement Medicare Card.• Get a Form 1099/1042 - Social Security Benefit State-

ment (available February 1, 2013).• Replace the lost, damaged, or missing tax summary of

your Social Security benefits for 2012 (not available forSSI).

• Select or change the way you receive information from So-cial Security if you are blind or visually impaired.

• Block electronic and automated telephone access to yourpersonal information. Extra hours - this service is avail-able on Sunday until 11:30 p.m. ET.

If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefitsyou can:

Create a my Social Security account to:• Get your benefit verification letter (includes Social Secu-

rity and Medicare) and • Check your information, benefits, and earnings record. You do not need a my Social Security account to: • Get a replacement Medicare Card; • Select or change the way you receive information from So-

cial Security if you are blind or visually impaired; and • Block electronic and automated telephone access to your

personal information. Extra hours - this service is avail-able on Sunday until 11:30 p.m. ET

Block electronic access to your information• You can block online and automated telephone access to

Social Security information about you. This service isavailable to everyone. Extra hours – this service is avail-able on Sunday until 11:30 p.m. ET,

• You may want to block access if you have been a victimof domestic violence or identity theft.

Page 5: Medicare 2013

JANUARY 25, 2013 GUIDE TO MEDICARE PAGE 5

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Social Security field offices close to the public a half hour early each day and at noonon Wednesdays

Effective November 19, 2012, Social Security field of-fices nationwide closed to the public 30 minutes earlyeach day.

For example, a field office that was usually open to thepublic Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.will close daily at 3 p.m.

In addition, as of January 2, offices closed to the pub-lic at noon every Wednesday.

The Social Security Administration said, while agencyemployees will continue to work their regular hours, theshorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without in-curring the cost of overtime.

The significantly reduced funding provided by Con-gress under the continuing resolution for the first sixmonths of the fiscal year makes it impossible for theagency to provide the overtime needed to handle serv-ice to the public as it has done in the past.

Most Social Security services do not require a visit toa local office. Many services, including applying for re-tirement, disability or Medicare benefits, signing up fordirect deposit, replacing a Medicare card, obtaining aproof of income letter or informing office staff of achange of address or telephone number, are convenientlyavailable at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing ourtoll-free number, 1-800-772-1213.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call theTTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

Many of the online services also are available in Span-ish at www.segurosocial.gov.

How to report identify theft, fraudor misuse of a Social Security card

To report identity theft,fraud, or misuse of a So-cial Security number, theFederal Trade Commission(FTC), the nation’s con-sumer protection agency,recommends individualstake the following steps:

Step 1Place a fraud alert on

your credit file by contact-ing one of the following

three companies:Equifax - 1-800-525-

6285Trans Union - 1-800-

680-7289Experian - 1-888-397-

3742The company you con-

tact is required to contactthe other two, which willthen place an alert on theirversions of your report.

Step 2Review your credit re-

port for inquiries fromcompanies you have notcontacted; accounts youdid not open; and debts onyour accounts that youcannot explain.

Step 3Close any accounts you

know, or believe, havebeen tampered with or

opened fraudulently.Step 4

File a report with yourlocal police or the police inthe community where theidentity theft took place.

Step 5File a complaint with the

Federal Trade Commissiononline or by calling them at1-877-438-4338 (TTY 1-866-653-4261).

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Page 6: Medicare 2013

PAGE 6 JANUARY 25, 2013GUIDE TO MEDICARE

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• Convenient evening hours• Schedule appointments online

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Page 7: Medicare 2013

JANUARY 25, 2013 GUIDE TO MEDICARE PAGE 7

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Page 8: Medicare 2013

PAGE 8 JANUARY 25, 2013GUIDE TO MEDICARE

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FAQs about electronic paymentsQ Do I have to re-

ceive my bene-fits electronically?

A Yes. EffectiveMay 1, 2011,

applicants filing for SocialSecurity and SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI) ben-efit payments must chooseeither direct deposit or theDirect Express® debit card.Currently entitled benefici-aries and recipients receiv-ing payment by check willhave until March 1, 2013,to switch to direct depositor the Direct Express®debit card. As of March2011, 85 percent of all So-cial Security and SSI bene-ficiaries received their ben-efits by direct deposit. Formore information, visit theDepartment of the Trea-sury’s Go Direct® websitehttp://www.godirect.org.

Q I realize elec-tronic pay-

ments will be more con-venient for me, but whatare the benefits to thegovernment?

