Consumers should be wary of short-term health plans

Consumers looking for health insurance outside of the annual open enrollment period should be wary of short term health plans. These plans may be marketed as alternatives to Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance, but they could leave you without adequate coverage and facing financial penalties at tax time. 

Originally, short-term health plans were sold as a stop-gap measure until you could get real major medical coverage. After the ACA kicked in, people had many other options for coverage, but these limited plans were still being marketed to consumers as a viable alternative. However, short-term  plans do not count as 'minimum essential coverage' under the ACA - meaning you'll have to pay a tax penalty. They also do not cover the 10 essential health benefits, can limit your annual benefits to $100,000 or less, and deny you coverage for any pre-existing conditions. 

These policies are sold year-round, unlike ACA-plans that must be purchased during the annual open enrollment period, unless you qualify for a special enrollment. Some states allow for coverage to last up to a year and policies can be renewed. This effectively takes people out of the insurance pool that the ACA was designed to expand, leading to increased costs for everyone. 

In an effort to bring the limited short-term health plans back to their original purpose and to protect consumers, the federal government is proposing a regulation to limit the duration of these policies to three months and increase consumer awareness of their limitations.

Insurance Commissioner Kreidler agrees with this effort and sent a letter yesterday in support of the new regulation.

Learn more about Medicare at free event Aug. 6 in Kent

Are you new to Medicare? The Office of the Insurance Commissioner�s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) will be at the Kent Senior Activity Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6

You will learn about:

• Medicare parts A, B, C and D
• Your Medicare benefits and options
• How to get help paying for Medicare if you qualify

Find registration and parking information for this event.

Other resources:

• Find out more events on the SHIBA calendar. 

• Read more about SHIBA and how it can help you. 

Do you have Medicare questions? Call 1-800-562-6900.

Breastfeeding and insurance: learn your rights

This week is World Breastfeeding Week, when people from all over the world celebrate breastfeeding. It may surprise you to hear that there�s a connection between breastfeeding and insurance.

The Affordable Care Act requires most health insurance plans to provide breastfeeding and lactation support, equipment and counseling to women during and after pregnancy as long as they are breastfeeding.

• While insurers must cover breast pumps, plan vary by what type of pump they cover, if they help pay for a rental or purchased pump, and if the pump needs to be pre-authorized. Contact your insurance company to find out what your plan covers. 
• Insurance plans must also cover lactation support for mothers and babies who are having trouble with breastfeeding or pumping. 

According to womenshealth.gov, babies who are breastfed have lower risks of many health conditions including asthma, ear infections, SIDS, type 2 diabetes and respiratory infections. Breastfeeding also benefits mothers� health, promotes infant-mother bonding and is more economical than buying formula.

Find more information:

• Breastfeeding benefits: � Healthcare.gov 
• Breast Pumps and Insurance Coverage: what you need to know � U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 
• Breastfeeding a sustainable solution � The Olympian 

Read more about women�s health insurance rights on our website. Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.

Consider your options when you lose your employer-sponsored insurance

Finding out you are being laid off is stressful, and in addition to that, you have to make important decisions about health insurance that can save you�or cost you�thousands of dollars at a critical time. It�s important to consider all your options when deciding between COBRA or buying your own plan.

What is COBRA? COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which is a federal law that allows you and any of your immediate family members to stay on your employer�s health plan under certain circumstances :

• You lose or quit your job 
• You get a divorce 
• The employee dies 
• You are no longer covered as a dependent due to your age

Only employers with 20 or more workers in the previous year are required to offer COBRA coverage. State and local governments fall under COBRA, but the federal government and certain religious organizations do not.

COBRA can be expensive. People who choose COBRA coverage must pay the entire premium, including the portion previously paid by the employer, plus a 2 percent administrative fee. Be warned, if you enroll in COBRA and later on want to switch to a health plan directly to an insurance company or through the Washington Healthplanfinder, you will have to wait until the next open enrollment period if you don�t qualify for a special enrollment.

