PRESS ADVISORY from the United States Department of Defense
No. 050-04
PRESS ADVISORY Sep 14, 2004
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William
Winkenwerder Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr.
Mark B. McClellan will be available to answer questions about the implementation of
Section 625 of the Medicare Modernization Act today at 3 p.m. EDT by telephone news
conference.
Under the Medicare Modernization Act, the Social Security
Administration is automatically enrolling uniformed services beneficiaries in
Medicare Part B. Beneficiaries eligible for these special provisions were
identified by the Department of Defense, the Social Security Administration and
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Reporters may call in on 1 (888) 566-5910. The pass code is
“Tricare.â€
TriCare/Medicare Part B Enrollment's
Moderator: Site Admin
TriCare/Medicare Part B Enrollment's
Last edited by VAK on September 14th, 2004, 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense
No. 899-04
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sep 14, 2004
Media Contact: (703)697-5131
Public/Industry Contact: (703)428-0711
Some Military to Get Break on Medicare Part B Premiums
The Department of Defense announced today that nearly 35,000 Medicare beneficiaries
who are eligible for Tricare Health Benefits will be automatically enrolled in
Medicare Part B without having to pay a surcharge for late enrollment. Also, those
Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Part B since 2001 and are paying more than
$66.60 per month will receive a refund for the premium surcharges paid since
January 2004.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will automatically enroll affected
beneficiaries in Medicare Part B during the month of September 2004 without
requiring the beneficiary to take any action. Those eligible beneficiaries who
have paid a premium surcharge during 2004 will have that surcharge automatically
refunded to them as well. Beneficiaries eligible for these special provisions were
identified by the Department of Defense (DoD), SSA and Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS).
Eligible beneficiaries should receive two letters, one from DoD and one from SSA.
The DoD letter emphasizes that those beneficiaries who are entitled to Medicare
Part A based on age, disability or End Stage Renal Disease, must have Medicare Part
A & B to retain their Tricare eligibility. The SSA letter tells beneficiaries that
they have been enrolled in Medicare Part B effective September 2004, provides them
the option of selecting a different month of Medicare Part B entitlement in 2004
and explains how the premium will affect their Social Security payment amount.
Beneficiaries eligible for the surcharge waiver who are currently receiving Social
Security benefits will receive a refund check and a letter explaining how this
change will affect their Social Security payment amount.
"Not only are we enrolling eligible beneficiaries in Part B effective Sept. 1, but
we are also making sure that those eligible individuals who had been paying higher
premiums get their refunds," said Commissioner of Social Security Jo Anne Barnhart.
"Beneficiaries should receive notices regarding these actions by the end of
October."
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr.
stated, "We welcome these new provisions and the assistance they provide for many
of our military beneficiaries to retain their Tricare benefits as a supplement to
Medicare coverage. The help and cooperation from CMS and SSA have been excellent."
"The new Medicare law protects thousands of military retirees from having to make
higher payments to enroll in Medicare Part B," said CMS Administrator Dr. Mark B.
McClellan. "This will allow eligible military retirees to use their Tricare
benefits as a Medicare supplement."
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 included two provisions for those Medicare
beneficiaries who are eligible for Tricare, a health care coverage program for
active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families and
survivors. The law:
· Eliminates the Medicare Part B surcharge for uniformed services
beneficiaries who enrolled in Part B during the years 2001 to 2004. Medicare Part
B premiums will be reduced for these beneficiaries to the regular monthly premium
rate and beneficiaries will be reimbursed for any surcharges paid in 2004.
· The law also allows uniformed services beneficiaries who are entitled to
Medicare Part A but not enrolled in Medicare Part B to enroll in Part B without a
premium surcharge. These beneficiaries will be automatically enrolled in Part B
effective Sept. 1, 2004, but most can change that date to any other month in 2004.
To remain eligible for Tricare benefits, uniformed services beneficiaries also must
be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
Information may be updated in DEERS by visiting an identification card issuing
facility. To find the nearest identification card issuing facility, beneficiaries
may visit http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl . Beneficiaries with questions or who require
further assistance regarding DEERS may contact the Defense Manpower Data Center
Support Office (DSO) Telephone Center at (800) 538-9552 (TTY/TDD 1-800-363-2883 for
the hearing impaired).