A In addition tobeing safe and

convenient for beneficiar-ies, electronic paymentsare more efficient and costeffective for the govern-ment because they costless than preparing andmailing monthly checks. Inaddition, the government

doesn't have to pay to re-place checks that are lost,stolen or missing.

Q When I sign upfor direct de-

posit, how long does ittake before my money isin my account?

A When you signup for direct de-

posit, you can expect yourbenefit in your accountwithin 30 to 60 days. We'llsend you a letter tellingyou when to expect yourbenefit to be in your bankaccount.

Q How do I knowwhen my

money is in my account

so I can pay my bills?

A Your money isdeposited on

the day you're scheduledto receive your benefit. Forexample, if you usually re-ceive your benefit on thethird of the month, yourmoney is available to youat the opening of the busi-ness day on the third. You

can check with your bankto be sure that your moneyis in your account.

Q When can I usemy money?

A Your money isavailable for

use as soon as the bankdeposits it into your ac-count. You can write

checks, pay bills, withdrawmoney or put some intosavings. Anything youusually do with yourmoney now, you can alsodo with direct deposit.

Q If I get SSI ben-efits by direct

deposit, how do I getproof of my benefitamount so I can apply forthe energy assistanceprogram?

A If you are a So-cial Security or

SSI beneficiary using directdeposit, you'll receive a no-tice in December showingyour benefit amount thatincludes any annual cost-of-living increase that maygo into effect in January.You can use this noticewhen you need proof ofyour benefit amount forthe energy assistance pro-gram, Supplemental Nutri-tion Assistance Program(SNAP), rent subsidies,bank loans or other busi-ness. If you don't receiveyour benefit by direct de-posit, call Social Security'stoll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), for proof ofyour benefit amount.

Q After I sign upfor direct de-

posit, do I have to staywith the same bank?

Direct Deposit Participation Social Security Benefits in Iowa Counties

Page 9: Medicare 2013

JANUARY 25, 2013 GUIDE TO MEDICARE PAGE 9

A No, you can use direct deposit at any federal-ly insured bank, savings and loan or credit

union. If you move your account, call Social Security'stoll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), and a Social Security representative will changeyour direct deposit information. Open the new accountand make sure your deposits are going to the new bank,savings and loan or credit union before you close theold account.

Q I'm a representative payee for someonewho receives Social Security or SSI bene-

fits? Can I use electronic payments?

A Yes, as a representative payee, you can useelectronic payments to receive the Social Se-

curity or SSI benefits for someone in your care. The safe-ty and convenience of electronic payments can work foryou.

Receiving paymentselectronically

Those who apply for Social Security or SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI) benefits must receive their paymentselectronically.

Those who did not sign up for electronic paymentswhen they applied for benefits are strongly urged to doso now as they must switch to electronic payments byMarch 1, 2013.

If individuals don't, the U.S. Department of the Treasurymay send their benefits via the Direct Express® card pro-gram to avoid an interruption in payment.

Individuals who already received Social Security orSSI benefits and have a bank account can sign up for Di-rect Deposit by:• starting or changing Direct Deposit online (Social Se-

curity benefits only), or• contacting their bank, credit union or savings and loan

association, or• calling Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY

1-800-325-0778), or• filling out a Direct Deposit Sign Up Form at

http://www.ssa.gov/deposit/1199a.pdf and takingor mailing it to the Social Security Office. To read andprint the form, individuals must have Adobe AcrobatReader software installed on their computer. Direct deposit delivers the Social Security or SSI bene-

fit into the recipient’s bank, savings and loan or creditunion's account quickly and safely.

The U.S. Treasury sends an electronic message to thebank, savings and loan or credit union crediting the re-cipient’s account with the exact amount of their Social Se-curity or SSI benefit.

Recipients can withdraw money, put some in savingsor pay bills – the things they do with money now. The dif-ference is, a check isn't printed or mailed.

The Social Security Administration asks benefit recipi-ents to consider the Direct Express® debit card as anotherviable option.

The Direct Express® card is a debit card that can beused to access benefits. A bank account is not needed touse the Direct Express card.

With the Direct Express® card program, the Social Se-curity Administration deposits the federal benefit paymentdirectly into the individual’s card account.

The monthly benefits will be available on payment day,on time, every time. Individuals can use the card to makepurchases, pay bills or get cash at thousands of loca-tions.

To sign up for the card, call the toll-free Direct Express®hotline at 1-877-212-9991. In addition, Social Securityrepresentatives can help individuals sign up.