Options other than COBRA
Before you decide to go with COBRA, find out if you can buy a health plan through the Washington Healthplanfinder and receive a subsidy to help pay your insurance premiums. You can also purchase coverage directly from an insurance company, broker or agent if you don�t qualify for any subsidies.

If you choose a health insurance plan, you likely will be responsible for a full yearly deductible. Generally, health insurance deductibles are not prorated for partial-year enrollees, no matter how few months are left in the plan year. Individual or family qualified health plans operate on a calendar year, from January through December. There is no way to transfer the money you spent toward another plan�s deductible when you switch plans mid-year.

Read more about losing your health insurance on our website. Questions? Contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.

For COBRA- specific laws and questions, contact:

U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration

Seattle District Office

300 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1110

Seattle, WA 98104

206-757-6781

Learn more about Medicare at free event July 9 in Seattle

Are you new to Medicare? The Office of the Insurance Commissioner�s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) will be at the Seattle Central Library from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9.

You will learn about:
� Medicare parts A, B, C and D
� Your Medicare benefits and options
� How to get help paying for Medicare if you qualify

Find registration and parking information for this event.

Other resources:
� Find out more events on the SHIBA calendar.
� Read more about SHIBA and how it can help you.
� Do you have Medicare questions? Call 1-800-562-6900.

Kreidler speaks to consumers in Shoreline about Medicare

Attendees to a Medicare birthday event on Saturday morning got to hear Insurance Commissioner Kreidler talk about why Medicare is important and what SHIBA does for Washington consumers. 

Commissioner Kreidler and Judy Ellis, SHIBA volunteer
with Sound Generations in Shoreline 

SHIBA stands for Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors. It�s a statewide network of nearly 400 highly trained volunteers who have been helping seniors and others understand their health insurance options for more than 35 years in Washington state. Washington was the first state in the nation to establish a SHIBA program, before the federal government offered assistance in reaching out the consumers who are or are about to be enrolled in Medicare.

Medicare provides health coverage for nearly 45 million Americans who are age 65 and older, and for 7 million younger adults with permanent disabilities. Medicare has been in existence for 51 years, which really isn�t that long ago. 

Attendees at the Medicare birthday event 

on June 18 in Shoreline 

Commissioner Kreidler recalled for the attendees a time before Medicare existed when his grandmother had to move in with his parents because she was ill and didn�t have health coverage. Her medical bills prohibited her from living on her own. If Medicare had existed, it would have provided a lifeline for her to have access to the health care she needed.

SHIBA offers free, unbiased assistance with health care choices, including Medicare, to more than 100,000 Washington residents each year. You can find more SHIBA events around the state at http://bit.ly/SHIBAevents.

Join telephone town hall to get answers to your questions about Social Security, Medicare

Join the King County Library System (KCLS) for a live telephone town hall meeting with specialists from the Social Security Administration and Washington Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA). This free event will take place on Wednesday, May 18 from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 

Topics will include how to make the most of your Social Security benefits, health insurance and Medicare coverage. 

A telephone town hall is like a radio talk show, but you simply listen on your phone! Experts will take live questions from the audience. 

On the day of the telephone town hall you will receive a telephone call from the library between 10:25 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Please answer the call and stay on the line, as it could take a few minutes before the call starts. You will hear some introductory remarks and then be connected.

Be sure to include your telephone number in the registration to receive a phone call! 

Brought to you by the Social Security Administration, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the KCLS Foundation and AARP.

Register here for the telephone town hall. 

Need help with Medicare? Events being held around the state through summer

Consumers get help at a SHIBA event in Washington state

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner has a program that helps Washingtonians sign up for Medicare and other health care programs. It's called Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) and it offers free, unbiased and confidential assistance with Medicare and other health care choices.

SHIBA can help you:

• Understand your health care coverage options and rights.
• Determine your general eligibility for health care coverage programs.
• Evaluate and compare health insurance plans.

SHIBA holds events around the state to help people who are just getting signed up for Medicare--called birthday events--and information sessions for people who are new to Medicare or simply have questions about it.

