INDUSTRY INSIGHT
ELDER CARE
SPONSORED CONTENT
ON MEDICARE ? WHAT YOU ’ LL PAY FOR , NOW THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY HAS ENDED
The Biden administration officially ended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ( PHE ) on May 11 , 2023 . Certain policies that were implemented in early 2020 due to the public health emergency will now expire . As a result , seniors are among those who may see some health care costs related to COVID-19 change . Other health care services may or may not be affected , depending on what type of coverage you have .
Here are some of the highlights :
If You are Enrolled in Original Medicare
• With the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency , you will likely have to pay for :
| At-home and over-the-counter COVID tests
| Care in a skilled nursing facility if you have not first spent at least three days in a row admitted to a hospital ( Note that being “ under observation ” at a hospital is not the same as being “ admitted .”)
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• You generally will not have to pay for :
| Laboratory COVID tests ordered by a health care provider , if you have Medicare Part B ( Note that you may have to pay for part of the cost for your visit to the health care provider ’ s office .)
| COVID vaccines and boosters from a health care provider who takes Medicare
| COVID oral antiviral treatments such as Paxlovid
• Other considerations
| In most cases , you will continue to have access to telehealth services from home through the end of 2024 .
| With the end of the public health emergency , Medicare beneficiaries with Part D coverage may no longer receive three-month supplies of prescription medications .
If You are a Medicare Advantage Member
• Now that the public health emergency has ended , you may have to pay at least part of the cost for :
| At-home and over-the-counter COVID tests
| Laboratory COVID tests ordered by a health care provider , including part of the cost of your visit to the health care provider ’ s office
| Visits to out-of-network physicians
• You will not have to pay for :
| COVID vaccines provided by an in-network physician
• Other considerations
| Check with your individual plan regarding telehealth service access .
For more information , or to see how the end of the PHE may affect your loved one on Medicaid or Medicare , visit the “ What Does the End of the PHE Mean for You ?” resource on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website ( cdc . gov / coronavirus / 2019-ncov / your-health / end-of-phe . html ).
If you have a loved one on Medicaid or Medicare and are concerned about a termination of benefits , or you have received a denial notice and want assistance on appealing , you can reach out to one of the attorneys at Zacharia Brown Elder Law and Estate Planning who will be happy to guide you through the process .
111 W . McMurray Rd . McMurray , PA 15317 ( 724 ) 942-6200
Colleen Bratkovich is a partner of the elder law and estate planning firm , Zacharia Brown PC . The firm focuses its practice on Medicaid eligibility , Veterans Benefits planning , estate administration , and estate planning including wills , powers of attorney , living wills , and trusts . Pittsburgh-area office locations include McMurray , McKeesport and Wexford . Contact information – Phone : 412.751.5670 . Website : www . PittsburghElderLaw . com . E-mail : colleen @ pittsburghelderlaw . com .
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