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17DECEMBER2013BODYOFCHRISTNEWSMedicareMedicaidObamaCareWhatsthedifferenceAreyoulikealotofusandreallynotsurethedifferencebetweenthemMedicareisanassistancepro-gramadministeredbytheFederalGovernment.Itisanationalhealthinsuranceprogramforthosewhohavepaidintoit.Theprogramservespeopleprimarilyover65whatevertheirincomeandservesyoungerdis-abledpeopleanddialysispatients.Participantspaypartofthecoststhroughdeductiblesforhospitalandsmallmonthlypremiumsfornon-hos-pitalcoverage.Theprogramisbasical-lythesameeverywhereintheUnitedStates.InordertoqualifyforMedicareindividualsmustmeeteligibilityguide-linesandenrollintheprogram.TherearefourpartstoMedicareAhospitalandrelatedcareBdoctorsoutpatientcareandmoreCMedicareAdvantageandDprescriptiondrugcoverage.ItsimportanttoknowthatMedicareisNOTapartoftheHealthInsuranceMarketplacei.e.ConnectforHealthColoradoestablishedbytheAffordableCareActsoyoudonthavetoreplaceyourMedicarecover-agewithMarketplacecoverage.NomatterhowyougetMedicarewheth-erthroughoriginalMedicareoraMedicareAdvantagePlanyoullstillhavethesamebenefitsandsecurityyouhavenowmedicare.gov2013.Thereforeyoudontneedtodoany-thingwithConnectforHealthColoradoduringOpenEnrollmentwhichisfromnowuntilDecember72013.FormoreinformationregardingMedicareeligibilityandenrollmentcallSocialSecurityat1-800-772-1213orcallMedicareat1-800-633-4227.MedicaidadministeredbyeachStateishealthinsurancethathelpsmanypeoplewhocantaffordmedi-calcarepayforsomeoralloftheirmedicalbills.Medicaiddoesnotpaymoneytoindividualsinsteadtheprogramsendspaymentsdirectlytohealthcareproviders.DependingontheparticipantsstatesMedicaidrulestheymayalsobeaskedtopayasmallpartofthecostforsomemedicalservices.InColoradoifindividualsareage65orolderandeligibleforSupplementalSecurityIncomeandorOldAgePensiontheyareeligibleforMedicaid.LongTermCareMedicaidcov-ersnursingfacilitycareHomeandCommunityBasedserviceswheremedicalproviderscomeintothehometorenderthenecessaryservicestokeepadisabledindividualfrombeingplacedinanursingfacilityorhospi-tal.IndividualsofanyagerequiringlongtermcareservicesmustmeettheSocialSecuritydisabilitycriteriaeitherthroughSocialSecurityIncomeeligibilityorSocialSecurityDisabilityIncomeeligibility.Formoreinforma-tiononColoradoMedicaideligibilityincomeandassetlimitscontactyourCountyDepartmentofHumanSocialServicesorcall1-800-221-3943.ColoradoexpandedMedicaideligi-bilityforadultsandfamiliesstart-ingin2014whichmeansmorethan160000ColoradansareexpectedtogainaccesstohealthcoveragethroughMedicaid.Individualsearninguptoabout15856ayearorcouplesearn-inguptoabout21404ayearandafamilyearninguptoabout32499ayearmaybeeligibleforMedicaidcon-nectforhealthco.com2013.ChildrenwillalsobeabletohavecontinuouscoveragethroughouttheyearintheMedicaidprogramstartingin2014evenwhenthereisincomeorotherlifechangeeventsinthefamilythroughouttheyearconnectforhealth-co.com2013.ObamaCareistheunofficialnameforthePatientProtectionandAffordableCareActwhichwassignedintolawonMarch232010.ObamaCaredoesanumberofimportantthingsinclud-ingofferingAmericansanumberofnewbenefitsrightsandprotec-tionsinregardstotheirhealthcareandsettingupaHealthInsuranceMarketplacewhereAmericanscanpurchaseFederallyregulatedandsub-sidizedhealthinsuranceinColoradothisMarketplaceiscalledConnectforHealthColoradoobamacarefacts.com2013.ConnectforHealthColoradoisnotainsuranceplanorcompany.Itswereindividualsfamiliesandsmallbusi-nessescanshopcomparepickandpurchasehealthplans.Themarket-placeisforallColoradansregardlessofincomewhonBuyhealthinsuranceontheirownnDonothavehealthinsurancenDonothaveaccesstoaffordablecoveragethroughanemployernArenoteligibleforMedicareOpenenrollmentisfromnowthroughMarch312014.Formoreinforma-tiononConnectforHealthColoradocall1-855-752-6749.AtForestStreetCompassionateCareCenterweworkwithfamiliestonavi-gatethroughthehealthcaremaze.WedothisthroughourCommunityOutreachprogramwhichhelpscare-giversidentifyavailableresourcestopayformedicalcare.In2014outpatientrehabilitationserviceswillbeavailableatForestStreet.Outpatientrehabilitationisaformoftherapywherepatientstraveltoaclinicorhospitaltoattendses-sionsandthenreturnhomethesameday.Typicallyatherapysessionlastsfrom30minutestoanhour.ELDERCAREWhatsWhatByMayaWheelerMayaWheelerItsimportanttoknowthatMedicareisNOTapartoftheHealthInsuranceMarketplaceestablishedbytheAffordableCareActsoyoudonthavetoreplaceyourMedicarecoveragewithMarketplacecoverage.