Upcoming events:

• May 5: Lacey Community Center 
• June 18: Shoreline Conference Center
• June 23: Community Cultural Center of Tonasket 
• June 24: Grand Coulee Senior Center 
• July 9: Seattle Central Library
• Aug. 6: Kent Senior Activity Center

Find out more about these events and other events on the SHIBA calendar. 

Read more about SHIBA and how it can help you. Do you have Medicare questions? Call 1-800-562-6900.

Gov. Inslee honors Cowlitz County SHIBA volunteer

From right: SHIBA Volunteer Coordinator Terri Osbourne,
volunteer Elouise Maahs and volunteer coordinator Sarah Clark

Congratulations to SHIBA Volunteer Elouise Maahs for receiving the Governor�s Volunteer Service Award in the health care category.

Elouise, who volunteers for SHIBA with Lower Columbia Community Action Council in Cowlitz County, was honored on April 11 at the Governor�s mansion, where she receive her award from Gov. Jay Inslee. A SHIBA volunteer since 2008, Elouise serves as a data specialist, where she records and processes client cases. In the past year she�s processed over 6,000 client cases. Eloise was nominated for her dedication and commitment to ensuring that seniors and people disabilities have their Medicare issues, complaints and appeals processed in a timely manner.

In addition to meeting the Governor on April 11, Eloise also stopped by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner/SHIBA and had the opportunity to receive congratulations personally from Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

Read more about SHIBA, which provides free, unbiased, and confidential assistance with Medicare and health care choices.

If I switch health plans halfway through the year, can my deductible be transferred or prorated?

Insurance companies are not required to credit money consumers already paid in cost sharing from prior plans but sometimes they do for employer-sponsored replacement policies. If you lose employer-sponsored insurance in the middle of the year, and you've already met your deductible the year, you may want to consider COBRA for the rest of the calendar year and get an individual or family plan during open enrollment.

If COBRA is not an option, you likely will be responsible for a new, full deductible. Generally, health insurance deductibles are not prorated for partial-year enrollees, no matter how few months are left in the plan year. Individual or family qualified health plans run from January through December. There is no way to recoup the additional money you may spend towards your health insurance deductible when you switch plans mid-year after paying the first plan�s deductible. However, sometimes medical and dental expenses like deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance can be deducted from your federal taxes, which will lower the taxes you pay that year.

When you choose a health insurance plan, it will be important to understand what your insurance company covers without requiring you to pay your deductible. Then you can decide whether you want a plan with lower monthly premiums and higher deductible or one with a higher monthly premium and a lower deductible. Many health plans cover some services such as emergency room or routine doctor visits such as preventive care without requiring you to pay toward your deductible. 

Deductible amounts vary by plan and can be separated into individual or family deductibles. Some health plans also cover other benefits like doctor visits and prescription drugs even if you haven�t met your deductible. 

Your best course of action is to read your policy and contact the insurance company to find out more about the health plan�s benefits. 

If you have questions about your plan or your rights as a consumer, you can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.

Most colonoscopies should be covered 100% by your insurance

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that insurance companies cover 100 percent of the cost of preventive colonoscopies for adults older than age 50. Of course you�ll need to see a provider who is part of your plan�s provider network.

However, despite this new reform, we do hear consumers who�ve had a routine preventive colonoscopy only to have their insurer process their claim as �cost-shared diagnostic care,� which is subject to their annual deductible and coinsurance.

We also sometimes hear from consumers who receive a substantial surgical bill when a polyp is discovered and removed during a preventive colonoscopy. The Affordable Care Act and other federal guidelines protect consumers from extra charges for polyp removal during a preventive colonoscopy. If you receive a bill for polyp removal, you should file a complaint with us and we�ll help you get those charges reversed.

If you are diagnosed with colon cancer, any previous related symptoms may result in your provider processing the cancer screening as diagnostic and not preventive. In that case, your treatment would not be covered as preventive care and you�ll likely have additional costs. If you have any questions, check with your doctor.