Those who don't have an account must open an ac-count before they can sign up for Direct Deposit. The So-cial Security Administration encourages individuals toshop around in their area to find an account that has thefeatures they want at a price they can afford. Some fi-nancial institutions offer a low cost account called an“Electronic Transfer Account.” When individuals decideon the account that is right for them they should let the rep-resentative at the financial institution know they are in-terested in signing up to receive their benefits by DirectDeposit.

Those who don’t get Social Security or SSI benefits yetbut are planning to apply should tell the Social Securityrepresentative when they apply for benefits that they wantto sign up for Direct Deposit. If individuals already havean account, they should have their checkbook or a copyof a bank statement with them.

The ETA alternativeThe benefits of "electronic" banking, and Direct Deposit in particular, include convenience, immediate access to de-

posits and personal safety. Recipients no longer need to make a trip to the bank or grocery store to cash their check,wait for a check to clear, or carry large amounts of cash.

To encourage Federal check recipients to consider an account at a financial institution and use Direct Deposit, the De-partment of the Treasury recently introduced an easy and affordable option - the Electronic Transfer Account (ETA). Thenew ETA is available through participating Federally insured financial institutions, including banks, savings and loans,and credit unions.

The account, which provides the full range of consumer protections, is available to any one who receives a Federalbenefit, wage, salary or retirement payment.

Features of an ETA include-• a maximum cost of $3 per month; • a minimum of four cash withdrawals per month. • your bank, savings and loan, or credit union will tell you whether you can get your money from a teller, an Automated

Teller Machine (ATM) or both. If you use ATMs at certain locations - it may cost extra; • no minimum balance, unless the law requires it; • a monthly statement listing all deposits and withdrawals; and • federally insured accounts.

For more information about the ETA or to locate an ETA provider near you, visit the Department of the Treasury, ETAwebsite at http://www.eta-find.gov/ or contact the ETA call center at 1-888-382-3311.

Social Security Administration BeneficiariesSocial Security Direct Deposit and Check Statistics, January 2013

CountyCheck

PaymentsDirect Deposit

PaymentsTotal

PaymentsPercent

Direct Deposit

Audubon 46 1,502 1,548 97.0

Carroll 102 4,769 4,871 97.9

Crawford 84 3,437 3,521 97.6

Harrison 95 3,381 3,476 97.3

Ida 53 1,677 1,730 96.9

Monona 79 2,414 2,493 96.8

Sac 44 2,540 2,584 98.3

Shelby 112 2,943 3,055 96.3

Woodbury 821 18,234 19,055 95.7

Iowa Total 19,775 585,034 604,809 96.7

Page 10: Medicare 2013

PAGE 10 JANUARY 25, 2013GUIDE TO MEDICARE

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Get your benefitverification letter online

At each stage of your life, the “my Social Security” is for you. Your personal online “mySocial Security” account is a valuable source of information beginning in your workingyears and continuing throughout the time you receive Social Security benefits.

If you receive benefits, you can use a “my Social Security” online account to:• Get your benefit verification letter;• Check your benefit and payment information and your earnings record;• Change your address and phone number; and • Start or change direct deposit of your benefit payment.

If you Do not Receive Benefits, you can use a “my Social Security” online account to getyour Social Security Statement, to review:• Estimates of your retirement, disability, and survivors benefits; • Your earnings record; and • The estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid.

To create a “my Social Security” account, you must provide some personal informationabout yourself and provide answers to some questions that only you are likely to know.Next, you create a username and password that you will use to access your online account.This process protects you and keeps your personal Social Security information private.

To get started, go to https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.do

About MedicareMedicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, cer-

tain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (per-manent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD).

The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care,

and some home health care.Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)Part B covers certain doctors’ services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and pre-

ventive services.Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans)A Medicare Advantage Plan is a type of Medicare health plan offered by a private

company that contracts with Medicare to provide you with all your Part A and Part Bbenefits. Medicare Advantage Plans include Health Maintenance Organizations, Pre-ferred Provider Organizations, Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Special Needs Plans, andMedicare Medical Savings Account Plans.

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare services are coveredthrough the plan and aren’t paid for under Original Medicare. Most Medicare Advan-tage Plans offer prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)Part D adds prescription drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Cost

Plans, some Medicare Private-Fee-for-Service Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Ac-count Plans. These plans are offered by insurance companies and other private com-panies approved by Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans may also offer prescriptiondrug coverage that follows the same rules as Medicare Prescription Drug Plans.

