Kennedy Neghan HealthCare Resources, LLC

Wishing our Senior friends a wonderful, blessed day! 💜

Understanding healthcare policy Healthcare policy establishes procedures and sets standards. It focuses on ensuring that patients receive equitable, safe, high-quality care. Healthcare policy often focuses on health and safety requirements, legal liabilities, and regulations.

How health advocacy addresses communication challenges Health advocates can play a critical role in explaining health information to patients, helping them make informed decisions about their health. By working to minimize the communication gap between healthcare professionals and patients, health advocates are key to improving health outcomes. What follows are ways health advocates can help patients become more informed and improve engagement throughout the patient journey.

The Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act Reintroduced In Congress On June 12, 2024, Senator Roger Marshall reintroduced his bipartisan, bicameral Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. The legislation is also sponsored by U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Thune (R-SD), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN) and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA). An additional 37 senators and 123 representatives also cosponsor the legislation, which has support from more than 370 national and state organizations that represent patients, physicians, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, hospitals, and other stakeholders in the health care industry. Under the legislation, an electronic prior authorization process would be established for MA plans, including a standardization for transactions and clinic attachments. It would also increase transparency around MA prior authorization requirements and clarify the authority that CMS has to establish timeframes for electronic prior authorization requests (including expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other prior authorization requests). The legislation would also require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other government agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the electronic prior authorization process.

Medicare Made Easy - Answering your Questions I've been using a Health Savings Account (HSA) to cover costs not covered by the health insurance I've had through work. Can I do the same under Medicare? You can still use cash you've already put into your HSA to pay your share of Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, including your Medicare premium, deductibles, copays and coinsurance. What you can't do is put new money into the HSA. Once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute to your HSA. For additional information: 1-800-633-4227

CFPB Proposes Rule To Remove Medical Debt From Credit Reports The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a proposed rule on June 11 that it says would remove $49 billion in medical debt from the credit reports of 15 million people. The proposed rule would end the exception that allows creditors to use medical debts in their credit decisions. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act) restricts creditors from using medical information to determine credit eligibility. However, in 2005, a regulatory exception was created to allow creditors to use medical information under certain conditions, including when the information is the type that is routinely used in making credit eligibility determinations. Additional information can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gJdP9aw7

Report Suspected Fraud, Errors and Abuse If you suspect you have been a target of fraud, report it. This will help you and others at risk for health care scams. Steps to report suspicious behavior: 🔷 If you receive a suspicious call, don’t give out any personal information. Report the call immediately to your local SMP. 🔷 If you have questions about your Medicare statements, call your health care provider or plan. 🔷 If you’re not comfortable calling your health provider or you’re not satisfied with the response, call your local Senior Medicare Patrol office. All conversations are confidential.

Detect Potential Fraud, Errors, and Abuse Knowing how to spot suspicious activity can help you stop health care fraud and abuse in its tracks. Steps to detect possible fraud, errors, and abuse: 🔷 Review your Medicare statements for mistakes. 🔹 Look for three things on your Medicare statements: 🔹 Charges for something you didn’t get 🔹 Billing for the same services or supplies twice 🔹 Services that weren’t ordered by your doctor

We wish you a happy, healthy and safe July 4th. 🎇 🧨 

Medicare Fraud - How to Protect Yourself Treat your Medicare and Social Security numbers like your credit cards. Never give these numbers to a stranger. Remember, Medicare won't call to ask for your Medicare number. Don't carry your Medicare card unless you'll need it for a doctor's appointment. Keep a record of your medical visits, tests, and procedures in a health care journal or calendar. Save your Medicare statements, such as Medicare Summary Notices and Explanations of Benefits.