Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program
The Colorado Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program is a counseling program for Medicare beneficiaries and their family's who wish assistance in understanding Medicare benefits, coverage gaps, billing concerns, Medigap, Medicare HMOs, long term care insurance, and other health insurance options.
Services are provided through a statewide network of organizations that recruit counselors, publicize services, and operate the local program. Counselors donate their time and expertise.
Counselors will not recommend or endorse specific insurance policies, but will assist consumers with information to make informed insurance choices.
All services are provided without charge.
Colorado Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) volunteers can help you:
- Organize, understand and process medical bills
- Assist with private health insurance claims
- Identify gaps in Medicare coverage and options to fill them
- Evaluate Medicare supplement insurance options
- File Medicare appeals
- Understand your hospital and Medicare rights
- Provide you with reference information and referral sources
Medicare and Related Health Insurance: The Big Picture
It helps to know how the various health insurance options that people on Medicare may want to buy fit into the big picture. How do they work with Medicare? What are the trade-offs that come with each type of product? Understanding the big picture is an essential first step in figuring out what is best for you. Read this material if you need background about these insurance options. You can skip items that may not be relevant to your personal situation. For example, if you don't have an employer retiree health plan option or aren't eligible for TRICARE for Life don't bother with those sections.
The insurance options we will discuss include:
· Medicare
· Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
· Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
· Employer Retiree Health Plans
· Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP)
· Veterans Administration Services
· Medicaid
· Cancer and Hospital Indemnity Policies
Medicare
Medicare is the federal health insurance for people age 65 and over and for many disabled individuals under age 65. Other insurance coverage generally builds on Medicare payment, with some exceptions. For example, if you or your spouse is still working and you are covered by the employer plan, it will be the major payer if the employer is large enough. Medicare is a bit old fashioned. It uses a circa-1960's distinction between hospital services (Part A), and doctor and lab services (Part B). The distinction continues because they reflect not just different categories of services but different funding sources. Consumers usually don't have to pay a premium for Part A services because they or their spouses paid Medicare taxes while they worked. But all people on Part B must pay a monthly premium, $66.60 in 2004.
Social Security has responsibility for determining eligibility for Medicare, enrollment into the program, and issuing Medicare cards. The website is: www.ssa.gov. There are strict time limits on when people can apply for Medicare (to avoid people waiting until they become sick to enroll) and financial penalties for enrolling late. Because Medicare is a national program, there is no need to get a new card when moving from one state to another.
Medicare pays for the diagnosis and treatment of illness like other insurers. Medicare is pickier about paying for preventive services--screening tests for disease when there isn't any indication of a problem such as an annual mammogram. Medicare pays for preventive tests only on a rigid timeline (don't get it done a week early!) and it pays for certain other preventive tests only for people considered to be at high risk for the illness. Medicare never pays for routine preventive physicals and related tests.
Medicare severely restricts coverage of chiropractic services, and does not cover holistic and non-traditional care. Medicare will pay for services in the U.S. and its territories, but not in foreign nations (with minor exceptions).
Medicare Part B pays for doctor, lab, ambulance, hospital outpatient services, other specified health professionals, and durable medical equipment. Consumers must pay the first $100 of Part B costs each calendar year. After this deductible is met, Medicare generally pays 80% of their approved charge for covered services. There are no requirements to use certain doctors or other health care providers, to get referrals to specialists, or to get services pre-approved.
Doctors must authorize covered lab tests, durable medical equipment, and rehabilitation care. In addition, Medicare has rules about when services or equipment are considered medically necessary and appropriate. For example, someone who wants Medicare to pay for oxygen must score at a certain level on a test of breathing capability.
Doctors and other Medicare providers are required by federal law to send the billing to Medicare for services, and can't tell patients to do the billing themselves. Many doctors agree to always accept Medicare assignment, which means they won't ask for more than the price Medicare puts on a service. If the doctor accepts assignment, the patient is only responsible for 20% of the Medicare approved charge. If a doctor doesn't accept assignment, he may bill 15% more than the Medicare price, so a patient could be responsible for both the 20% copayment and another 15% in "excess charges."
Medically necessary diagnostic lab services are 100% paid by Medicare, and labs can't charge people on Medicare additional amounts for covered services. Except for a few exceptions, Medicare does not cover screening blood tests.
