Medicare Beneficiaries Have One More Tool For Information

Medicare beneficiaries in Georgia now have one more tool to get help with their questions about Medicare and their Medicare health plan options.

The Health Care Financing Administration, the federal agency that runs Medicare, today announced that the new Medicare+Choice toll-free telephone line, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227),is now available in Gerogia. The toll-free telephone line is part of the National Medicare Education Program and is being phased in across the country.

“1-800-MEDICARE is just one part of the largest communications effort ever conducted by the federal governement to help Medicare beneficiaries make informed decisions about their health care,” HCFA Administrator Nancy-Ann Deparle said. “We're phasing in the toll-free phone line as part ofthe national education campaign this year and getting feedback from beneficiaries to make sure we are doing it right.”

HCFA created the National Medicare Education Program, a comprehensive communications effort to help Medicare beneficiaries better understand the new Medicare program. The education program includes expande3d and updated print materials such as the Medicare&You handbook, the toll-free telephone line, and a beneficiary-oriented Internet website - www.medicare.gov, as well as a coordinated partenership program with more than 200 national and local oraganizations who work with Medicare beneficiaries. The program also includes an extensive evaluation component designed to help HCFA learn from beneficiaries and the people who help them with their health care decisions about how they want to receive information.

Callers to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) can talk to a customer service representative in English or Spanish between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday to get:

• general information about Medicare;

• updated information about Medicare health plan options in their community, including original fee-for-service Medicare and, where available, managed care;

• specific quality and satisfaction information about managed care plans;

• general information about Medicare supplemental insuranace (Medigap); and

• telephone numbers for help with a variety of related issues, such as billing questions about Medicare claims or for help with more complex questions about health insurance.

The toll-free phone line is open 24 hours a day, sevend days a week. During non-business hours, callers can access an automated line to:

• request Medicare&You handbooks or audio tapes in English or Spanish,

• request updated information about health plans available in their area,

• listen to pre-recorded answers to other frequently asked questions.

Callers with access to a teletypewriter (TTY) or telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), can call 1-877-486-2048.

The Balanced budget Act of 1997 created the Medicar+Choice program to expand the range of health care options availabel to Medicare beneficiaries and provide them with credible and unbiased information they can use to make informed decisions about how they want to receive their health care.

Up-to-date information about Medicare managed care options in 1999 can be obtained from 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or in Medicare Compare at www.medicare.gov. Many libraries and senior centers can help beneficiaries obtain information from this source. Beneficiaries can also contact the joint federal and state supported State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 1-800-669-8387 for free, unbiased insurance counseling.

“Beneficiaries who have called 1-800-MEDICARE in the first five states where it has been available have told us they like talking to a person who can answer their questions,” said DeParle. “They also want to be reassured that if they are happy with how they currently get their health care, they don't have to make any changes at all.” 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) was first avialable in Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Oregon and Washington.

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