For general information about Tricare benefits, beneficiaries may call the Tricare
Information Service at 1 (888) 363-5433, contact the health benefits advisor at
their nearest military medical facility, or visit the Tricare Web site at
http://www.tricare.osd.mil/ . Additional information regarding these benefits
under the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-173) is available at
http://www.ssa.gov/legislation/tricarefact.html or
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/legislati ... efact.html.
Beneficiaries who think they may be affected by the new law who do not receive a
notice by Nov. 1 should contact their local Social Security Office. If
beneficiaries have questions about enrolling in Medicare Part B, they may call SSA
toll free, at 1(800) 772-1213 or visit any Social Security office.
No. 899-04
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sep 14, 2004
Media Contact: (703)697-5131
Public/Industry Contact: (703)428-0711
Some Military to Get Break on Medicare Part B Premiums
The Department of Defense announced today that nearly 35,000 Medicare beneficiaries
who are eligible for Tricare Health Benefits will be automatically enrolled in
Medicare Part B without having to pay a surcharge for late enrollment. Also, those
Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Part B since 2001 and are paying more than
$66.60 per month will receive a refund for the premium surcharges paid since
January 2004.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will automatically enroll affected
beneficiaries in Medicare Part B during the month of September 2004 without
requiring the beneficiary to take any action. Those eligible beneficiaries who
have paid a premium surcharge during 2004 will have that surcharge automatically
refunded to them as well. Beneficiaries eligible for these special provisions were
identified by the Department of Defense (DoD), SSA and Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS).
Eligible beneficiaries should receive two letters, one from DoD and one from SSA.
The DoD letter emphasizes that those beneficiaries who are entitled to Medicare
Part A based on age, disability or End Stage Renal Disease, must have Medicare Part
A & B to retain their Tricare eligibility. The SSA letter tells beneficiaries that
they have been enrolled in Medicare Part B effective September 2004, provides them
the option of selecting a different month of Medicare Part B entitlement in 2004
and explains how the premium will affect their Social Security payment amount.
Beneficiaries eligible for the surcharge waiver who are currently receiving Social
Security benefits will receive a refund check and a letter explaining how this
change will affect their Social Security payment amount.
"Not only are we enrolling eligible beneficiaries in Part B effective Sept. 1, but
we are also making sure that those eligible individuals who had been paying higher
premiums get their refunds," said Commissioner of Social Security Jo Anne Barnhart.
"Beneficiaries should receive notices regarding these actions by the end of
October."
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr.
stated, "We welcome these new provisions and the assistance they provide for many
of our military beneficiaries to retain their Tricare benefits as a supplement to
Medicare coverage. The help and cooperation from CMS and SSA have been excellent."
"The new Medicare law protects thousands of military retirees from having to make
higher payments to enroll in Medicare Part B," said CMS Administrator Dr. Mark B.
McClellan. "This will allow eligible military retirees to use their Tricare
benefits as a Medicare supplement."
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 included two provisions for those Medicare
beneficiaries who are eligible for Tricare, a health care coverage program for
active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families and
survivors. The law:
· Eliminates the Medicare Part B surcharge for uniformed services
beneficiaries who enrolled in Part B during the years 2001 to 2004. Medicare Part
B premiums will be reduced for these beneficiaries to the regular monthly premium
rate and beneficiaries will be reimbursed for any surcharges paid in 2004.
· The law also allows uniformed services beneficiaries who are entitled to
Medicare Part A but not enrolled in Medicare Part B to enroll in Part B without a
premium surcharge. These beneficiaries will be automatically enrolled in Part B
effective Sept. 1, 2004, but most can change that date to any other month in 2004.
To remain eligible for Tricare benefits, uniformed services beneficiaries also must
be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
Information may be updated in DEERS by visiting an identification card issuing
facility. To find the nearest identification card issuing facility, beneficiaries
may visit http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl . Beneficiaries with questions or who require
further assistance regarding DEERS may contact the Defense Manpower Data Center
Support Office (DSO) Telephone Center at (800) 538-9552 (TTY/TDD 1-800-363-2883 for
the hearing impaired).
For general information about Tricare benefits, beneficiaries may call the Tricare
Information Service at 1 (888) 363-5433, contact the health benefits advisor at
their nearest military medical facility, or visit the Tricare Web site at
http://www.tricare.osd.mil/ . Additional information regarding these benefits
under the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-173) is available at
http://www.ssa.gov/legislation/tricarefact.html or
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/legislati ... efact.html.