Be aware that if a procedure or treatment is not a recommended preventive service, it may be subject to your plan�s deductible and cost-sharing. Also, if a medical recommendation or guideline regarding a preventive service does not specify the frequency, method, treatment, or setting for that service, your insurer may limit your coverage.
Here are some important tips to remember:

• If you have any questions, first talk to your doctor or medical provider and your insurance company. 
• Read more about which health benefits are required under the ACA.
• If you receive a bill from your insurance company that you disagree with, request an appeal.
• In addition, file a complaint with us.

Protect yourself from Medicare fraud

The Insurance Commissioner�s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program is Washington state�s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). A federally funded and volunteer-based program, SHIBA/SMP volunteers provide education on how to prevent, detect and report Medicare fraud.

Medicare is the national health care plan for all U.S. citizens age 65 and older. It also covers people younger than age 65 who receive Social Security Disability Income and people who are diagnosed with certain medical conditions.

In Washington state, SHIBA/SMP volunteers help protect seniors and fight health care fraud, leaving more money in the system for everyone. Our state�s volunteers educate beneficiaries on how to avoid becoming victims of health care fraud, and how to report abuse or fraud, related to their Medicare benefits.

We all pay a price for Medicare fraud, waste and abuse, which contributes significantly to rising health care costs. There are three things you can do to help fight Medicare fraud:

1. Know your rights. As a person with Medicare, you have certain rights and protections designed to help protect you and make sure you get the health care services the law says you can get.
2. Protect your identity. Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your consent to commit fraud or other crimes. Keep this personal information safe:
• Your name.
• Your Social Security Number (SSN).
• Your Medicare number (or your membership card if you�re in a Medicare Advantage or other Medicare health plan).
• Your credit card and bank account numbers.
3. Get involved with other seniors with the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). The SMP educates and empowers people with Medicare to take an active role in detecting and preventing health care fraud and abuse.

You can find more Medicare fraud tips on our website. If you suspect Medicare fraud or have questions about your bill:

• Call OIC�s Statewide Health Benefits Insurance Advisors (SHIBA) at 1-800-562-6900 or email us at shibahelpline@oic.wa.gov.
• Contact your local SHIBA office.

Have a quick question? Try our new live chat

This week is National Consumer Protection Week and the OIC is one of the many government agencies that helps protect consumers from financial harm.

A huge part of the work we do is helping and educating consumers about all things insurance, from answering questions to looking into complaints against insurance companies, providing help with filing appeals for claim and coverage denials and everything in between.

We recently launched a live chat feature to help consumers get answers to their quick questions about insurance and their rights. Consumers can chat with one of our consumer advocates Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. If your question needs more attention, we will direct you to the right place to get the help you need.

Consumers can reach us:

• By phone at 1-800-562-6900
• Online
• Through our social media channels 
• File a complaint against an insurance company or professional. Our complaint system is optimized for mobile devices.  

Helping Washington consumers is our mission

This week is National Consumer Protection Week and the OIC is one of the many government agencies that helps protect consumers from financial harm.

Consumer protection is part of our mission, which is reflected in the way we do business. Our consumer advocates can help:

• Answer questions about home, auto, health, life, annuities, business and other insurance. 
• Understand your insurance rights, including your health insurance appeal rights and the process. 
• Look into complaints against insurance companies. 
• Provide you with information about your insurance options. 
• Verify if an agent, agency, or company is authorized to sell insurance in Washington state. 

In 2015, our consumer advocates fielded 6,130 consumer complaints and helped recover more than $9.1 million in insurance billings, refunds and other claims-related issues for Washington citizens. Read more about the ways we helped consumers in 2015.

We share information of interest to insurance consumers on this blog and through our social media channels. Many of our blog posts are generated by questions our consumer advocates receive from Washington citizens.

More resources for consumers:

• Reach us by phone at 1-800-562-6900 or online.
• File a complaint against an insurance company or agent. 
• Read more about consumer advocacy at OIC.
• Read more about your insurance, including home, life, auto, health, annuities and business.

How to get health insurance if you missed open enrollment

If you missed open enrollment and didn't sign up for health insurance by Jan. 31, 2016, you may have to wait until next year's open enrollment period, unless you have a life event that makes you eligible for a special enrollment or you qualify for Apple Health (Medicaid).

