Important Medicare News for Seniors from Whitehouse.gov

Hi all - I received this from the White House's listserv, and thought it important enough to post for Seniors. Rob
From Whitehouse.gov: Good news for America's seniors -- those of you who have been hitting the gap in Medicare Part D prescription coverage will be receiving a $250 check in the mail starting this week. This is part of our promise to protect Medicare, help seniors manage health care costs and, ultimately, eliminate this gap (known as the “donut hole”) in prescription drug coverage.
Here's how it works. The one-time, tax-free $250 checks to help cover prescription costs go out in the mail today. Only seniors who have hit the coverage gap will receive them, and if you hit it in the future, you should get a check about a month later. If you don't already know if you are in the coverage gap, check the Medicare Explanation of Benefits notice mailed each month.
Even if you're not getting a check, the Affordable Care Act provides a number of Medicare benefits you should be aware of like free preventive care, community health teams to make it easier to deal with multiple doctors, and improvements to Medicare Advantage that save seniors money.
Earlier this week, President Obama answered questions from seniors across the country and took on the bogus rumors that folks are going to lose their guaranteed benefits. You can watch the full video of the event here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/seniors-town-hall
In case you don't have time to watch the entire video, here are a few important points seniors should know about Medicare and the Affordable Care Act:
* Guaranteed Medicare Benefits
It's important that seniors know that their guaranteed Medicare benefits are protected -- regardless of whether they are in Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage -- and seniors who have Medicare Advantage can choose to continue to be enrolled in the plan. The biggest difference is that now Medicare Advantage plans will have to compete on a level playing field with Original Medicare and put more of their premium dollars into health care costs, instead of profits or administrative costs.
* Free Preventive Care - Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicare beneficiaries will be eligible for free preventive care services like colorectal cancer screening and mammograms as well as a free annual wellness visit.
* Patient-Centered Care - Community health teams will provide patient-centered care so seniors won't have to see multiple doctors who don't work together. The new law also helps seniors who are hospitalized return home successfully -- and avoid going back -- by helping to coordinate care and ensure they have access to support in their community.
* Cracking Down on Fraud - The Affordable Care Act has important new tools to help crack down on criminals seeking to scam seniors and steal taxpayer dollars. Reductions in fraud, waste, and abuse will help extend the life of the Medicare Trust Funds by 12 years and provide seniors with cost savings.