Every year, Medicare beneficiaries are mandated by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to enroll Medicare advantage plan or Original Medicare during Medicare open enrollment period between October 15th to December 7th . Enrolled coverage will be eligible from the forthcoming January 1st. Health care coverage selection should be done with the consideration of Best meets of their medical needs (In-Network Doctor, Prescriptions are on the plan’s formulary, Extra Benefits like Dental coverage) lowest cost (Monthly Premium, Deducible, Out-Of-Pocket expenses).
1. No Pay for COVID-19 vaccine booster Shot:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved or authorized vaccines are administered at no pay (copayment, coinsurance, or deductible) when they get the COVID-19 vaccine and booster.
If a Medicare recipient has disability to get vaccinated out of the house, doctors or other care provider will be sent to your home for vaccination.
For any Medicare beneficiary enrolled in a Medicare advantage plan or other Medicare plans it is mandatory to provide Red, White and Blue Medicare card to healthcare provider and Pharmacies to bill Medicare.
2. No Pay for Diagnostic tests, Antibody test, Monoclonal Antibody treatments.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved or authorized are tests and treatments are provided to Medicare beneficiaries are provided at no pay.
3. Free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests through Medicare:
Medicare beneficiaries, recipients of Original Medicare (Parts A&B) or Medicare Advantage will be able to get over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost in spring 2022.
Medicare beneficiaries can get per month eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at participating pharmacies and participating entities. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves and authorizes this policy of COVID-19 over-the-counter tests.
First time Medicare has covered an over-the-counter test at no cost and the payment from Medicare will be enabled directly to participating pharmacies and participating entities.
Medicare Advantage plans may provide over-the-counter COVID-19 tests as a supplemental benefit.
4. Free At home over-the-counter COVID-19 tests through Medicare:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Federal Emergency Management Agency are creating testing sites across the country.
Up to 50 million free, at-home tests are provided to community health centers and Medicare-certified health clinics by Department of Health & Human Services for distribution to patients and community members at no cost. Original Medicare recipients can get paid without cost sharing for one lab performed test per patient per year. But at-home tests are not paid by Medicare. For Medicare recipients of fee-for-service, Medicare pays for COVID-19 diagnostic tests performed by a laboratory, such as PCR and antigen tests, with no beneficiary cost sharing when the test is ordered by a physician, non-physician practitioner, pharmacist, or other authorized health care professional.