Durable medical equipment coverage includes most prosthetic devices and oxygen. There are no limits on what a durable medical equipment provider can charge if they don't accept assignment, so it is wise to use providers who do accept assignment.
Ambulance care is only covered for emergency transport to the nearest appropriate facility. There are no limits on what an ambulance company can charge, but this may change in April 2002, when they will have to accept assignment on all Medicare covered claims.
Medicare Part A pays for inpatient hospital services, hospice care, most home health care, and skilled nursing facility care. Inpatient hospital care includes room and board, lab tests, and drugs while in the hospital. Part A does not pay for doctor fees, which are billed separately to Medicare Part B. Consumers who are on Medicare must pay a large hospital deductible for an inpatient stay--$876 in 2004--and Medicare will pay all other medical costs.
Medicare pays for some home health care and skilled nursing facility (nursing home) care, but only for relatively short periods of time while people are receiving skilled rehabilitative care and continuing to improve. Medicare-covered nursing home care is paid 100% by Medicare for twenty days, but the patient must pay a $100+ per day copayment for days 21 through 100. Medicare will not pay for nursing home stays longer than 100 days. Medicare pays 100% of the cost for covered home health care services.
Hospice care is an option for people with terminal diseases, such as advanced cancer, who are thought to be in their last 6 months of life. Hospice care received in the home, including some prescription drugs, is almost entirely paid by Medicare. Hospice care in a facility requires a $100+ daily room and board charge to be paid by the patient. People electing to use hospice care can only choose pain relief treatment, not treatment or medications that preserve life, i.e. someone with cancer must give up chemotherapy.
Medicare pays private
contractors to administer payments under the program. These insurers
who pay Medicare bills vary by state (may be different if services
are received outside Colorado) and by type of service. There are
different contractors who handle the billings for services received
in Colorado:
· Doctor, lab, and ambulance services (Noridian);
· Hospital, most hospital outpatient services, and nursing
home services (Trailblazer or Mutual of Omaha);
· Home health care and hospice services (CAHABA); and
· Durable medical equipment and oxygen (Palmetto GBA).
Medicare does not pay for prescription drugs, dental care, routine eye exams, eyeglasses, acupuncture, and long-term care services for the frail and cognitively impaired. The Medicare website is: www.medicare.gov
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
Medicare supplement insurance, or Medigap, refers to a highly regulated insurance designed to pay some costs not covered by Medicare. Medigap plans are marketed by private insurance companies. Since the early 1990's, Medigap policies have been strictly standardized and must be sold in one of 10 government-defined benefit packages. These regulations say that if Medicare pays for a service, then the Medigap policy must pay on the claim according to the government rules for the plan, and the amount of payment is based upon the price Medicare sets. Medigap policies offer consumers the freedom to use any provider they choose, but are relatively expensive.
Medicare HMOs and employer retiree health plans are not considered Medigap insurance and do not have to follow the same rules.
In general, Medigap policies pay copayments and deductibles not covered by Medicare, such as 20% of doctor bills and the $812 (in 2002) hospital inpatient deductible. A few additional benefits not paid by Medicare are available in some of the packages, such as limited prescription drug coverage, medical emergencies outside the U.S., and limited preventive benefit coverage.
The ten standardized benefit plans are denoted by letter codes-A through J. If you buy a Plan C from one company, its coverage--by law--is exactly the same as any other company's Plan C.
Plan A is basic, and does not cover the large hospital inpatient deductible (a major flaw). All Medigap Plan A benefits are included in the other 9 standardized plans.
Medigap Plan B adds coverage for the inpatient hospital deductible. Plan C adds coverage for foreign travel emergencies, the $100 annual Part B deductible, and skilled nursing coinsurance for Medicare-covered stays lasting more than 20 days. Plans D and E are offered by very few insurers. Plan F is the most popular plan, covering all the Plan C benefits but also paying excess charges when providers elect not to accept Medicare assignment. If a provider does not accept Medicare assignment, they can collect amounts from consumers greater than the price Medicare puts on the service. Plan G pays 80% of these excess charges and has the limited at-home recovery benefit, but does not pay the $100 Part B annual deductible.