Such events include, but are not limited to:

• Losing health insurance, including an employer plan or individual health plan
• Losing Apple Health (Medicaid) because you no longer qualify
• Giving birth to or adopting a child
• Permanently moving to a new area where your current plan doesn't provide coverage
• Your employer not paying your COBRA premiums on time
• Your COBRA coverage ending or reaching the lifetime limit
• Your dependent turning age 26 and losing their coverage on your employer plan
• Getting married or entering into a domestic partnership
• Getting divorced or ending a domestic partnership
• Cancelling your Washington State Health Insurance Pool (WSHIP) coverage
• Your health plan no longer being offered for sale in Washington state

Most special enrollment periods are limited to 60 days from the qualifying event. Keep in mind that you won't qualify for special enrollment if you voluntarily cancel your health insurance or if your insurer cancels you because you didn't pay your premium.

If you don't qualify for special enrollment, here's some resources that may help you afford medical care.

Next year's open enrollment for individual and family coverage starts Nov. 1, 2016.

Who determines how much my totaled car is worth?

We hear from many consumers who are trying to resolve their auto total loss claims with their own insurer or another insurer. A total loss is when a vehicle is in a collision and the insurance company determines it would cost more than the vehicle is worth to repair it, so they �total� it.

Once an insurer declares a vehicle a total loss, they owe you the retail market value of your car, plus sales tax. But how do you know if the amount the insurer offers you is a reasonable estimate of the retail market value? Many consumers don�t know they have the right to, and should, ask the insurance company for a total loss valuation report, which shows the comparable auto data the insurer used to calculate your vehicle�s value. Most insurance companies don�t automatically provide the report to consumers and there�s no requirement that they provide it without being asked.

Insurers can either give you cash for your vehicle�s retail value or offer to replace your vehicle with a comparable vehicle in your area.

Read more about auto total loss on our website. Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.

Not sure if we can help you with an insurance problem? Ask us anyway

Recently, a Washington consumer posted a story on Facebook about her brother, who was on the waiting list for a heart transplant but was being put on hold because of �paperwork� issues with the insurance company. She asked her Facebook friends to file a complaint with the Insurance Commissioner, resulting in more than 40 complaints to our office.

One of our consumer advocates looked into the complaint and determined that the insurance provider was Apple Health, our state�s Medicaid program that is overseen by the Washington state Health Care Authority. In other words, we have no authority over the plan. But that didn�t deter our consumer advocate from trying to help.

First, we reached out to the Facebook user and asked her to let people know that they should contact the Health Care Authority with complaints about Apple Health. Then our consumer advocates reached out to the Health Care Authority to make sure this complaint was received and addressed as a high priority. The next day, we got an email from the concerned sister that said, �Thank you so much for your response and directing my complaint to the proper department. Today (my brother) got his insurance straightened out and is back at A1 status. Thanks again!�

We want people to be aware of this for two reasons: First, helping consumers access insurance is one of our missions, even if it�s not something we regulate. So even if you�re not sure if we can help you, reach out to us anyway. If we can�t help, chances are that we know someone who can. Second, social media is a powerful tool and is a way to quickly escalate a consumer problem. We have a robust social media presence, so don�t be afraid to reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter. We will make sure to get you to the right person.

Here�s how you can reach us:

• Talk to an insurance expert: http://bit.ly/consumerhelp or call 1-800-562-6900
• Connect with us on social media: http://bit.ly/OICsocial

Insurers should be current on emerging treatments for consumers

A growing concern for consumers and health insurers is the cost of prescription drugs and specifically, treatment for debilitating and life-threatening diseases.

Hepatitis C is a good example. New drugs are now used to cure this life-threatening liver ailment with proven success. But the pills are costly, ranging from $55,000 to almost $95,000 per patient for a standard 12-week treatment period.

Two nationwide organizations, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Infectious Disease Society of America, now recommend that most patients receive treatment even if they are in the early stage of the disease versus waiting until it has progressed.

