Resource Corner: Ask Medicare

    Medicare.gov offers numerous resources for seniors. Today I want to point you towards it's "Ask Medicare" feature. This gem is not the first thing you see when you visit Medicare.gov, but it is one of the most helpful parts of the sites. This area offers resources targeted to caregivers and breaks information down into four catagories:

Billing

This section deals with the medical care that Medicare covers, how to decipher the bills and statements you will receive from Medicare and how to appeal a claim or file a grievance. If you, or your loved one, is currently on service with a home health or hospice company, there should be a billing specialist who can help you navigate this process. If Millcreek Home Health and Hospice is your agency, call our office and ask for Bianca with any questions.

Navigating Medicare

This section offers information on all the basics of Medicare, including how to enroll, a comparison of health plans and advice on how to manage health care. This is a great resource, but if you live in Salt Lake County, Millcreek Home Health and Hospice recommends contacting Salt Lake County Ageing Services to schedule a one on one review of your unique situation. They can help you determine if Medicare alone will provide enough insurance, connect you to community resources and answer questions about ageing. Ageing Services can be reached at (801) 468-2459.

Overwhelmed? Get Help

This section deals with the many resources out there for caregivers. Millcreek Home Health and Hospice recommends checking them out before you get overwhelmed. Our number one piece of advice for caregivers is to plan early! We know that it is difficult and sometimes painful to think about the eventual decline in health of a loved one, but you will save hours of heartache and hardship if you have the difficult conversations and plan for the worst when you and your loved one are not in crisis. Have a plan for both finances and be sure that you or your loved ones has completed advanced directives that make their medical wishes clear. If you do get overwhelmed, don't wait to ask for help. Contact a home health company. Chances are if your parent requires the kind of care that overwhelms you, they qualify for home health and can benefit from skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and home health aides. You can call Millcreek Home Health and Hospice with questions, too at (801)463-2478.

Care Options

This section is where the rubber meets the road and you can get some solid data and evidence about who does a good job providing medial care to seniors. You can compare hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and home health companies (our favorite!). Millcreek Home Health and Hospice encourages you to choose at least three companies to compare so that you can be sure that you will receive the best care possible. Home health companies should welcome the opportunity to meet with you and answer questions. It is very important that you not only approve of the quality of care that they provide, but also that you like them and trust that they will be respectful when visiting you or your loved one at home. Remember, home health is 100% covered by Medicare.

  

Check out Medicare's Ask Medicare feature by clicking on this link: http://www.medicare.gov/caregivers/index.asp

Have fun exploring this great resource!