Medigap Plans H, I, and J provide variations on the above coverages but also pay for some prescription drug costs. Plans H, I, and J do not provide prescription drug coverage similar to most employer plans. Instead, the plans have a $250 annual deductible, and then pay 50% of the cost of prescriptions. Plans H and I limit prescription drug payments to $1,250 per year, and Plan J limits payments to $3,000 per year. So if more than $2,750 per year is spent for prescription drugs, benefits for Plans H and I would run out. ($250 deductible plus 50% of $2,500 = $2,750). Plan J would run out at $6,250.
Medigap plans can be pricey, over $100 per month for most popular plans. But prices vary dramatically--often 100%--from company to company, so be sure to price compare. Packages that cover prescription drugs are sometimes not affordable. Outside of certain limited periods, Medigap companies can refuse to sell a policy to someone who is in poor health. However, during the first six months of someone's enrollment in Medicare Part B if they are over age 65, insurers must sell the enrollee any Medigap plan regardless of health, and cannot charge him or her a higher price. Pre-existing condition exclusions can be imposed for the first six months of the policy, but only if the insured had no health insurance in place prior to enrollment.
There may be another opportunity to buy Medigap insurance regardless of health under "guarantee issue" provisions. Common examples of guarantee issue situations are when someone's Medicare HMO discontinues services, or when someone moves outside the service area of a Medicare HMO or employer retiree health plan.
There are two newer variations on Medigap insurance, called "select" products and "high deductible" or "prime" products. Select products require the use of specific providers for some services. In Colorado, one company has a "select" product for some Front Range communities, and they require use of certain hospitals for inpatient and outpatient services. Several companies sell "high deductible" Medigap plans F or J that require consumers to pay more than $1,600 out of pocket before the Medigap plan makes any payments. These high deductible plans are not priced low enough to be very good consumer values at this time.
As of September 1, 2003, all companies authorized to sell Medigap insurance must offer all policies to people under age 65 on Medicare due to disability during their open enrollment period. This guarantee issue period is available the first six months from when a person enrolls in Medicare Part B.
Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
Medicare HMOs are privately operated alternatives to enrollment in the regular Medicare program. Four programs operate in Colorado: PacifiCare Secure Horizons and Kaiser Permanente are "Medicare + Choice" options that receive large, set monthly payments from Medicare for each person who chooses to enroll. Rocky Mountain HMO and HMO Health Plans are "cost contract" options that are paid in a different manner by Medicare. Benefit packages from both types of HMOs must include all regular Medicare benefits, and usually include extra benefits, such as annual physical exams and prescription drug coverage.
You must live in a HMO's designated coverage area to enroll. Kaiser Permanente serves Metro Denver and Boulder Counties. PacifiCare Secure Horizons serves the Front Range from Pueblo to Loveland. Rocky Mountain HMO serves all but three counties in Colorado, but make sure you check on local doctor and hospital choices. HMO Health Plans serves the San Luis Valley.
People enrolled in PacifiCare Secure Horizons and Kaiser Permanente Medicare plans must receive all non-emergency or urgent services through the HMO network of providers, and follow rules about specialist referrals and pre-authorization of some services. If someone enrolled in these "Medicare + Choice" plans chooses to receive non-emergency or urgent services outside the network, neither the HMO nor Medicare will pay the bill.
People enrolled in Rocky Mountain HMO and HMO Health Plans must receive all non-emergency or urgent care services through the HMO to receive full benefit coverage. But if someone enrolled in these "cost contract" plans chooses to receive Medicare-covered services outside the network, Medicare will still pay their share of costs. However, the consumer will have to pay Medicare copayments and deductibles themselves; the HMO will not pay them.
Medicare HMOs have reduced benefits and increased consumer costs in recent years, reacting to smaller increases in Medicare payment rates and rising health care costs. Most HMOs still offer lower costs and extra benefits not covered by Medicare or Medigap insurance. But the overall cost difference between HMOs and regular Medicare plus a Medigap has dropped. Consumers need to look closely at copayment amounts for various services, and find out whether the prescriptions they take are covered by the plan and at what copayment. Some plans have introduced substantial inpatient hospital copayments and higher copayments for prescription drugs. PacifiCare Secure Horizons has substantial copayments for chemotherapy, injectible medications, and high-tech imaging tests like MRIs.
