"2010 Changes to Medicare" Event

Beginning January 1, 2010, changes in the law will make it easier for some people to qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. Under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act:

SSA will no longer count as a resource any life insurance policy; and
SSA will no longer count as income the help a person receives regularly from someone else to pay for household expenses.

Want to know more? You’re invited to participate in Social Security’s national webinar – "2010 Changes to Medicare Extra Help". Join Social Security for a discussion about these important changes. We also ask that you share the information about the webinar with your members, colleagues, and other interested parties.

The webinar will be hosted via http://www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp/webinarmedicare.htm on September 15, 2009 at 2 pm EDT. To RSVP for the webinar, please visit http://www.ssa.gov/survey/mipparsvpsurvey.htm
I hope that you will join us and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss the changes with you. Sincerely, Cheri Arnott Parlaman Associate Commissioner for External Affairs

NRCA Announces Medicare Committee Draft

From the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association:

The three House committees with jurisdiction over health care—the House Ways & Means Committee, the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and the House Education & Labor Committee—have released draft health care reform legislation, including provisions to update the Medicare program.

Importantly, the draft legislation (known as the “Tri-Committee” draft) would establish Medicare coverage of licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists. The legislation makes significant changes to the way the current health insurance marketplace works in the U.S., with the goal of building on our current system to broaden coverage and constrain health care cost increases. Information on the legislation, including the bill text and a summary, is on the House Education & Labor Committee’s website at http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/06/health-care-reform-house-dems.shtml