MEDICARE CORNER
Know Your Rights!
NOTE: If you receive your health
and/or prescription drug coverage
from any of the following Agencies,
check with your Human Resource
Administrator
• Before making any changes in
your health or prescription drug
coverage
• Explanation of your costs sharing
• Your health and prescription
coverage
AGENCIES:
• Federal Employees Health
Benefits (FEHB) Program
• TRICARE
• Veterans Health Insurance
• Railroad Retirement Insurance
• Indian Health Services (IHS)
• Union Retiree Health Coverage
• Employee Retiree Health
Coverage
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IF YOU ARE
PLANNING ON TRAVELING
In most cases Medicare doesn’t
cover healthcare or services when
traveling outside of the United
States. It is recommended you
purchase a travel insurance plan
which provides healthcare coverage
when traveling aboard.
If you have a health plan other
than Medicare, check the Plan
Policy regarding coverage, when
traveling outside of the 50 states,
and the following Territories, which
are considered part of the US:
• The District of Columbia
• Puerto Rico
• The US Virgin Islands
• Guam
• The Northern Mariana Islands
• Samoa Islands
Medicare may pay for inpatient
hospital, doctor, ambulance services
(to the Foreign Medical Facility, but
not return to your US residence)
under the following circumstances:
• Medical Emergency occurs while
you are in the US and the nearest
Medical Facility to treat your
medical condition is in a foreign
country.
• You live in the US, but the foreign
hospital is closer to your home.
A Medical Emergency is not a
requirement for receiving medical
care
• You are traveling through Canada
and the Canadian hospital is closer
when a Medical Emergency
occurs
• Foreign hospitals are not
required to file for Medicare
Claims of Service. You may need
to submit an itemized (translated)
bill to Medicare
• Medicare Part B may pay for
“Medically necessary services”
aboard a ship which is within territorial
waters adjoining the land
areas of the US and its Territories.
Medicare will not pay, if the Ship
is more than six hours away from
a US Port
• Medicare Drug Plans will not
cover prescription drug costs
outside of the US
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE (MA)
OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD
JANUARY 2019–MARCH 2019
If you are enrolled in a Medicare
Advantage Plan, you can change
from your current
MA Plan to a different MA Plan
or to Original Medicare. You cannot
change from Original Medicare
to an MA or to a stand-alone PART
D Prescription Drug Plan (PDP)
NEW MEDICARE CARDS
New Medicare Card mailings for
New York State Residents has been
completed. If you have not received
the New Medicare Card you should
call Medicare at 1-800-Medicare
(1-800-633-4227) or go to www.
mymedicare.gov or call Social
Security 1-800-772-1213
ADVANCE BENEFICIARY NOTICE
(ABN) OF NON-COVERAGE
If you are enrolled in Original
Medicare, you may be requested
to sign an ABN, if your health
care provider believes the services
or items
prescribed will not be covered by
Medicare. You may also receive
an ABN when a Skilled Nursing
Facility (SNF) believes Medicare
will no longer pay for your stay,
items or services. If it is a service
Medicare never covers, the provider
is not required to give you an ABN.
BEFORE SIGNING AN ABN
• Review reasons why the Provider
believes you need the services
or item
• Be sure the Provider has filled in
Columns D, E and F
If you choose to sign the ABN to
receive the services or item, you are
agreeing to pay the cost if Medicare
denies coverage.
SECTIONS 504 AND 508 OF THE
REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973
This Act entitles individuals with
disabilities the right to participate
in services, benefits activities and
programs provided by Center for
Medicare Services (CMS).
For more information contact
CMS:
Relay Services number TTY
1-877-486-2048
CMS Publications in accessible
format number
TTY 1-844-258-3676 or
1-800-633-4227
It Takes a Community
BY FELICE HANNAH,
CHAIRPERSON NST PAC
CHAIRPERSON
TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE
COMMUNITY BOARD #13
Photo by Stephen Vrattos
The North Shore Towers Political
Action Committee (PAC ) is hosting
Community Board #13 General
Board Meeting on Monday, January
28, 2019 @ 7:30 p.m. in Towers on
the Green.
Chairman, Clive Williams and
District Manager, Mark McMillan,
will chair the meeting.
The District Manager, “is an experienced
Professional City employee
responsible for the oversight and
operation of the District Office and
providing general support for the
Board Members.”
The major role of Community
Board #13 is having input on
district capital and expense
budget, zoning issues and land
use issues. NST Residents will
have an opportunity to meet
Community Board #13 Committee
Chairpersons, Department of
Transportation Representative
and Representatives of Elected
City, State and Federal Officials.
They will be available to respond
to your concerns.
Deputy Inspector Neteis Gilbert,
(l. to r.) 105th Precinct Commanding Officer Neteis Gilbert and NCO
Sector E Police Officers Joe Contessa and Shawn Gallagher at recent
NST Safety Seminar (See pages 16–17)
Commanding Officer, and NCO
Sector E Police Officers Shawn
Gallagher and Joe Contessa, of
105th Precinct, will report on local
Precinct activities.
Let’s welcome our Community
Board Civic Organizations and
Members.
20 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ January 2019
/www.mymedicare.gov
/www.mymedicare.gov
/mymedicare.gov