So while Medicare HMOs are still a good deal, consumers need to do more homework about their specific health care needs to ensure that an HMO is the best deal for them. Medicare HMO benefit packages vary by region of the state, with the best deals usually in metro Denver. The Medicare HMO plans change in January each year, so you need to pay attention to these changes and decide if continuing in the plan still makes sense for you. Enrollment begins in October for the coming calendar year. HMO provider networks and lists of covered prescriptions can change at any time, not just in January.
The federal Medicare program regulates Medicare HMOs. Most state laws and regulations do not apply to these plans. Medicare requires strong consumer appeal rights, including provision for quick decisions in certain situations, and for third-party review of any decision that goes against the consumer.
Many consumers are fortunate to have health insurance coverage in retirement from their former employer. When they become Medicare eligible, retiree health coverage pays after Medicare. Many employer retiree health plans provide excellent coverage, and their drug coverage is usually better than can be obtained through a Medigap plan or Medicare HMO. But not all plans have generous coverage, and they can change over time as their cost to the former employer escalates.
Employer retiree health plans are usually self-funded, and therefore free of most state regulation. As such, the plans can be designed by the employer with no required benefits. Employers may offer their insured's either a health plan that requires enrollment in a Medicare HMO, or a fee-for-service type plan in which the insured can use any doctor or hospital. If the employer plan works through a Medicare HMO, the employer enrolls the employee in that Medicare option, and usually pays an additional premium for an upgraded benefit package. Most often the upgrade is a prescription drug benefit with a higher maximum benefit or an unlimited benefit.
Consumers enrolled in a Medicare HMO through a former employer should make changes in their health coverage through the employer only. Usually changes are only allowed during the employer's annual open enrollment period.
Consumers with an employer
retiree health plan who are new to Medicare need to scrutinize their
plan payments to ensure:
1) There isn't a large annual deductible before the plan starts
paying the balance; and
2) The plan doesn't design their payment responsibility in such
a way that they don't pay the 20% copayment for doctor bills (a
carve-out plan).
Consumers in large deductible or carve-out plans may want to consider purchasing a basic Medigap plan to pay Medicare copayment and deductible costs not paid by the employer's retiree health plan. You'll have to decide whether the purchase price is reasonable enough to carry two plans. (There is no legal prohibition for carrying an employer plan and a Medigap plan in this circumstance.) When your employer plan does begin to make payments, you are allowed to keep any double-payment made by the Medigap plan. Medigap plans are not allowed to coordinate their benefits with other insurance plans.
Consumers enrolled in employer retiree health plans should always be hesitant to drop these plans, since employers usually do not let retirees come back to the plan later. (The Colorado Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) does allow people to enroll again during open enrollment season.) An employer plan that does not pay most Medicare copayments is probably worth keeping if its price is reasonable and it has a good prescription drug benefit.
Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP)
Retired federal employees who become eligible for Medicare often consider whether they should enroll in Medicare Part B since, unlike other employer retiree health plans, the federal health plan options pay most health care costs whether or not the person has Medicare. FEHBP plans do not, however, reduce their premiums for retired employees. And if the retired federal employee takes Medicare Part B, they have to pay the monthly premium ($66.60/month in 2004).
We recommend that most FEHBP enrollees take Medicare Part B since it extends or enhances the benefits in the FEHBP plans.
Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan members can choose from many private insurance plans during the annual open enrollment period. These options include indemnity plans, preferred provider organizations, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Like most private health plans, they usually have numerous rules about networks, deductibles, pre-authorization of services, and the like. But if an FEHBP member also has Medicare, the member may avoid many of the limitations resulting from these rules, and find that all or most out-of-pocket costs are covered between the two plans (unless enrolled in an HMO).
In a situation where a retiree has both FEHBP and Medicare, Medicare is the primary or first payer. Medicare limits on provider prices apply.
If an FEHBP retiree is in a federal HMO plan and enrolled in Medicare Part B, Medicare is still the first payer. This fact allows the retiree to access Medicare payment for non-HMO doctors, but the balance of Medicare charges would be patient's responsibility. To insure maximum coverage, the enrollee should use the HMO network. The consumer's cost for services within the HMO would be limited to the applicable copayment, regardless of the balance of Medicare charges. The FEHBP website is: www.opm.gov/insure/health/medicare/index.asp
Veterans Administration Services
The Veterans Administration (VA) offers health care services to most people honorably discharged from the armed services. Many veterans are pleased to receive their services through the VA system.
