Nebraska Department of Insurance
THE NEBRASKA HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION, COUNSELING, AND ASSISTANCE (NICA) PROGRAM
SEPTEMBER 2002 NICA NEWS
THIS AND THAT
Medicare Forms are available on the CMS Website. NICA Volunteers may find a new section of the CMS website helpful in their work with beneficiaries. The www.cms.hhs.gov/forms website contains many forms including an Advance Beneficiary Notice for home health care, medical necessity forms for durable medical equipment, Medicare appeal and hearing request forms, and appointment of representative forms. This site is still under development, however, so all forms may not yet be available for download.New volunteers? Know someone who would like to become a NICA volunteer just like you? Call your Regional Representative or NICA Program office and let them know! Training courses will be offered for new volunteers starting early next year.
New brochures available! NICA has added some additional brochures to our library of knowledge. The brochures are "Medicare and Clinical Trials", "Choosing a Medicare Health Plan", and "Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan." If you are interested in viewing these brochures, or if you need additional NICA materials, brochures, or public activity and client contact forms call Chris Peterson at (402) 471-2841 or your Regional Representative to place your order. You can also submit your order online by contacting nica@doi.state.ne.us. As always, you can send your request by mail to: NICA Program, Nebraska Dept. of Insurance, 941 "O" Street, Suite 400, Lincoln, NE 68508.
Volunteer Survey -- Thank you to all NICA volunteers who completed and returned the Volunteer Survey in July/August. Your input and participation is important to us. Since the NICA program staff is brand new, it helps knowing who we have in our state that keeps this program running!
Volunteer Appreciation drawing: October is right around the corner, and in appreciation of your hard work, the NICA program office will have a Volunteer Appreciation Drawing for free gifts. Remember to get all of your completed Client Contact and Public Outreach Events forms submitted to the NICA program office no later than September 30, 2002. For each form you submit, your name will be entered into a drawing for these prizes. Winners will be notified by the end of October with their names and prizes listed in the December newsletter. GOOD LUCK!!
Prizes this year are all Nebraska-themed, including: an afghan, telephone, bath towel, bath towel set, black fleece sweatshirt, picture frame, four Starter jackets, a red fleece jacket, brown fleece vest, two floor rugs with NU football helmets, a cookbook . . . AND MORE!!
Our appreciation goes to the Omaha Volunteers Intervening for Equity (VIE) office. During the NICA program's transition this summer, VIE agreed to maintain the hotline calls that were coming into the NICA program office. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Jennifer Cunningham and all the volunteers that were quick on their toes to take the incoming phone calls. Without their added support, we would have been unable to respond to all the needs of our Senior Citizens across Nebraska.
Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Letter
Recently CMS, in coordination with SSA, sent a letter to beneficiaries who may be potentially eligible for a Medicare Savings Program (MSP). This letter explains in detail that the beneficiary might be eligible for these assistance programs that can help pay their Medicare Part B premium and other medical costs. The letter outlines the State specific eligibility requirements and income limits for qualification and gives out a State designated toll-free number to contact for an application for enrollment or for further explanation.
Community Outreach Project
The goal of the NICA Community Outreach project was to use local libraries and senior citizen centers to get NICA and Medicare information to an expanded audience. Interested NICA volunteers received information that would help them offer staff from the libraries and senior centers in their area, and the persons that use those facilities, information on Medicare and related topics as well as how to obtain information off of the internet.
The packets for the NICA Community Outreach project were mailed to interested volunteers in early August. Along with an explanation of the project the packets included a list of senior centers and libraries in each volunteer's region, sample scripts to use when presenting the information, and a Medicare.gov mousepad.
A big THANK YOU to the seventeen volunteers who signed up to complete the project:
Jim and Wilma Barry, Loup City
Doranne Bartels, Kearney
Jennifer Cunningham, Omaha
Rhonda Godbey, North Platte
Ruby Hays, Kearney
Elaine Hink, Imperial
Richard Jacoby, Spencer
Shirley Lake, Gothenburg
Laura Lefler-Kruse, So. Sioux City
Jim O'Donnell, Omaha
Jan Osten, Columbus
Norma Phillips, North Platte
Ted Schaefer, Omaha
Marge Smith, Gothenburg
RBetty Stiles, Beatrice
Sharon Strong, Kearney
If you would like a copy of the senior center or library contact list for your area, call Chris at 402-471-2841.
What you need is a good shot in the arm!
Flu and pneumonia combined are the fifth leading cause of death for people 65 years of age and older. The good news is that both flu and pneumonia are preventable with safe, simple vaccinations, which are covered under Medicare.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that people at high risk for complications from the flu - those who are 65 and older, and those of any age with chronic health conditions - get their flu shot in October, when the vaccine is first available. Others not at high risk for complications should wait until November to get their shot. Though the CDC recommends that people get vaccinated early in the flu season, a flu shot can be beneficial in December or January.
A pneumonia shot lasts a lifetime and can be administered at any time of the year. (If you are 65 years of age or older and five years or more have lapsed since your pneumonia vaccination, check with your doctor to see if you should be re-vaccinated. If you aren't sure of your pneumonia vaccination status, re-vaccination is recommended.)
The flu is a highly contagious infection of the nose, throat and lungs. Flu symptoms include a sudden onset of high fever, chills, a dry cough, headache, runny nose, and sore throat and muscles. Pneumococcal pneumonia, often a complication of the flu, is a serious infection of the lungs.
Nebraska Medicare Partners
Several Nebraska Medicare partners are dedicated to assisting you with your Medicare issues and other related health insurance concerns you may have. Together, we have abundant resources. These partners include:Medicare Part A provides information on:
- Inpatient hospital services
- Skilled nursing facility services
- Outpatient facility services/procedures
- Rehabilitation services
Medicare Part B handles your claims for:
- Medical/professional services rendered in an office, inpatient or outpatient settings
- Lab tests, x-rays and diagnostic tests
- Ambulance transportation
DMERC processes claims for durable medical equipment & supplies including:
- Home dialysis equipment
- Immunosuppressive & oral anti-cancer drugs
- Therapeutic shoes for diabetics
- Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc.
- Power operated vehicles
Peer Review Organization handles quality of health care issues including:
- Inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, and home health care
- Your rights as a patient, including premature discharge issues
- Care in a Medicare HMO
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Unit on Aging is a State Agency providing information about:
- Nebraska Aging Network
- Benefits Eligibility Screening Services
- Long Term Care Ombudsmen
- ECHO - Medicare Fraud and Abuse
- Legal service referrals
- Care management services in the home
Social Security Administration can help you with:
- Medicare eligibility and enrollment
- Changing your address for Medicare
- Replacing your Medicare card
- Questions on Medicare premiums
Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services will help you with:
- Medicaid spend-down
- Medicare Savings Programs
Nebraska Department of Insurance will help you with:
- Health, Life, Auto, & Property insurance questions
- Filing an Insurance complaint pertaining to your insurance coverage
- Insurance Fraud complaints
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Regulation and Licensure, handles complaints against:
- Licensed & certified health care providers, including long term & non-long term care facilities
NICA, Nebraska Health Insurance Information, Counseling & Assistance Program is a State Counseling program providing information about:
- Medicare supplemental insurance
- Medicare HMOs
- Long term care insurance
- Medicaid, QMB, and SLMB programs
- Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool (CHIP)
Cahaba GBA Health Benefits Administration (A Regional Home Health Intermediary) can assist with:
- Information about Home Health or Hospice Care