Medicare beneficiaries need to be extra alert these days. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports that new scams are popping up around the United States. The con artists are taking advantage of confusion caused by the new Medicare cards. Here’s what Medicare recipients need to know to stay safe.

The first quarter is almost wrapped up!  What have you done to make sure you have a great AEP?

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, signed into law on February 9, did more than end the brief government shutdown. Included in the bill were several key health provisions. Here’s a look at what these changes mean for Medicare.

Every 4 to 5 years, Arizona goes to bid on Medicaid contracts. These are the insurance companies that bid to serve people on the state Medicaid system. Hundreds of thousands of lives are in transition as carriers negotiate contracts to serve these clients. Every 4-5 years, carriers win contracts to manage this population.

Do your clients need a little extra help? Medicare provides low-income subsidies, also called Extra Help, to qualifying individuals. This is important information for insurance agents as well as beneficiaries. Keep your clients satisfied by ensuring that they receive all the help they’re entitled to and tap into the low-income audience if you haven’t already. Here’s what you need to know.

Changes could be coming to Medicare. CMS published a proposed rule that would make significant changes to Medicare Advantage. Although the proposed changes are intended to provide more flexibility, some concerns have already been raised.

Do you ever feel like you’re forgetting something? With so many key Medicare dates, it’s easy to miss an important deadline. CMS sends out important notices year-round, and your clients want to know when to expect them. Our new handout makes this easy. The convenient timeline shows you exactly when to watch for various notices – like the Social Security Notice to Review Eligibility for Extra Help in September or the Minimum Essential Coverage Notice in December. It also includes information about ongoing notices that are mailed daily and about the open enrollment period. Agents can use this as a reference sheet, and it makes a great client handout.

New Medicare ID Cards will be arriving this year. Currently, Medicare cards include the beneficiary’s Social Security number. To reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft, CMS is issuing new cards that replace the Social Security number with a randomly assigned Medicare Beneficiary Identifier. This is good news for anyone concerned with security, but the transition may lead to confusion. Here’s what you need to know to make the process go as smoothly as possible.      

Seniors, do you want to have fun, learn new things and keep your brain active? Then keep on reading – and I don’t just mean this article. Reading books, magazines and other materials is a great way to stay mentally sharp.

A recent proposal could provide relief for Medicare Advantage producers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a rule that would change training requirements.