If you are not sure what kind of coverage you have:Check your red, white, and blue Medicare card.Check all other insurance cards that you use. Call the phone number on the cardsto get more information about the coverage.Check your Medicare health or drug plan enrollment.Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Two ways to find out if Medicarecovers what you need

Talk to your doctor or other health care provider about why you need certain serv-ices or supplies, and ask if Medicare will cover them. If you need something that'susually covered and your provider thinks that Medicare won't cover it in your sit-uation, you'll have to read and sign a notice saying that you may have to pay forthe item, service, or supply.Go to http://medicare.gov/coverage/your-medicare-coverage.html and type in yourtest, item or service inthe space provided.Medicare coverage

is based on 3 mainfactors:

Federal and state laws.National coverage deci-

sions made by Medicareabout whether something iscovered.

Local coverage decisionsmade by companies ineach state that processclaims for Medicare. Thesecompanies decide whethersomething is medically nec-essary and should be cov-ered in their area.

To read more about what Medicare covers, log onto http://medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/index.html

Page 11: Medicare 2013

JANUARY 25, 2013 GUIDE TO MEDICARE PAGE 11

If You Aren’t at Your Last Job, Why Is Your 401(k)?

Leaving a 401(k) with a previous employer could mean leaving it alone with no one to watch over it.

At Edward Jones, we can explain options for your 401(k) and help you select the one that’s best for you. If you’d like to roll it over to an Edward Jones Individual Retire-ment Account (IRA), we can help you do it without paying taxes or penalties. And you can feel confident that someone is looking out for you and your 401(k).

To find out why it makes sense to talk with Edward Jones about your 401(k) options, call or visit your local financial advisor today.

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Social Security announces new Compassionate Allowances conditions

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, an-nounced that 35 additional Compassionate Allowancesconditions have gone into effect, bringing the total num-ber of conditions in the expedited disability process to 200.

Compassionate Allowances are a way to quickly identi-fy diseases and other medical conditions that, by definition,meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits.

The program fast-tracks disability decisions to ensurethat Americans with the most serious disabilities receivetheir benefit decisions within days instead of months oryears.

The conditions primarily include certain cancers, adultbrain disorders and a number of rare disorders that affectchildren.

“We have achieved another milestone for the Compas-sionate Allowances program, reaching 200 conditions,”Commissioner Astrue said. “Nearly 200,000 people withsevere disabilities nationwide have been quickly approved,usually in less than two weeks, through the program sinceit began in October 2008.”

By definition, the conditions are so severe that SocialSecurity does not need to fully develop the applicant’s workhistory to make a decision. As a result, Social Security elim-inated this part of the application process for people whohave a condition on the list.

Social Security conducted seven public hearings andworked with experts to develop the list of CompassionateAllowances conditions. The hearings also helped theagency identify ways to improve the disability process forapplicants with Compassionate Allowances conditions. Formore information on the Compassionate Allowances ini-tiative, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassion-ateallowances.

New Compassionate Allowances conditions:Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Adult Onset Huntington DiseaseAllan-Herndon-Dudley SyndromeAlveolar Soft Part SarcomaAplastic AnemiaBeta Thalassemia MajorBilateral Optic Atrophy- InfantileCaudal Regression Syndrome – Types III and IVChild T-Cell Lymphoblastic LymphomaCongenital LymphedemaDeSanctis Cacchione SyndromeDravet SyndromeEndometrial Stromal SarcomaErdheim Chester DiseaseFatal Familial InsomniaFryns SyndromeFulminant Giant Cell MyocrditisHepatopulmonary SyndromeHepatorenal SyndromeJervell and Lange-Nielsen SyndromeLeiomyosarcomaMalignant Gastrointestinal Stromal TumorMalignant Germ Cell TumorMECP 2 Duplication SyndromeMenkes Disease - Classic or Infantile Onset FormNFU-1 Mitochondrial DiseaseNon-Ketotic HyperglycinemiaPeritoneal Mucinous CarcinomatosisPhelan- McDermid SyndromeRetinopathy of Prematurity - Stage VRoberts SyndromeSevere Combined Immunodeficiency - ChildhoodSinonasal CancerTransplant Coronary Artery VasculopathyUsher Syndrome - Type I

Page 12: Medicare 2013

PAGE 12 JANUARY 25, 2013GUIDE TO MEDICARE

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