Program Title:
MEDICARE TOUCH: REACHING YOU
Theme:
Medicare Health Care Program: for Medicare Beneficiaries
The Challenge:
Older adults feel strongly about having and maintaining adequate health insurance. Little upsets an older person more than the fear of losing their health insurance coverage or not being able to understand Medicare benefits and out-of-pocket costs. Yet, many older people have little knowledge or understanding about their options for receiving Medicare benefits. Few have experience with Medicare HMOs, or the newest option the Private-Fee-for-service plan. When they do or do not need a supplemental insurance policy can be baffling.
The overarching goal of this educational program is to assist Medicare beneficiaries to understand benefits, options for receiving Medicare and out-of -pocket costs.
Extension's Response:
The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Health Care Finance Administration developed educational material packets covering Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, Medicare Managed Care, Supplemental Insurance and Medicare Private Fee-for-Services. Forty Five hundred packets were distributed in forty four counties for Medicare beneficiaries via hospitals, physician's offices and county extension offices. An in-service, the ABCs of Medicare was presented for county extension educators. In partnership with the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality Medicare up-date and Medicare Overview, was offered for Medicare beneficiaries in five Oklahoma counties.
Outcome:
Research being conducted by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service anticipates that Medicare beneficiaries participating in this educational program will:
- Gain an understanding about their Medicare health care benefits.
- Understand what out-of-pocket costs they are responsible for paying.
- Will understand options for receiving Medicare benefits.
- Understand when supplemental insurance may be desirable.
- Understand how to make and appeal.
- Understand how to report Medicare fraud or abuse.
- Learn how to obtain answers to questions about benefits.
Collaborating organizations, agencies, and teaching, research, extension partnerships:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma; Health Care Finance Administration, Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality
Date Posted:
January 11, 2001
Contact:
Jan Park, Ph.D.
Gerontology Specialist
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
104 HES, OSU
Stillwater, OK 74078Voice: 405.744.6825
Fax: 405.744.5506
Email: janpark@okstate.edu
Web: http://fcs.okstate.edu/aging