Thyroid Newsroom From Mary Shomon Your Thyroid Guide Free Consumer Guide Offers People With Aging Parents Essential Information
About Medicare
October, 2001
What does Medicare cover? Do people
with Medicare need additional insurance? What's the best way to choose a
Medicare HMO? Should your parents (or you) buy a long-term care insurance
policy? How can you tell a good policy from a bad one?
An updated booklet by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation answers these
questions and more about Medicare, health coverage, and long-term care. The
guide reflects the latest changes in benefits and services. Talking With Your
Parents About Medicare and Health Coverage offers quick, easy and useful
information to help seniors and their adult children make informed decisions
about Medicare and health coverage.
"Making decisions about health insurance can be complicated for anyone,
and for some older Americans it can be overwhelming," said Kaiser Family
Foundation President Drew E. Altman. "Often parents and grandparents turn to
their adult children for advice. This guide provides essential information
for helping our parents get the best possible health care."
Talking With Your Parents About Medicare and Health Coverage includes
information and tips on how to help seniors and their adult children navigate
the maze of decisions seniors face related to Medicare and health insurance
coverage. The guide can help readers:
Understand the basics of Medicare and know what it does and does not
cover;
Sort through health plan options including traditional Medicare,
Medicare HMOs and other plans that may be available in their area;
Consider health insurance to supplement Medicare, including retiree
health coverage and Medigap, and information about programs for people
with low incomes;
Assess long-term care insurance, Medicaid, and other ways to pay for
long-term care; and
Find additional information about programs and services in your area
from a list of resources, including helpful phone numbers.
Medicare provides health insurance coverage to nearly 40 million elderly
and disabled Americans and covers basic medical services, such as hospital and
physician care. The program has cost-sharing requirements and does not cover
prescription drugs and long-term care, so most people on Medicare have
supplemental health insurance to help pay for these additional expenses.
According to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Family
Circle, about one in four adults with a parent over 65 helps their parent with
health and financial decisions, and 40 percent of adults with parents over
85 help their parents with health decisions. However many adults with a
parent over 65 say they lack the basic information they may need to assist
with these decisions. According the survey, 43 percent say they feel they
know "next to nothing" or "nothing at all" about health insurance.
Copies of Talking With Your Parents About Medicare and Health Coverage are
available for free by calling 800-656-4533.
The Kaiser Family Foundation is an independent, national health
philanthropy dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues
to policymakers, the media, and the general public. The Kaiser Family
Foundation is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.
Information Resources to Help You Stay on the Cutting Edge!!
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