However, the VA and Medicare do not coordinate benefits. Medicare does not pay for services from VA providers.
The Veterans Administration may have restrictions on access to services. There is a pecking order of who is eligible to receive services when there are capacity issues. Former POW's and people with service-related disabilities top the list. Veterans with lower incomes are in the second tier of eligibles. And veterans with good incomes are last on the list. However, in recent years most veterans have been able to get health care through the VA.
If you do get your health care services from the VA, we recommend you enroll in Medicare Part B. You can't count on the VA for all your health care. You can save money by not enrolling in Medicare Part B, but it is not likely you would be taken to a VA facility for an expensive emergency hospital trip. An ambulance-not paid for by VA-would bring you to the closest appropriate hospital. The resulting large doctor bills would be paid by Medicare Part B (minus copayments and deductibles) if you are enrolled, but would be your personal financial responsibility without Medicare.
Veterans may want to consider the VA as a source of inexpensive prescription drug coverage, and for some other items or services not covered by Medicare such as hearing aids. Call the VA for details. The VA website is: www.va.gov/health_benefits/
TRICARE for Life is a program that began in 2001 for military retirees (people who made a career in the armed forces) and their spouses. Widowed spouses retain their eligibility. TRICARE for Life is a comprehensive Medigap-style plan that pays copayments and deductibles for all Medicare services except chiropractic. TRICARE for Life also pays excess charges when providers are allowed to collect amounts greater than Medicare approved charges. Your doctor or other Medicare provider sends claims to Medicare, and Medicare automatically forwards them to TRICARE for Life for payment. There is no need to see a provider who "accepts TRICARE for Life"-any Medicare provider will receive TRICARE for Life payment.
People who are eligible for TRICARE for Life need not purchase a Medigap plan or other insurance, so they save on premiums. The coverage also includes an excellent prescription drug benefit. TRICARE for Life, however, does not pay for services like dental care, hearing aids, and long-term care services that are not covered by Medicare.
There is no enrollment process for TRICARE for Life. Make sure you have a valid military ID card, and that your enrollment information in DEERS is up to date. The Tricare website is: www.tricare.osd.mil/tfl/default.cfm . TriWest Health Care Alliance operates the TriCare for Life program in Colorado. Their website is: www.triwest.com/beneportal/tricare_for_life/index.asp
Private insurance companies market policies to pay for the types of nursing home, home care, and assisted living that some older adults require because of extreme frailty or Alzheimer's disease. Insurers will not sell policies to individuals with health problems, sometimes even minor health problems. Prices vary based on your age when you purchase a plan; the price for a 70-year old purchaser is dramatically higher than for a 60-year old.
Long term care coverage is important because Medicare and other health insurance plans do not pay for this type of care, and there is a good chance many older adults will need these services some day. The cost of formal services can be substantial. A year of nursing home costs may run from $43,000 to 63,000/year in Colorado, and will be much higher in 15 or 20 years when most purchasers use the benefits.
The coverage is aimed predominantly at middle-income older adults, while those with limited incomes and without significant savings should rely on Medicaid coverage. Some wealthier retirees may be able to cover this cost out of their pension and savings.
Long-term care insurance doesn't work like health insurance. Policies don't pay a percentage of care costs. Instead, they promise to pay a set amount based on the care setting and consumer choice of benefit. That amount may leave you with significant out-of-pocket costs if it is much less than the cost of the care.
Long-term care insurance requires consumers to make many decisions before purchasing a policy. Consumers choose coverage levels, and must weigh the comprehensiveness of coverage versus the cost. Coverage choices include selecting the type of care settings to be covered, the daily dollar benefit maximum, and how many years the policy will pay benefits. We urge consumers to consider the impact of rising long-term care costs, and the best way to do this is usually by purchasing 5% compound inflation protection. This important coverage does add a lot to the price, but a $110 per day benefit that may be adequate in 2002 will not be adequate in 2017 without inflation protection. As an alternative, a consumer with a strong income and/or savings may plan on paying a larger part of care costs through these resources.
