Other E-alert

On Thursday, July 1, 2021 from 3:00-4:30 pm ET, please join the Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for a webinar on Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy Among Direct Service Workers.

The Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help are important programs designed to help low-income Americans afford Medicare coverage. Many people who are eligible for these programs are not yet enrolled. Each May, the Social Security Administration (SSA) sends letters to 2 million low-income Medicare beneficiaries, informing them about the Medicare Savings Programs and how they can help with Medicare costs. These include the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI) programs.

On March 11, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the updated State Phased-Down (SPD) Billing Guide. The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (Medicare Modernization Act or MMA) established the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. As a result, Medicare became the primary payer for most prescription drugs for full-benefit dually eligible individuals.

On September 8, CMS released the updated Manual for State Payment of Medicare Premiums (formerly called “State Buyin Manual”). The manual updates information and instructions to states on federal policy, operations, and systems concerning the payment of Medicare Parts A and B premiums (or buy-in) for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

E-alert regarding the following CMS guidance and resources related to the COVID-19 Pandemic:

- Medicare Part A and Part B Enrollment Equitable Relief for the COVID-19 Pandemic

- Updated Guidance for Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans

- New CMS Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes