If you have a Medicare insurance plan, you should know your rights and protections to ensure you always get the best care.
When you have Medicare coverage, it’s important to know what your rights and protections are. The possibility of people, even those in the medical field, attempting to take advantage of you by ignoring your rights or protections, is never zero. You have to be your own healthcare advocate and make sure you’re getting the care you expect and deserve at all times.
Your Rights
According to Medicare, you have basic rights that must always be observed. If you feel your rights are being violated, you should reach out to your plan or representative to discuss the next steps. These inherent rights include, but are not limited to:
- Protection from discrimination (based on race, color, national origin, disability, age, religion, or sex).
- Information that is available in a way you understand.
- Participation in your treatment decisions.
- Decisions about health care payment, coverage of items and services, or drug coverage.
Your Protections
Medicare protections are considered through a form known as the “Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-coverage,” or ABN. These forms are an outline of services that may not be covered by Medicare. This form needs to be completed by you as a means of deciding whether you’ll receive the services and whether you will appeal to Medicare in the instance they are not covered. An ABN is not a denial of coverage by Medicare—it serves to inform you of the possibility that the services may not be covered and gives you options on how to proceed. There are several different types of ABNs:
- Detailed Explanation of Non-coverage (DENC)
- Home Health Change of Care Notice (HHCCN)
- Hospital Issued Notice of Noncoverage (HINN)
- Skilled Nursing Facility Advance Beneficiary Notice (SNFABN)
Each of these types of ABNs serves the same basic purpose, but each functions in its own unique way and is used among different services to inform you of potential non-coverage.
Talk to an Advisor
If you have questions about your Medicare rights and protections, you can always talk to a trusted advisor, such as those at Aging Benefits Advisory, to address your concerns and ensure you’re fully aware of your Medicare rights and protections, as well as how they affect you and your chosen plan. You have to be your own healthcare advocate, so staying informed is critical.
Contact Aging Benefits Advisory Today!
If you need help navigating the world of senior health insurance, our advisors at Aging Benefits Advisory are here to assist. Take advantage of our free consultation to ensure that you receive the plan for your budget and needs. We specialize in Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplements, Dental, Vision, and Final Expense for the senior market of Pinellas County, Pasco County, Manatee County, Hillsborough County, Polk County, Sarasota County, Citrus County, and Marion County, Florida. If you would like a free consultation, contact us online or give us a call at 727-266-0355. For more information, follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.