Once a policy is issued, insurers may not cancel coverage or raise the price because of changes in the policyholder's health. However, insurers can raise prices if they determine their initial rate for an entire class of policyholders is inadequate, in which case all members of the class would receive the price increase. The Medicare website, www.gov, has information regarding nursing home quality. The state regulatory agency for nursing homes also has information detailing nursing home complaints and licensure status. They can be reached at www.cdphe.state.co.us/hf/hfd.asp
The state-federal Medicaid program is designed to provide assistance to people with relatively low incomes and few assets. People on Medicare may benefit from special Medicaid programs designed to help people on Medicare if they have incomes below approximately $1000/month (about $1350/month for a couple) and assets less than $4000 for an individual ($6000 for a couple). Medicaid does not consider the value of a home, one car, or most personal possessions in determining eligibility.
The Qualified Individual 1 (QI-1) program will pay the monthly Part B premium. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program will pay the Part B premium and Medicare copayments and deductibles.
The regular Medicaid program has a comprehensive benefit package that includes coverage of prescription drugs. But eligibles must meet the very low income and asset requirements for Supplemental Security Income. In February 2003, this rate was $552/month for an individual ($828/month for a couple) and assets less than $2000 for an individual ($3,000 for a couple). The home, a car, and most personal possessions are not considered in determining eligibility.
Medicaid also pays for home care and nursing home assistance for many older Coloradoans. The eligibility guidelines are much different for couples than for individuals, because the rules are designed to financially protect the healthy spouse. For an individual, assets like savings accounts, stocks, and other investments must be spent down to $2000 for eligibility. Income levels are much more generous than in both the QMB and QI-1 programs. For couples, the healthy spouse may retain a substantial amount of savings and investments ($90,660 in 2003). Additional information is available at www.cdhs.state.co.us/oss/aas/index1.html which is the official Colorado Aging and Adult Services website. The Colorado Area Agencies on Aging operate an information and referral program. Their website is: www.cdhs.state.co.us/oss/aas/AAAs.htm
Cancer and Hospital Indemnity Policies
Insurers advertise low-cost policies that pay some health costs for people with cancer or other dread disease, or who are hospitalized. These policies may be easy to obtain, but their benefits are likely to be far less than the consumer's actual share of medical costs. In many cases, these plans pay out less than 50% of premiums in benefits to purchasers.
We recommend that consumers
depend instead on a Medigap, Medicare HMO, or employer retiree health
plan that provide more comprehensive payment of consumer cost sharing.
Colorado Resources
Free Publications and Videos
The Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program provides the following publications to consumers at no cost. Publications can also be provided in quantity to organizations for distribution to their members. Please contact us at 303/894-7553 to place an order. You can also access this information via the internet at www.dora.state.co.us/insurance Click on Senior Health/Medicare.
- Medicare and Related
Health Insurance: The Big Picture
An overview of Medicare and how it works with various other health insurance products. - Medicare Supplement
Insurance Information for Consumers
A list of private insurers marketing these products, their contact information, and pricing. - Medicare Health Maintenance
Organization (HMO) Information for Consumers
Comparisons of health benefits, copays, and other information on these private options. - Long Term Care Insurance
Information for Consumers
Discussion of who should buy this coverage, how policies are structured, and the standardized Colorado products. - Prescription Manufacturer
Consumer Assistance Programs
Drug companies provide deep discount cards for many people on Medicare. - Medicaid Assistance
for Medicare Beneficiaries
State help program for low-income, low savings consumers on Medicare. Your house and car aren't counted as an asset. - Managing Your Medicare
Bills
Help understanding the billing system, a tool to track bills including supplemental payers, and information for when Medicare doesn't make payment.
Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Medicare Patients in Metro Denver or Boulder - Personal Health Care
Reference
Booklet containing information on preventive health services, help sources, a log for your health information, and a discussion of Medicare fraud. - Senior Security: Avoiding
Scams and Fraud in Colorado
Video providing consumer information about Medicare fraud, identify theft, telephone scams, junk mail offers, home repair cons, and caregiver fraud. Available free for showing before senior organizations. 29 minutes long with accompanying handout. - Master of the Transaction:
Senior Security II
Video providing consumer information about Medicare billing, charitable solicitations, planning for increased dependence, and investment fraud. 24 minutes long with accompanying handout.
Publications have been produced by the Colorado Division of Insurance with financial assistance, in whole or in part, through grants from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Federal Medicare agency or from the federal Administration on Aging (AoA).
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