Medicare, the nation's largest health insurance program, is run by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), a Federal agency in the Department of Health and Human Services. The Medicare program serves more than 39 million Americans. Medicare provides health insurance to people age 65 and over, those who have End-Stage Renal Disease, and certain people with disabilities.
Congress passed a law in 1997 that made many changes in the Medicare program. This law includes a section called Medicare + Choice, which creates new health plan options. You are still assured all of the basic Medicare benefits that you now enjoy. In addition, there are new preventive care services to help you stay healthy, at no extra cost, and new health plan choices. The following health plan choices are currently available:
| The Original Medicare Plan | |
| The Original Medicare Plan with a Supplemental Insurance Policy | |
| Managed Care Plans that have contracts with Medicare |
Starting in 1999, Medicare will offer new health plan choices. To be eligible for new choices, you must have Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance), and no End-Stage Renal Disease. Information about each new choice will become available during 1998, along with information to help you make a decision about which choice is best for you.
| If you are happy with the way you get your health care now, you don't have to do anything. The choice is yours. | |
| No matter what you decide, you are still in the Medicare program and will receive all the Medicare covered services. |
Look for more details on these changes in future bulletins.
For more information and access to "Medicare Compare," visit http://www.medicare.gov.
Revised: October 26, 1998 |