New Health Coverage Option for the Uninsured - The Pre-Existing Condition Plan
Are you providing care to uninsured patients who have a pre-existing condition and can't find health coverage? If so, a new federal program - the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan - can change or save the lives of your patients who've been locked out of the health coverage market because of a medical condition. This program does not base eligibility on income and enrollees receive comprehensive health coverage at the same price that healthy people pay. To qualify for the program, applicants must: § Be a citizen of the United States or residing here legally; § Have been uninsured for at least 6 months; and § Have a pre-existing condition or have been denied coverage because of a medical condition. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan covers physician and hospital services and prescription drugs. All insurance benefits are available to enrollees - even to treat a pre-existing condition. Premiums vary by state and annual out-of-pocket expenses for enrollees are capped. Each state may use different methods to determine whether a person applying for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan has a pre-existing condition or whether he or she has been denied health coverage. As such, people need to check on how to establish eligibility in their state. For more information about the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and how to apply, visit www.PCIP.gov<http://www.pcip.gov/> or, between the hours of 8am and 11pm EST, call 866-717-5826 (TTY: 866-561-1604). We hope you will tell your patients and colleagues about this important new health coverage option. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January Flu Shot Reminder Flu Season is Here! While seasonal flu outbreaks can happen as early as October, flu activity usually peaks in January. This year's vaccine will protect against three different flu viruses, including the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last flu season. The risks for complications, hospitalizations and deaths from the flu are higher among individuals aged 65 years and older. Medicare pays for the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration for seniors and others with Medicare with no co-pay or deductible. Health care workers, who may spread the flu to high risk patients, should get vaccinated too. Don't forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get Your Flu Vaccine - Not the Flu. Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug. For information about Medicare's coverage of the influenza vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and their staff, please visit the following CMS websites: http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/Flu_Products.pdf and http://www.cms.gov/AdultImmunizations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContactCMS). Thank you. If you received this message as part of the All FFS Providers listserv, you are currently subscribed to one of eighteen Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider listservs. If you would like to be removed from all NIH listservs, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/LISTSERV_WEB/signoff.htm) to unsubscribe. If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/show_list_archives) to unsubscribe or to leave the appropriate listserv. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to a FFS provider listserv, go to (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/prospmedicarefeesvcpmtgen/downloads/Provider_Listservs.pdf) .