Last November, the federal government encouraged states to ensure that health coverage policies are �informed� by the treatment guidelines noted above. Unfortunately we do not have the authority to mandate that insurance companies abide by the guidelines. However, we do expect insurers to be current on all appropriate guidelines that best serve consumers. That is true for all types of treatments.

We recently asked health insurers in Washington if they were aware of the new guidelines and if they were making any changes to how they were treating patients with this disease. The responses were varied, but there were common themes:

� No company excludes treatment.
� All allow testing to detect the disease.
� All recommend that patients consult their doctors on the best course of action.

What�s also evident is that insurers are trying to manage their claims costs. That�s not unexpected. Future prescription drugs for ailments such as multiple sclerosis and high cholesterol are expected to cost even more than the hepatitis C treatment.

The emphasis for insurers, though, should be on ready access to appropriate treatment that leads to a healthier state and nation overall.

If you believe you�ve not getting access to prescription drugs or other necessary treatment, we can help you understand your rights to appeal and even contact your insurer on your behalf.

My insurance premium went up. How can I find out the reason for the increase?

Consumers frequently ask us this question. Your agent or insurer should be able to provide you with an explanation other than �there was a general rate increase.� We recommend that you obtain a policy-specific premium breakdown directly from your agent, and that you ask for a rate worksheet comparison between your old premium and your new premium. 

Every policy is priced differently, depending upon the type of coverage you want and what are called underwriting factors.

Underwriting factors for auto insurance may include:

• Household/family driver records.
• Driver(s) age(s).
• Type of vehicle(s).
• The number of miles you drive per year.
• Where you live and/or drive your car.
• Level of coverage being purchased
• There may be surcharges or discounts unique to your situation.

Underwriting factors for homeowner�s insurance may include:

• The age of your home.
• The materials used to build your home.
• Your home�s value, as based upon its size and features.
• Your home�s location.
• Prior claims or losses for the home.

Read more about understanding auto insurance and understanding home insurance.

Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.

If you find yourself the subject of an insurance fraud investigation, the best thing to do is cooperate

Our consumer advocates respond to thousands of inquiries from Washington consumers each year. Sometimes, we hear from people who are the subject of an insurance company fraud investigation.

Most consumers we talk to are surprised to find out that insurers have the right and responsibility to investigate potentially fraudulent insurance claims. If an insurance company flags a claim as high risk for fraud, consumers are contacted by the company�s special investigations unit (SIU).

Being the subject of a fraud investigation can be unnerving, and many consumers are bewildered and angered by SIU actions of their insurers. Consumers who contact us generally feel the company is infringing on their rights; however, that is not the case. We advise consumers to cooperate with the company�s investigation; most policies state that consumers are required to cooperate with any investigations, or they forfeit their rights outlined in the insurance policy.

Insurance fraud is a crime in Washington state, so if you are being investigated, it�s best to cooperate and provide any documentation you can to support the facts in your claim.

If an insurance company�s SIU finds evidence that a crime occurred, they forward the case to Commissioner Kreidler�s SIU, which conducts an investigation and works with the state Attorney General�s Office and local law enforcement to prosecute people who are suspected of committing insurance fraud.

In 2015, Kreidler�s SIU received nearly 1,700 fraud referrals and obtained 22 felony guilty pleas or convictions. Approximately 10 cents of every dollar consumers pay toward insurance premiums pays for a fraudulent insurance claim.

Read more about Kreidler�s SIU. 

Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.

Medicare offers weight loss program

A new year has started and many of us have set weight loss as a goal. You may be thinking of looking into one of the many weight-loss programs available to consumers. However, if you�re on Medicare, did you know that it pays for obesity screening in some cases as a preventive service?

For people who qualify for the obesity screening, Medicare pays for up to 22 face-to-face intensive counseling sessions during a 12-month period with a primary care doctor who accepts Medicare. Qualifying clients have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. 

The Columbian newspaper in Vancouver recently featured a medical clinic that provides this service for Medicare recipients.

If you are interested in this service, first you should contact your primary care doctor to see if he or she offers this type of program. You can read more about the coverage on Medicare�s website.