Georgia Health Insurance

GeorgiaCares Counsels Medicare Beneficiaries On Preventive Services

ruzik_tuzik — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:30:54 -0600

GeorgiaCares is educating and counseling Medicare beneficiaries on an array of preventive services offered by Medicare at no cost or at minimal out of pocket costs. GeorgiaCares is the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) under the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services.

Georgia Medicare Beneficiaries Should Get Vaccinated

ruzik_tuzik — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:33:07 -0600

October through May is flu season and the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services (DAS) Georgia Cares program is reminding Medicare beneficiaries to talk to their healthcare providers about getting vaccinated to prevent getting the flu and the pneumococcal disease, which is the cause of the most common form of pneumonia. The flu and pneumococcal vaccines are both covered by Medicare, so beneficiaries are not required to make a co-payment.

GeorgiaCares Helps Beneficiaries Review Drug Plan Options

ruzik_tuzik — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:12:05 -0500

The GeorgiaCares State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is helping Medicare recipients make informed decisions about which prescription drug and Advantage plan options are best for them.

Medicare Part D Open Enrollment begins November 15, which means recipients h ave until December 31, 2008, to make their choices. With so many options available, choosing the right one is important.

Georgia To Expand HMO Fee To Fund Medicaid, PeachCare

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:00:28 -0500

The Georgia Department of Community Health plans to expand a quality assessment fee to about a dozen additional HMOs in the state to help fund the state's Medicaid and PeachCare programs, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. PeachCare is the state's version of SCHIP. The state in 2005 began charging the fees to three national insurance companies that provide benefits for Medicaid and PeachCare beneficiaries. The fee generates $143 million annually and draws down $90 million in federal matching funds.

Georgia Medicare Beneficiaries Informed Of New Marketing Quidelines

ruzik_tuzik — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:01:12 -0500

The Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services (DAS) GeorgiaCares program is informing Medicare beneficiaries of the new guidelines imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The new rules are designed to protect Medicare beneficiaries from being pressured to change their health care coverage plans by insurance companies and agents marketing their own prescription drug option plans and Medicare Advantage health plans options.

Georgia Approves To Help Fund State Medicaid Program

ruzik_tuzik — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:35:40 -0500

The Georgia Department of Community Health board on Thursday approved a plan to charge commercial HMOs the same fee as managed care companies that operate the state's Medicaid program in an effort to make up for a 5% reduction in program funding, the Savannah Morning News reports. The fees are used to draw down federal match funds that are then combined to pay Medicaid managed care plans.

Georgia Health Insurance Reform Under Attack by Activist Group

hareyan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:49:11 -0500

Georgia's landmark consumer-directed health care reform law has come under fire in a study conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a liberal activist group that claims the reform will help only Georgians who already have health insurance coverage.

Experts disagree, saying the Georgia law, signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) on May 10, should serve as a model for other states' attempts at reform.

GeorgiaCares SHIP Program Receives CMS Grant

ruzik_tuzik — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:46:31 -0500

GeorgiaCares State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) received a supplemental grant of more than $379,800 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that must be used between June 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009. SHIP is a grantee program of CMS that is available to every state. GeorgiaCares is a program of the Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services (DAS).

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Of Georgia Exposes Social Security Numbers

hareyan — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:19:51 -0500

In an article in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Andy Miller reported that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (“Blue Cross”), Georgia’s largest health insurance provider, sent an estimated 202,000 “Explanation of Benefit” (“EOB”) and other letters to the wrong addresses last week, exposing patient names, social security numbers, medical conditions, treatment information, and other health and personal information to potential identity thieves.

Georgia's Health Care Laws Won't Reduce Uninsured

ruzik_tuzik — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:33:30 -0500

New Georgia state laws aimed at reducing the number of uninsured by providing incentives for them to buy lower-premium health care policies are not likely to work, according to a report issued this month by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Florida Times-Union reports.