Medicare - Nolo.com

Extra Help Subsidy for Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans

Medicare offers different levels of low-income subsidies, called "Extra Help," to help pay for the cost of prescription drugs above and beyond what a ...

Using Pooled Special Needs Trusts When You Have Too Many Assets for Medicaid

Special needs trusts can be very useful to disabled individuals who have too many assets to qualify for Medicaid.

How Income Trusts Help If Your Income Is Too High for Medicaid

Income trusts are a type of special purpose trust that can be helpful to Medicaid applicants in states that have a set income limit for qualifying for...

How Income Trusts Help If You Have Too Much Income for Medicaid

Using Self-Settled Special Needs Trusts When You Have Too Many Assets for Medicaid

When an applicant has more resources (assets) than are allowed by Medicaid, those resources must be spent down prior to becoming eligible for Medicaid...

Are Revocable or Irrevocable Living Trusts Useful in Qualifying for Medicaid?

Using a Medicaid Special Needs Trust When You Have Too Many Assets to Qualify

Special needs trusts, which are also sometimes called special treatment trusts or special purpose trusts, are designed to hold assets that can be used...

Retitling Assets When a Spouse Needs Medicaid to Pay for a Nursing Home

The Part D Donut Hole: A Shrinking Gap in Medicare Drug Coverage

Safe Ways to Spend Down Your Assets to Qualify for Medicaid

Many individuals who apply for Medicaid find that they have too many assets to qualify.

What to Expect at a ALJ Hearing at the Office of Medicare Hearings & Appeals

Your Medicare claim was denied and you lost your Level 1 appeal (request for reconsideration or redetermination) and Level 2 appeal (review by an inde...

How Medicaid Recovers the Cost of Long-Term Care From Your Estate After You Die

Medicaid will often pay for nursing home care care even for those who have assets that could be used to pay for care, but which Medicaid does't count,...

Using Annuities in Medicaid Long-Term Care Planning

Medicaid applicants with too much money or assets are denied coverage for long-term care and have to pay their own nursing home bills.

Medicaid Planning That Won't Work: Asset Transfers That Incur a Medicare Penalty

Medicaid will pay for nursing home care only for those with limited assets and will penalize those who give away assets to qualify for Medicaid.

How to Appeal a Denial of Medicare Part D Coverage

Expedited Medicare Part A Appeal of a Discharge Order From a Facility Other Than a Hospital

What Will Happen if Medicaid Says I Transferred My Assets to Qualify for Benefits?

Because one must meet strict asset limits to qualify for Medicaid, some seniors headed for a nursing home in the future try to give away their assets ...

How Can I Safely Transfer My Assets to Get Medicaid to Pay for Long-Term Care?

While Medicaid finances most long-term care in this country, Medicaid is supposed to be "the payer of last resort" when it comes to long-term care.

What Services Medicare Part B Will Cover

Part B medical insurance is intended to cover basic medical services provided by doctors, clinics, and laboratories.

Services Not Covered by Medicare Part B

The categories of medical treatment and services listed below are not covered by Medicare.

Medicare Payments for Outpatient Therapy

How much Medicare pays for outpatient physical therapy (PT), speech-language therapy (SLP), and occupational therapy (OT) depends on where you recei...

Part B Medical Insurance: What You Pay

Medicare Part B is medical insurance that is intended to help pay doctor bills for treatment either in or out of the hospital, as well as many of th...

Medicare Coverage of Inpatient Rehabilitation Stays

Medicare Part A covers most of the cost of care when you stay at an inpatient rehabilitation facility (sometimes called a rehabilitation hospital).

Medicare Coverage of Skilled Nursing Facility Stays

A growing number of patients recovering from surgery or a major illness are referred by their doctors to skilled nursing facilities.

Medicare Coverage of Home Health Care

Progressive health care professionals often encourage people to get out of hospitals and nursing facilities and into their own or family members’ ...

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) Coverage

Medicare Part A is also called "hospital insurance," and it covers most of the cost of care when you are at a hospital or skilled nursing facility a...

Getting Approval for Medicaid Services: Medical Necessity

State Medicaid programs can deny coverage for a particular treatment if the treatment is not medically necessary. Each state has defined the term ...

How to Appeal a Denial of Medicare Part C

If your Medicare Advantage Plan denies a request for coverage or reimbursement for health care services under Medicare Part C, you have the right ...

How to Appeal Your Original Medicare Part A or Part B Denial

When Medicare denies a claim for health care items or services under Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) or Part B (doctor's office coverage), you...

Medicare Part C FAQ: What is Medicare Part C?

Medicare Part C allows you to obtain health care through a "Medicare Advantage Plan," a private insurance plan, rather than deal with Medicare dir...

Appealing a Medicaid Denial for a Service or Treatment

If you are a Medicaid recipient and your state Medicaid agency or managed care organization will not approve payment for a medical treatment, then...

Medicaid: Protections for Spousal Income During Long-Term Care

Medicaid does not require a healthy spouse to give up all of her income and property just so the needy spouse can qualify for care. Instead, Medic...

When Will Medicaid Pay for a Nursing Home or Assisted Living?

If you have limited assets and a low income and you need help paying for nursing home or assisted living care, Medicaid might help you pay for you...

Medicaid Basics: Eligibility and Coverage

Medicaid is a program that provides very low-cost or free health care to some adults and children with limited incomes.

Qualifying for Medicaid in Oregon

Medicaid is a federal program that is managed by each state to provide health insurance for some low-income individuals. The State of Oregon provi...

Medigap: Covering the Gaps in Medicare

Even for those with Medicare coverage, a serious illness or injury can cause financial havoc because of the bills Medicare does not cover. That's why ...

Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage: The Basics

In 2006, Medicare began covering some of the costs of prescription medications. This Medicare Part D benefit is administered through private insurance...

Medicare Part D: Choosing a Prescription Drug Plan

Coverage under the new Medicare Part D prescription drug program is not handled by Medicare itself. Instead, it is managed by private health insurers ...

Medicare and Medicaid: What's the Difference?

Medicare and Medicaid are very different: Medicaid is a federal need-based program, while Medicare is a federal entitlement program based on your empl...

Medicare Managed Care Plans: An Alternative to Medigap Insurance

Medicare managed care plans fill gaps in basic Medicare, as do medigap policies. However, the two systems operate in different ways. Where Medigap pol...

Medicare Managed Care: Choosing a Plan

If you are considering a Medicare managed care plan, you must decide whether any of the plans available in your area offer adequate care at an afforda...

Best Medicare and Medicaid Websites

Whether you need general information about Medicare or Medicaid, have specific questions, or want to apply for one of these programs, these are the be...