Beneficiaries who think they may be affected by the new law who do not receive a
notice by Nov. 1 should contact their local Social Security Office. If
beneficiaries have questions about enrolling in Medicare Part B, they may call SSA
toll free, at 1(800) 772-1213 or visit any Social Security office.
"Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2004 - A collaborative effort between the Department of
Defense, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security
Administration could prove beneficial to certain Medicare-eligible uniformed
services beneficiaries.
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 provides a chance for Medicare-eligible
uniformed services beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare Part B without having to
pay higher premiums due to late enrollment. Beneficiaries who enrolled in Part
B in 2001 through 2004 will get a refund of surcharges they have paid in 2004.
By law, uniformed services beneficiaries who are entitled to Medicare Part A,
by reason of disability, end-stage renal disease or age, must also enroll in
Medicare Part B in order to maintain their Tricare eligibility. Tricare, the
military health benefit program, is secondary payer following Medicare for
beneficiaries entitled to Medicare Parts A and B.
The Part B premium is $66.60 per month for 2004. The Part B premium will
increase to $78.20 per month for 2005. Beneficiaries are encouraged to take
advantage of this limited, one-time opportunity. If beneficiaries decline
enrollment in Part B, they will have to pay a premium surcharge of 10 percent
for each 12-month period in which they were eligible to enroll but didn't.
"This is an important announcement for uniformed services retirees who are
entitled to Medicare Part A and don't have Part B," said Dr. Mark B. McClellan,
CMS administrator, "also, (for) those who enrolled in Medicare Part B between
Jan. 1, 2001, through 2004."
Nearly 35,000 retirees have been identified as eligible for the special
enrollment in Medicare Part B. SSA is mailing notification to eligible
beneficiaries to inform them that they have been enrolled in Medicare Part B
effective Sept. 1.
Those who are eligible for a refund will get a letter and a separate refund
check. McClellan and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr.
William Winkenwerder Jr. estimated that a total of 60,000 beneficiaries would
be affected by the changes. This legislation does not provide relief for all
categories of beneficiaries.
"The new Medicare law protects thousands of military retirees from having to
make higher payments to enroll in Medicare Part B," said McClellan. "This will
allow eligible military retirees to use their Tricare benefits as a Medicare
supplement."
"We welcome these new provisions and the assistance they provide for many of
our military beneficiaries to retain their Tricare benefits as a supplement to
Medicare coverage," Winkenwerder stated.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2004 - A collaborative effort between the Department of
Defense, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security
Administration could prove beneficial to certain Medicare-eligible uniformed
services beneficiaries.
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 provides a chance for Medicare-eligible
uniformed services beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare Part B without having to
pay higher premiums due to late enrollment. Beneficiaries who enrolled in Part
B in 2001 through 2004 will get a refund of surcharges they have paid in 2004.
By law, uniformed services beneficiaries who are entitled to Medicare Part A,
by reason of disability, end-stage renal disease or age, must also enroll in
Medicare Part B in order to maintain their Tricare eligibility. Tricare, the
military health benefit program, is secondary payer following Medicare for
beneficiaries entitled to Medicare Parts A and B.
The Part B premium is $66.60 per month for 2004. The Part B premium will
increase to $78.20 per month for 2005. Beneficiaries are encouraged to take
advantage of this limited, one-time opportunity. If beneficiaries decline
enrollment in Part B, they will have to pay a premium surcharge of 10 percent
for each 12-month period in which they were eligible to enroll but didn't.
"This is an important announcement for uniformed services retirees who are
entitled to Medicare Part A and don't have Part B," said Dr. Mark B. McClellan,
CMS administrator, "also, (for) those who enrolled in Medicare Part B between
Jan. 1, 2001, through 2004."
Nearly 35,000 retirees have been identified as eligible for the special
enrollment in Medicare Part B. SSA is mailing notification to eligible
beneficiaries to inform them that they have been enrolled in Medicare Part B
effective Sept. 1.
Those who are eligible for a refund will get a letter and a separate refund
check. McClellan and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr.
William Winkenwerder Jr. estimated that a total of 60,000 beneficiaries would
be affected by the changes. This legislation does not provide relief for all
categories of beneficiaries.
"The new Medicare law protects thousands of military retirees from having to
make higher payments to enroll in Medicare Part B," said McClellan. "This will
allow eligible military retirees to use their Tricare benefits as a Medicare
supplement."
"We welcome these new provisions and the assistance they provide for many of
our military beneficiaries to retain their Tricare benefits as a supplement to
Medicare coverage," Winkenwerder stated.
"Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
