Medicare and Medicaid Required to Release Healthcare Pricing Info
Saturday April 1, 2006
Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services have announced that all federal health coverage programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, will be required to post their pricing information for commonly performed procedures on the internet. According to this article this is an attempt by the federal government to "lead by example" in the hopes that private insurers will all do the same. Some private insurance companies have already begun to offer pricing information to policyholders and plan members, and many more are sure to follow suit.
Comments
I need to know why a person is required to take Medicare at age 65 even if they don’t want it? I also need to know that when a person reaches age 65 and has Medicare that Blue Cross and Blue Shield does not reduce the premium although they are only pay 20% or less of the bill. People over 65 can not drop Medicare because Blue Cross and Blue Shield says they will then only 20% or what Medicare would have paid. Also, if Medicare will not pay for a procedure BCBS of Alabama will not pay for it although it may be listed in the book as something they will pay for. There are many legal questions in this situation and I would certainly appreciate it if you would send me some answers.
Thank you so much for your help.
Richard White